Dioxin Toxicity and Chloracne in the Ukraine
March 2005 | Volume 4 | Issue 2 | Original Article | 148 | Copyright © March 2005
J. Barton Sterling MD, C. William Hanke MD MPH FACP
Abstract
Dioxin toxicity can lead to severe cutaneous and systemic disease. The poisoning of Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko
dramatically illustrates the damage dioxin can inflict. The hallmark of dioxin toxicity is chloracne and should alert the clinician
to this diagnosis, which can be confirmed by blood tests. Olestra, a non-absorbable, non-digestible fat substitute is a
promising new treatment to lower systemic dioxin levels. 
