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Indian authorities said Tuesday they found traces of lead and nickel particles in blood samples after hundreds of people were hospitalized for an unknown illness in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.
Teams of doctors, including those from the leading Indian Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi, are investigating the death of one person and the hospitalization of more than 400 in recent days.
The Andhra Pradesh state government said Tuesday that the AIIMS team had found traces of lead and nickel in their samples, while a second hospital is also conducting similar tests.
The disease has infected more than 300 children, and most of them suffer from dizziness, fainting, headaches and vomiting. They have tested negative for COVID-19.
High levels of lead in the bloodstream can affect the development of the brain, nervous system, and vital organs such as the heart and lungs.
Earlier Tuesday, federal legislator GVL Narasimha Rao, who is from the state, said on Twitter that he had spoken with government medical experts and that “the most likely cause is poisonous organochlorine substances.”
“It’s one of the possibilities,” said Geeta Prasadini, director of public health for the state of Andhra Pradesh, adding that they were awaiting test reports to determine the cause.
He said no new serious cases have come to light in the past 24 hours. A 45-year-old man died over the weekend.
Organochlorines are banned or restricted in many countries after research linked them to cancer and other potential health risks. However, some of the pollutants remain in the environment for years and accumulate in animal and human body fat.
It was not immediately clear how extensively the chemicals are used in India, although they are found in applied DDT for mosquito control.
Exposure to organochlorine pesticides for a short period can cause seizures, headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, tremors, confusion, muscle weakness, slurred speech, salivation and sweating, say US health authorities.
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