Occupational lead intoxication from terracotta tiles manufacturing: a case study

We report the case of a 63-year-old terracotta tiles manufacturer who presented with acute abdomen and normocytic anaemia. The patient presented with elevated levels of urinary delta-aminolaevulinic acid without any increase in the levels of urine porphobilinogen or urine coproporphyrin. Detection of elevated lead blood levels (1939 µg/dL one month before hospital admission in the occupational medicine clinic and 44.70 µg/dL at hospital admission, values come from two different laboratories) confirmed the diagnosis of chronic lead poisoning due to occupational exposure. Chelation therapy with D-penicillamine resulted in the improvement of clinical symptoms and lead blood levels. Clinicians should be aware that lead poisoning caused by occupational exposure can still occur sporadically in terracotta tiles manufacturing workers, lead poisoning being a neglected diagnosis in abdominal pain.