Side Effects and Injuries Caused by Chemical Weapons during the Holy Defense and the Battles of the Axis of Resistance

Document Type : Narrative Review

Authors

Chemical Injuries Research Center, System Biology and Poisonings Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Background and Aim: During the eight years of the imposed war against Iran, various chemical weapons were used by Iraq's Baathist army, including blister (mustard) and nerve gas (Tabun and Sarin).
Methods: This study is a review and uses reliable domestic and international sources available through computer databases.
Results: Mustard was the most widely used gas, and more than 30 years after the end of the war, chemical warfare victims still suffer from its harmful effects. Mustard gas is a powerful alkylating agent. The detrimental effects of this gas on different tissues have been reported and its greatest effects on the lungs, eyes and skin have been studied. In this paper, the most important acute and chronic diseases caused by mustard gas in the respiratory system, eyes and skin have been studied. Also, a brief reference was made to nerve gases. Finally, another gas probably used on the battles of the axis of resistance (chlorine gas) was mentioned.
Conclusion: Several types of late lung, eyes, skin, and other complications occurred due to compounds used in deadly chemical weapons, over the years since the end of the Holy Defense and continue to offend the injured. The exact mechanism is unknown.

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