Uranium poisoning can occur when uranium and its compounds are introduced into the body through various routes like the gastrointestinal tract, skin or lungs, in both soluble and insoluble forms. It is present naturally in the environment, but exposure has been increased in certain communities, due to industrial activities such as working in the uranium mines and mills.

The toxic effects of uranium that have been documented usually reveal because of accidental exposure to extremely high concentrations. These instances have caused fatalities through severe damage to the kidneys and lungs, which are the main target organs. The inhalation of a high quantity of uranium may lead to structural lung damage and chronic airway obstruction. In some cases, this can result in respiratory failure. Most of the uranium that is ingested undergoes rapid ejection, as part of fecal matter and the rest is promptly excreted in urine. Therefore short term subjection to abnormally elevated doses has been known to culminate in acute renal failure and death. The uranium that remains in the body is deposited in bones, where it is absorbed and persists for 1-2 years without causing symptoms [1]. The excess uranium is also deposited in kidneys and liver. Nonetheless, no other organ systems appear to be negatively affected by uranium.

Studies have shown that chronic exposure to low doses of uranium in the environment or workplace does not have a detrimental effect on health [2]. In addition, the consumption of slightly higher quantities, in drinking water, for example, do not lead to renal failure or long-term morbidity [3] [4]. Workers who are exposed to uranium as an occupational hazard do not suffer from poor health and early death because of uranium; illness, on the contrary, is often linked to the simultaneous presence of other harmful substances, such as radon and radium in uranium mines [5] [6]. Those who do sustain renal damage due to long term accumulation recover once the exposure is halted. Despite its theoretical carcinogenic potential due to its emission of alpha radiation, uranium has not practically shown such properties, and neoplastic changes are attributed to co-existing substance toxicity as well.

• Fatigue

  I’m still dealing with fatigue… the last two days I have been crashing by 1 PM. [optimalprediction.com]

  Iodine deficiency symptoms : ( See iodine testing here ) Weight gain Physical or mental fatigue or lethargy Depression or irritability Dry skin and or hair Muscle pain Painful periods Intolerance to cold or cold hands and feet Constipation, gas, bloating [naturalhealthgroup.com.au]

  Shaun Rusling says he is "devastated" by his diagnosis Shaun Rusling served in the Gulf War and today, he takes a dozen different drugs to treat a catalogue of illnesses, from chronic fatigue and post-traumatic stress disorder to problems with the nervous [news.bbc.co.uk]

  Kidney dysfunction, lung damage, bloody stools, extreme fatigue, joint pain, unsteady gait, memory loss and rashes and, ultimately, cancer and premature death await those exposed to DU. [gulfwarvets.com]

• Agent Orange

  Comparing to the weapons used in Vietnam, Girard said in response to the situation, “It’s somewhat similar to Agent Orange where it was secondary the concern of the aftereffects.” [theloquitur.com]

  They compare the debate over depleted uranium to the controversy surrounding Agent Orange, the toxic herbicide used to defoliate the jungles of Vietnam. [muslimobserver.com]

  Echoes of Agent Orange It took more than 25 years for the Pentagon to acknowledge that Agent Orange — a corrosive defoliant used to melt the jungles of Vietnam and flush out the enemy — was linked to those sufferings. [nbcnews.com]

• Wheelchair Bound

  Others, such as Ray Bristow, 42, of Hull, who was a theatre technician for 32 Field Hospital, are now wheelchair-bound. [xs4all.nl]

• Cerebral Palsy

  palsy, alarmed after seen a high incidences of abnormalities in local children at the Baba Farid Center For Special Children (BFCSC) in Faridkot, a not-for-profit organization working with kids, ailing from autism, cerebral palsy and other neurological [en.wikipedia.org]

• Blurred Vision

  He had constant migraine headaches, blurred vision, blackouts and a burning sensation whenever he urinated." Let us stop right here to say that these physical symptoms are classic symptoms associated with Depleted Uranium poisoning! [cuttingedge.org]

  He had constant migraine headaches, blurred vision, blackouts and a burning sensation whenever he urinated. [gulfwarvets.com]

• Angioedema

  In May, the Army granted him a 40% disability pension for his migraine headaches and for a condition called idiopathic angioedema - unexplained chronic swelling. But Matthew never got the results of his Army test for DU. [cuttingedge.org]

• Kidney Failure

  Very high uranium intakes (ranging from about 50 to 150 mg depending on the individual) can cause acute kidney failure and death. [web.ead.anl.gov]

  Many Navajo people have died of kidney failure and cancer, conditions linked to uranium contamination. And new research from the CDC shows uranium in babies born now. [npr.org]

  Uranium is toxic to kidney cells since the kidneys filter out uranium. If the exposure is of limited time and amount, the damage usually naturally repaired, but long-term exposure and high concentrations can cause kidney failure. [geoinfo.nmt.edu]

