Small dose of thimerosal can cause immediate reactions; higher dose (more 1000 times than in vaccine) can cause nervous system and kidney toxicity. These consequences resulted from ethylmercury, a derivative of thimerosal. WTO and three other US agencies, including FDA (Food and Drugs Association), EPA (Environment Protection Agency) and ATSDR set the guidelines for safety use of methylmercury in daily foods: EPA: 0,1µg/kg/day; ATSDR: 0,3µg/kg/day; FDA: 0,4µg/kg/day; WHO: 0,47µg/kg/day. These differences in guidelines for using mercury is the source of confusing in use of thimerosal. Besides, guidelines from WTO is different from all others in the US so there are need to compromise or at least make clear these differences.
Vaccines ; Thimerosal

No abstract available.
Autistic Disorder ; Mercury Poisoning ; Thimerosal*

Non-swelling cornea was prepared according to the method of Payrau. 1) Rabbit cornea without epithelium was treated with the vapor of 0.04% formalin at 4 degrees C for 48 hours, and then dehydrated with silica gel at room temperature for 48 hours. 2) Dehydrated cornea was soaked in the neutral solution of 0.5% L-lysine HCI for one hour, and in the neutral solution of 0.5% L-arginin HCl for one hour successively. 3) Non-swelling cornea was preserved in the desiccator with silica gel or in 0.02% merthiolate solution. Authors compared the hydration ratio of the non-swelling cornea with untreated cornea. Authors employed the chromotropic acid method to measure the amount of formaldehyde in the non-s-welling cornea and compared with the cornea treated only with formalin showed that: 1) Non-swelling cornea became hydrated within 30 minutes and remained constant thereafter in 0.9% saline solution at room temperature, whereas formalin treated cornea hydrated enormously within 3 hours. 2) The amount of formaldehyde in the non-swelling cornea was on the average 0.129 micro M/mg dry weight, and 3) The amount of formaldehyde in the formalin treated cornea was on the average 0.325 micro M/mg dry weight.
Cornea* ; Epithelium ; Formaldehyde ; Lysine ; Silica Gel ; Sodium Chloride ; Thimerosal

To evaluate amoebicidal efficacy of various disinfectants, we treated four ocular isolates of Acanthamoeba with three kinds of commercial available contact lens(CL) disinfectants, chlorhexidine, thimerosal, polyhexamethylene biguanide(PHMB) and hexamidine, Acanthamoeba cysts were collected from axenic nonnutrient agar plates from 4-week cultures. Cyst suspension(100microliter) was inoculated on 96-well microplate with concentration of 5x103 cyssts/ml. Each well was treated with three kinds of CL disinfectants(100microliter each, 4, 8, 12, 24hrs) and two-fold diluted chlorhexidine, PHMB and hexamidine(100microliter each, 8 and 48hrs). Only one CL disinfectant containing chlorhexidine(0.005%) and thimerosal(0.001%) showed cysticidal effect. Minimal cysticidal concentration(MCC) of PHMB, chlorhexidine, hexamidine ranged 1.17-3.12microgram/ml, 3.12-12.50microgram/ml, 8.64-52.07microgram/ml respectively with 48hr treatment. In 8hr treatment, MCC of PHMB and chlorhexidine were 4.42-12.50microgram/ml and 9.31-25.0microgram/ml respectively, but hexamidine did not demonstrate cysticidal effect. Therefore for proper sterilzation of contact lens and CL caes, effective disinfectant should be included in the composition of CL cleaning solution. Among the currently used topical amoebicidal agents, PHMB was the most potent cysticidal agent in in vitro study with four ocular stains of Acanthamoeba.
Acanthamoeba Keratitis* ; Acanthamoeba* ; Agar ; Chlorhexidine ; Coloring Agents ; Disinfectants* ; Thimerosal

