Effects of mustard gas exposure in pediatric patients (long term health status of mustard-exposed children, 14 years after chemical bombardment of Sardasht)

Mustard agents are chemical weapons which act through alkylation of cellular components, causing acute symptoms which include severe blistering of tissue exposed to vapor or liquid agent and a diverse range of chronic illnesses. During the 8 year war between Iran and Iraq, extensive employment of chemical munitions by Iraqi forces was documented, including attacks on both military and civilian targets. One of these incidents, an aerial bombardment of the Iranian border town of Sardasht in June 1987, is the focus of the present investigation. Here we report on distribution of mustard-induced lesions among 20 female and 30 male victims less than 10 years of age at the time of exposure. Physical examinations revealed that lesions of the lungs were most common (100%), followed by skin (98%), and eye (86%) lesions, with 0-8% classed as severe; 4-16% as moderate; and 82-84% as mild lesional coverage. It was also noted that individuals exposed to the agent as children exhibited more severe chronic effects than adults exhibiting comparable acute symptoms. Results of this investigation yield insight into the extend which mustard exposure affects a particular symptom (lesions for this study) in adults when exposure occurs in childhood.