Mercury Exposure Among Household Users and Nonusers of Skin-Lightening Creams Produced in Mexico — California and Virginia, 2010
January 2012
In 2010, there was an unusual outbreak of mercury poisoning in Northern California and Virgina. The UCSF PEHSU helped the California Department of Public Health and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (along with local authorities in California and Virginia) to investigate this problem. The source was identified as contaminated unlabeled skin cream purchased in Mexico. This episode was documented in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report of the CDC.