BACKGROUND: The patch test is widely used for diagnosis of allergic contact dermatitis. However, nearly half of positive reactions can be observed only on day 2 or day 4 and it is difficult to interpret these reactions. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to assess the frequency of transient and delayed reactions in TRUE-test and detect common antigens that provoke these reactions. METHODS: A total of 311 patients with allergic contact dermatitis were evaluated by TRUE-test between Jan 2007 and December 2011. Records of patch test results of day 2 and day 4 were reviewed and analyzed. RESULTS: A total 311 cases of T.R.U.E. TEST(R) records (male 79, female 232) were analyzed. Persistent reactions were observed in 80.1% patients tested, transient reactions were observed in 18.3%, and delayed reaction in 5%. Frequent allergens which showed transient reactions were cobalt dichloride (2.9%), nickel sulfate (2.2%), thiomersal (1.9%), and carba mix (1.6%), in order of frequency. Allergens which showed delayed reactions were nickel sulfate (0.3%), fragrance mix (0.3%), p-tert-butylphenol formaldehyde resin (0.43). CONCLUSION: Our results showed a relatively high frequency of transient reaction in T.R.U.E. TEST(R). This suggests that additional reading at day 4 in the patch test would be of value.
Allergens ; Cobalt ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact ; Ditiocarb ; Female ; Formaldehyde ; Guanidines ; Humans ; Nickel ; Patch Tests ; Resins, Synthetic ; Thimerosal

A case of contact dermatitis due to herb onintment is described in a 24 year-old female patient. After topical application of herb ointment, she developed erythematous papules and plaques on the face and neck. Patch test revealed positive reactions to ammoniated mercury, thimerosal, and the herb ointment. Energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis of the herb ointment showed a striking peak for mercury.
Dermatitis, Contact* ; Electron Probe Microanalysis ; Female ; Humans ; Neck ; Patch Tests ; Strikes, Employee ; Thimerosal ; Young Adult

The incidence of mercury sensitivity in millitary personnel without contact dermatitis was investigated using the patch test with 1% ammoniated mercury and 0.1% thimerosal. A questionaire study relating to mercury exposure was also performed in 124 subjects. We also investigated whether the several vaccines curently in use in Korea contain mercury products. The results were as follows . 1. Ammoniated mercury sensitivity was in 10.8% and thimerosal sensitivity was 6.1% in all tested subjects, a similar percentage observed in patch test clinic of the authors. 2. Vaccination history was statistically related significantly, to the senstivity to mercury allergens (P<0.05). 3. All subjects sensitized to thimerosal were also allergic to ammoniated mercury, suggesting crosssensitivity. 4. Hepavax-B, D. P.T., Japanese encephalitis vaccine, and fluvax, currently in use in Korea, contain thimerosal as a preservative.
Allergens ; Dermatitis, Contact* ; Encephalitis, Japanese ; Epidemiology ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Military Personnel* ; Patch Tests ; Thimerosal ; Vaccination ; Vaccines

Mycon-soft lenses (made by Tokyo contact lens Co., Japan) were contaminated experimentally with coagulase positive staphylococcus aureus and pseudomonas aeruginosa and sterilizing effects of some disinfectants (3% H2O2, 6% H2O2, 0.1% Benzalkonium and 1:1000 Merthiolate solutions) on those contaminated lenses were studied. The following results were obtained: 1. SCL contaminated with staphylcoccus were sterilized by soaking in 3% H2O2, 6% H2O2, or 1:1000 Merthiolate solution over 15 minutes, and in 0.1 Benzalkonium over 60 minutes. 2. SCL contaminated with pseudomonas aeruginosa were sterilizd by soaking in 6% H2O2 over 15 minutes, in 1:1000 MerthioJate solution over 60 minutes, in 3% H2O2 over 60 minutes, but no sterilization was obtained by soaking in 0.1 % Benzalkonium solution for less than 180 minutes. 3. No signs of irritation were noted on rabbit corneas fitted with SCL after soaking in 3% H2O2 or 6% H2O2 for 15 minutes followed by soaking in 20cc of normal saline for 15 minutes.
Benzalkonium Compounds ; Coagulase ; Contact Lenses, Hydrophilic* ; Cornea ; Disinfectants ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; Staphylococcus aureus ; Sterilization* ; Thimerosal

