Estimating underreported pesticide poisonings in Nicaragua

We undertook to estimate the degree of underreporting to a regional pesticide poisoning registry, and to estimate the true incidence of poisoning in an agricultural region of Nicaragua. We surveyed 633 workers at 25 of 33 agricultural cooperatives and any nearby private farms in a area geographically convenient to the regional health headquarters with a short structured interview about pesticide poisonings. Eighty-three percent of workers described current use of pesticides. Twenty-five percent described a pesticide poisoning in the preceding 12 months, and almost one-half (48%) described having been made ill by pesticides at some point in time. Sixty-nine (11%) described a poisoning in the preceding month, 23 of whom had received medical attention. The names of the medically treated were sought in the Regional Pesticide Poisoning Registry for the survey year of 1988. Only 8 of the 23 subjects were found reported to the registry when a total of 1,143 human pesticide poisonings were reported in the entire region. Using 65% as an estimate of underreporting to the registry, we calculate that 3,300 (95% Cl 2100–7500) poisonings had received treatment in the region in 1988, of whom more than 2,100 remained unreported. Based on the ratio of total poisonings (treated and untreated) to registry-reported poisonings among our survey respondents, we estimate that 6,700 (95% Cl 4100–18000) systemic poisonings, occurred in 1988 in the region. Underreporting of pesticide poisonings disguises the enormity of the problem in developing countries. Even in a region with a strong emphasis on illness reporting for targeted conditions, underreporting is substantial. This method for estimating underreporting is easily applied and provides a rough estimate of registry underreporting and actual incidence for conditions identifiable by a community-applied questionnaire. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Seasonal trends in reported poisonings.

Review of 2,339 Duke Poison Control Center records for calendar year 1977 revealed that preschool children had an autumn peak for all poisonings; older victims a summer predominance. When the reports were stratified by poisoning agent, significant summer predominance was noted in preschool victims for plants, pesticides, paints, and cosmetics; winter predominance for external medicines. In older victims, spring predominance was found for pesticides and soaps, summer predominance for envenomations, plants, internal medicines, ethanol, soaps, and external medicines.     

Acute occupational poisonings in enclosed spaces

The contributors provide an analysis of the conditions and reasons accounting for the acute occupational intoxications in closed environments, which occurred in Moscow in 1986-1989 and resulted in 18 deaths. Proposals are made with regard to a state standard act on the safety rules for working in closed environments with the texts of some paragraphs to this act.     

云南省食用蜂蛹中毒与食用蜂蜜中毒的相关性研究

目的 分析云南省食用蜂蛹中毒和食用蜂蜜中毒事件的相关性,为进一步明确食用蜂蛹中毒的原因提供参考依据。 方法 根据云南省2004—2020年报告的蜂蛹中毒和蜂蜜中毒事件资料,采用描述性统计方法分析其相关性。 结果 云南省食用蜂蛹中毒事件表现出与食用蜂蜜中毒事件不同的流行病学特征,蜂蛹中毒主要发生在9—10月滇西北的怒江和迪庆,蜂蜜中毒发生在6—7月滇西南临沧等地,蜂蛹中毒中位潜伏期9.5 h,远短于蜂蜜中毒的24 h,蜂蛹中毒以抽搐、烦躁等神经系统症状为主,蜂蜜中毒则以腰痛、少尿等泌尿系统症状为主,毒素污染路径和烹调方式等环节的证据也不支持两者具有相关性的结论。 结论 因蜂类采集有毒植物蜜粉导致毒素污染蜂蛹不是云南省食用蜂蛹中毒的原因。