Source: Rapeseed oil denatured with 2% aniline was sold as olive oil after removal of the aniline.
Toxin: Uncertain. Various compounds have been proposed but none have been confirmed.
Features of the intoxication:
(1) acute phase intoxication
(2) chronic, scleroderma like syndrome
Features of the acute phase lasting a few days:
(1) acute interstitial pneumonitis with cough and dyspnea
(2) fever
(3) lymphadenopathy
(3) variable skin rash
(4) variable respiratory failure
(5) variable renal failure
(6) variable heart failure
(7) variable toxic hepatitis
(8) variable nausea, vomiting and abdominal pains
Features of the chronic phase that developed months after resolution of the acute phase:
(1) scleroderma-like changes to the skin
(2) endovasculitis with perivascular inflammation
(3) motor and sensory neuropathy
(4) inflammatory myositis with myalgias with muscle wastage
(5) xerostomia
(6) arthralgias
(7) variable pulmonary hypertension
(8) variable cardiac failure
(9) Raynaud's phenomenon
(10) dysphagia and esophageal hypomotility
(11) eosinophilia
(12) autoantibodies (anti-nuclear antibodies, etc)