Lead in LITARGIRIO

[Guest guest]

Please excuse the forward-y format of this. One of our nurse

practitioners brought it to our attention.

Esther , RN

Rural Health Outreach Program

-----Original Message-----

From: Peggy Whitehead

Sent: Saturday, August 02, 2003 5:14 PM

Kathy Kahler (E-mail 2); Lee Gordon (E-mail 2); Judy Bartlett

(E-mail); Esther ; Esther (E-mail 2); ; Sue

Hagie; Janet Wolfe (E-mail); Jan Wolfe; Florencia Aranda (E-mail)

Subject: FW: [nephase2] Lead Warning

Steve Alderfer just forwarded this information below about lead levels

in a traditional remedy used by some Latinos. I thought you should be

aware of this.

Peggy

Peggy Whitehead

Program Manager

Rural Health Outreach Program

4038 Highway

Arrington, VA 22922

(434) 263-4858

Fax: (434) 263-6008

-----Original Message-----

From: steve@... [mailto:steve@...]

Sent: Saturday, August 02, 2003 8:41 AM

rhoppw@...

Subject: FW: [nephase2] Lead Warning

-----Original Message-----

From: Eva Cohen [mailto:ecohen@...]

Sent: Thursday, July 31, 2003 7:05 PM

NEPhase2

Subject: [nephase2] Lead Warning

This message was forwarded by Jennie Mc

*************

See this warning re lead:

Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2003 11:53:55 -0400

From: Bruce <banderso@...>

Subject: FYI: Lead source Received a note about a child that had

developed

increased lead levels associated with use of this product from another

listserv. Yet another source of exposure to lead that clinicians should

be

aware of, particularly those that interact with Spanish-speaking

folks.Enclosed is the text of the press release from the Rhode Island

Department of Health.

--------------------------------------------------------

For: Immediate Release

Date: June 30, 2003

Contact: J. Marshall, Ph.D. 401-222-1017 HEALTH ALERT

HEALTH Warns RI Residents about Use of " LITARGIRIO "

Traditional Remedy Contains Dangerous Levels of Lead Today the RI

Department

of Health (HEALTH) warned the public not to use LITARGIRO, a yellow or

peach-colored powder manufactured by Roldan, Ferreira and other

laboratories

in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The powder, used as a traditional

remedy, particularly by people from that country, contains nearly 80 per

cent lead-a toxic substance that can cause permanent neurological damage

in

children.HEALTH first learned about this product in connection with a

child

undergoing treatment for lead poisoning. The lead in the child's blood

continued to climb, up to more than four times the allowable level, even

after abating household sources and providing medical treatment. When

health officials looked for other sources of lead, they discovered that

the

family used LITARGIRIO as a childhood anti-perspirant/deodorant.

Consumers

also use the product as a traditional remedy for treating fungus on the

feet

and for burns.HEALTH staff easily purchased several packages of the

product

in local convenience and specialty stories catering to Spanish-speaking

customers-particularly those from the Dominican Republic.HEALTH advises

the

public to:

* Stop all use of this product (LITARGIRIO)

immediately-particularly

with children and pregnant or nursing women.

* Place unused product in a re-sealable container or plastic bag

and

discard with the household trash.

* Thoroughly wash hands and any other Exposed body parts that come

in

contact with the powder. Wash affected household surfaces with soap and

water.* Ask your health care provider to test children or

pregnant/nursing women for lead poisoning if you have used this

product.*

For more information contact the Family Health Information Line at

1-800-942-7434 In addition to issuing this public warning, released

earlier

today in Spanish, HEALTH also contacted federal authorities at the

National

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the US Food and Drug

Administration(FDA) regarding the toxic nature of this product. HEALTH

may

also take other steps to restrict the availability of this product in

Rhode

Island. ###=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Bruce D. , PharmD, DABAT

Director of Operations/Associate Professor

land Poison Center

University of land School of Pharmacy

410-706-7604 fax 410-706-7184

email: banderso@...

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

L. Steege, MPH

Jennie A. McLaurin, MD, MPH

Migrant Clinicians Network

Director, MCN Health Disparities Collaboratives

***************

Eva D. Cohen

NE Cluster Coordinator

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