Cocaine found in a child's hair due to environmental exposure?
We report a case of a 6-year-old boy who had been living with his parents, both cocaine smokers, and who was urgently admitted to hospital for general distress. Upon examination, cocaine and cocaine metabolites were detected in hair and urine samples. These toxicological findings most likely indicate that the child had passively consumed the drug when living in a heavily contaminated environment.
De Giorgio
Fabio
F
Istituto di Medicina Legale, Università Cattolica del Sacro, Cuore, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia A. Gemelli, Rome, Italy. fdegiorgio@tiscalinet.it
Rossi
Sabina Strano
SS
Rainio
Juha
J
Chiarotti
Marcello
M
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D003042:Cocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000506:poisoning* / Q000652:urine; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009294:Narcotics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000506:poisoning* / Q000652:urine
D015415:Biomarkers; D009294:Narcotics; D003042:Cocaine