Acute Human Lethal Toxicity of Agricultural Pesticides: A Prospective Cohort Study

Abstract

In a prospective cohort study of patients presenting with pesticide self-poisoning, Andrew Dawson and colleagues investigate the relative human toxicity of agricultural pesticides and contrast it with WHO toxicity classifications, which are based on toxicity in rats.

Validity of referral hospitals for the toxicovigilance of acute poisoning in Sri Lanka

“…This data collection included all data elements collected for referred patients in the primary hospital. 9 In the study district the transfer rate from primary hospitals to the referral hospital was very high. In Sri Lanka, transfers are initiated by physicians in primary hospitals; there are few barriers and no fixed protocol.…”

“…However, the methods required for such surveillance are potentially complicated, since the majority of poisoned patients present to small primary hospitals for initial assessment and care and are later transferred to secondary (referral) hospitals. 8 To date, most epidemiological studies in Sri Lanka have been performed in these larger referral hospitals, 9 as have nearly all hospital studies used to estimate pesticide poisoning rates elsewhere in the world. 1 Such studies may be subject to various forms of selection bias.…”

Interface interactions between insecticide carbofuran and tea waste biochars produced at different pyrolysis temperatures

“…During 2000-2005 period of time, 939-1068 metric tons of carbofuran have been sold in Sri Lanka. [4] Furthermore, carbofuran is known to be more persistent than other carbamate or organophosphate insecticides and it is often detected in portable water. [3] Carbofuran contamination commonly occurs in many agricultural areas worldwide.…”

Mortalidad debida a intoxicación por plaguicidas en Colombia entre 1998 y 2011

“…En algunos estudios se ha señalado que existe un mayor riesgo de problemas mentales, principalmente la depresión, en personas que han estado expuestas a plaguicidas (36,(49)(50)(51)(52)(53)(54), lo que favorecería conductas tendientes al suicidio por su ingestión. Estas conductas se ven favorecidas por la asequibilidad de los plaguicidas en los países en desarrollo, especialmente en las áreas rurales en donde son de uso común, lo que, de cierta manera, facilita su consumo en los periodos de crisis en la vida cotidiana (55,56), sobreviniendo la muerte debido a la gran letalidad asociada con su ingestión (57).…”