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Severe Hemolysis and Hyperbilirubinemia due to Perinatal Napthalene Exposure

Journal of Perinatology volume 25, page 359 (2005)Cite this article

Dear Editor,

We read with great interest the report by Molloy et al1 concerning an African American male neonate born with obvious evidence of severe hemolysis and methemoglobinemia. Following decrease in blood methemoglobin levels, the total serum bilirubin continued to rise, requiring exchange transfusion because of a total bilirubin concentration of 20 mg/dl. End tidal carbon monoxide was more than four times the normal concentration, confirming severe hemolysis. It became apparent that 1 week prior to the delivery, the mother's household had been exposed to naphthalene which had been spilt into a heating vent, and the authors concluded that the hemolytic anemia and methemoglobinemia were the result of transplacentally acquired naphthalene (or a metabolite thereof) intoxication.

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References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neonatology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, PO Box 3235, Jerusalem, 91031, Israel

    Michael Kaplan MB ChB & Cathy Hammerman MD

  2. Faculty of Medicine of the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel

    Michael Kaplan MB ChB & Cathy Hammerman MD

  3. Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva, Israel

    Michael Kaplan MB ChB & Cathy Hammerman MD

Authors
  1. Michael Kaplan MB ChB
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  2. Cathy Hammerman MD
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Kaplan, M., Hammerman, C. Severe Hemolysis and Hyperbilirubinemia due to Perinatal Napthalene Exposure. J Perinatol 25, 359 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7211282

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