  The Royal Society of England published data showing that battlefield soldiers who inhale or swallow high levels of DU can suffer kidney failure within days. Any soldier now in Iraq who has not inhaled lethal radioactive dust is not breathing. [gulfwarvets.com]

As the kidneys are the most vulnerable to the effects of uranium poisoning, clinical examination includes urinalysis, assessment of renal function, and the identification of signs of renal disease. Common positive findings in urine include proteinuria, beta-2 microglobulin, and uranium. Conversely, the detection of the latter only indicates uranium contact, however, and helps the clinician to gauge the extent and duration of exposure. It does not necessarily convey concurrent renal damage [7]. Furthermore, it is important to clearly elicit substance exposure history, with particular attention to not only uranium, but also to other closely associated noxious material such as silica dust particles, and even medical history, as they aid and guide in diagnosis [1].

If you are diagnosed with cancer and you want to survive the cancer avoid any and all exposure to radiation treatment. Radiation treatment of any kind is what actually kills people diagnosed with cancer. [redice.tv]

Researchers are still looking for simple, effective methods for the sensitive detection and effective treatment of uranium poisoning. [sciencedaily.com]

All of those affected were hit by shrapnel from DU tank or aircraft cannon shells during ''friendly fire'' incidents in the advance on Basra and have since received treatment for ''very low-level'' radiation poisoning. [heraldscotland.com]

When do we stop treatment?” [ideas.ted.com]

Disclaimer and Disclosure Disclaimer The state of knowledge regarding the treatment of patients potentially exposed to hazardous substances in the environment is constantly evolving and is often uncertain. [atsdr.cdc.gov]

The prognosis, though, was good: thallium has an antidote. Still worried, Goldfarb sought the help of John Henry, a brilliant toxicologist at London’s St. Mary’s Hospital who was famous in Litvinenko’s circle for his ability to spot poisonings. [medium.com]

Compensation Program Navajo Uranium Miners Fight for Compensation Radiation Exposure Screening & Education Human Radiation Experiments Native American Cancer Research Partnership CDC CDC: Radiation Emergencies ATSDR: Radon ATSDR: Uranium DOE's Comprehensive Epidemiologic [geoinfo.nmt.edu]

This may be due to the difficulty of performing epidemiological studies involving such doses. However, there is also some recent biological evidence for a threshold in carcinogenic effects for both radiation and chemical damage. 4. [ec.europa.eu]

According to a report by the Navajo Epidemiology Center, by 2004, cancer had become the leading cause of illness and death for the Navajo, a generally nonsmoking population. “Everything here makes us and the animals sick,” Gregory said. [earthisland.org]

A number of human epidemiological studies are reviewed. Current TLV-TWA and TLV-STEL values are based largely on the findings from these worker-exposure studies. [sti.srs.gov]

It was generally taken that 4 WLM is epidemiologically equivalent to 20 mSv, the average occupational dose limit. [world-nuclear.org]

Finally, we continue to strategically file state and federal lawsuits to prevent proposed mining projects that would endanger drinking water supplies. [impactfund.org]

589 Radiochemistry of Plutonium 595 Detection of Radioactivity 601 References 609 Treatment of Plutonium Contamination Cases 634 Summary of Plutonium Internal Deposition Experience 643 Chapter 3 165 Uranium Compounds Applied to the Skin 171 Attempted Prevention [books.google.com]

As a result, many personnel did not practice field-expedient measures that would have prevented or mitigated possible exposures. [au.af.mil]

Structural violence occurs when a social structure or institution harms people by preventing them from meeting their basic needs. [truth-out.org]

1. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Case study in environmental medicine: taking an exposure history. Available: https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/csem.asp?csem=33. Published June 5, 2015. Updated Aug 9, 2016. Accessed Mar 28, 2017.
2. Boice JD, Mumma MT, Blot WJ. Cancer incidence and mortality in populations living near uranium milling and mining operations in Grants, New Mexico, 1950–2004. Radiat Res. 2010;174(5):624–636.
3. Kurttio P, Auvinen A, Salonen L, et al. Renal effects of uranium in drinking water. Environ Health Perspect. 2002;110(4):337-342.
4. Kurttio P, Harmoinen A, Saha H, et al. Kidney toxicity of ingested uranium from drinking water. Am J Kidney Dis. 2006;47(6):972-982.
5. MacFarlane GJ, Hotopf M, Maconochie N, Blatchley N, Richards A, Lunt M. Long-term mortality amongst Gulf War Veterans: is there a relationship with experiences during deployment and subsequent morbidity? Int J Epidemiol. 2005;34(6):1403–1408.
6. Boice JD, Cohen SS, Mumma MT, Chadda B, Blot WJ. A cohort study of uranium millers and miners of Grants, New Mexico, 1979–2005. J Radiol Prot. 2008;28(3):303–325.
7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fourth National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals. Available: https://www.cdc.gov/exposurereport/pdf/fourthreport.pdf. Published Feb 2009. Accessed Mar 28, 2017.