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of different concentrations of thiomersal on apoptosis and autophagy regulation of human leukemia cell lines U937, CEM-C1 and BALL-1. METHODS: The inhibitory effect of thiomersal on the proliferation of U937, CEM-C1 and BALL-1 cells was detected by CCK-8 assay. Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining flow cytometry was used to detect the apoptosis rate. Western blot was used to detect the effects of thiomersal on autophagy signaling pathway and the expression of PI3K, Akt, mTOR, p-mTOR, caspase-3 and LC3-II proteins. RESULTS: Within 24 and 48 hours, thiomersal inhibited the proliferation of U937, CEM-C1 and BALL-1 cell lines in a time and dose-dependent manner (r_{24 h}=0.295, r_{24 h}=0.452, r_{24 h}=0.103; r_{48 h}=0.821, r_{48 h}=0.665, r_{48 h}=0.821), but no significant time and dose-dependent effect was observed at 72 hours. After 48 hours treatment of thiomersal, the apoptosis rate of U937, CEM-C1 and BALL-1 cells increased in a dose-dependent manner (r=0.819, r=0.763, r=0.835). After 48 hours treatment of thiomersal, the expression levels of PI3K, Akt, mTOR and p-mTOR protein in U937, CEM-C1 and BALL-1 cells decreased in a concentration-dependent manner, the R value of U937 cells was -0.975, -0.899, -0.925 and -0.915, respectively, that of CEM-C1 cells was -0.960, -0.920, -0.861 and -0.927, and that of BALL-1 cells was -0.939, -0.911, -0.896 and -0.926,. which suggested that thiomersal-induced apoptosis of U937, CEM-C1 and BALL-1 cells might be due to the inhibition of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. Thiomersal promoted the apoptosis of U937, CEM-C1 and BALL-1 cells via caspase-3 pathway, and the expressions of caspase-3 and LC3-II were up-regulated in a dose-dependent manner (r=0.976, r=0.914; r=0.976, r=0.986; r=0.961, r=0.974). CONCLUSIONS Thiomersal can inhibit the proliferation and promote the apoptosis of U937, CEM-C1 and BALL-1 cells. A certain concentration of thiomersal can down-regulate the expression of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway related proteins PI3K, Akt, mTOR and p-mTOR in U937, CEM-C1 and BALL-1 cells, and activate autophagy and apoptosis by down-regulation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway.
Humans ; Thimerosal ; Caspase 3 ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ; Autophagy ; Apoptosis ; Leukemia ; Cell Line

BACKGROUND: The TRUE test is a commercially available ready-to-apply patch test widely used in many countries, but no large-scale study is available on the TRUE test in Korea. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the type, frequency, and changes in the common contact allergens in Korea using the TRUE test. METHODS: From January 2009 to March 2010, TRUE tests were performed on patients with contact dermatitis at the Departments of Dermatology of 15 hospitals. The epidemiological findings of patients, and the results of the patch tests were analyzed. RESULTS: In total, 795 patch tested cases (246 males, 549 females) were compiled and analyzed. The oldest age distribution was the third decade in both males and females, and housewives and office-workers were the most common jobs, comprising 29.7% and 19.8% of the occupations, respectively. Overall, 65.1% of patients had at least one positive reaction, and the most common allergens were nickel sulfate (34.1%), thimerosal (12.6%), cobalt chloride (11.1%), and p-phenylenediamine (8.4%), in order of frequency. A univariate analysis of multiple variables including age, gender, occupation, and affected sites was conducted and a comparison with a previous multicenter study was also analyzed. CONCLUSION: These results provide the basis for use of the TRUE test in patients with contact dermatitis in Korea.
Age Distribution ; Allergens ; Cobalt ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Dermatology ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Nickel ; Occupations ; Patch Tests ; Phenylenediamines ; Thimerosal