Arsenic induced diseases in human beings, their diagnosis & treatment

C. P. S. Verma, Rohit Bhatia*,

Abstract

In the modern age with the increased population, transportation and industrialization, our atmosphere is being constantly contaminated by huge number of toxic and harmful chemicals, gases and other substances. Human beings are freely exposed to them every day. These harmful chemicals reach inside the human body by the common ways which include air, water and food. Arsenic is one of the most harmful chemicals present in the environment. The arsenic toxicity in the body is called as arsenicosis. Continuous exposure to arsenic and arsenicals causes severe diseases in human beings like cancer. Arsenic induced diseases are difficult to recognise because the signs and symptoms are not seen in the early stage and they are non-specific. Moreover there are not sufficient medicines available to treat arsenic poisoning. A variety of skin diseases are caused by arsenic exposure. In the presented review authors have summarized various arsenic induced skin diseases, their signs and symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.