Agricultural Avermectins: An Uncommon But Potentially Fatal Cause of Pesticide Poisoning

Administration of Flumazenil in a Patient with Acute Abamectin Intoxication: Case Report and a Review of the Literature

“…Although abamectin used in livestock and agriculture is relatively safe for people who ingest it on purpose, there is still the possibility to develop complications like aspiration pneumonia, respiratory failure and even death (9). This report suggests that flumazenil might have potential effects which could promote rapid recovery of consciousness.…”

“…Thus, this case might indicate the benefits of using flumazenil for abamectin intoxication in human beings. However, the cases reported by Chung et al (9) showed that the effect of flumazenil may not be significant in patients with abamectin intoxication. But it is important to realize that administration of flumazenil was not the focus of that article.…”

“…The symptoms of CNS like confusion, weakness and somnolence were observed during the clinical course of this case and these were consistent with other cases. The clinical severity of abamectin intoxication can be classified into five levels by manifestations (9). In this case, the clinical severity can be assessed as "severe".…”

“…Although the effects of administration of flumazenil for patients with abamectin intoxication were not obvious, the prognosis of those patients seemed good (9). Some patients with abamectin intoxication, in other cases, were treated successfully with the use of supportive therapy only (10−12).…”

Abamectin: an uncommon but potentially fatal cause of pesticide poisoning

“…This study concluded that Ingestion of a large dose of avermectin may be associated with life-threatening coma, hypotension, and subsequent aspiration. 5 Sriapha et al further reported 49 cases with abamectin poisoning. 6 Most of the patients were asymptomatic or developed only mild symptoms.…”