Elevated Blood Lead in a 6-Month-Old Breast-Fed Infant: The Role of Newsprint Logs

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Abstract
Lead is an ubiquitous substance in our environment. Although the ingestion of materials containing lead-based paints remains the primary cause of markedly increased body lead burdens in children, the role of environmental pollutants is gradually becoming appreciated. Atmospheric lead is a particular hazard; 30% to 50% of lead inhaled by the lungs may be retained by the body.1 The percentage of lead absorbed through the intestine in children is unknown, although recent studies suggest that it may be as high as 50%.2 We wish to describe an apparently unusual example of elevated blood lead in a 6-month-old infant who had been exclusively breast-fed.

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