special subjects
Metal Fume Fever and Polymer Fume Fever
Pathophysiology
The precise pathophysiology of metal fume fever is unclear, but the mechanism is thought to be proinflammatory cytokine release and neutrophil activation induced by pulmonary exposure tozinc oxidefumes. The mechanism for polymer fume fever is unclear but thought to be pulmonary exposure to fluorocarbon decomposition products produced at high temperatures. 