Epidemiology of organophosphate pesticide poisoning in Taiwan.
BACKGROUND
The nationwide epidemiology of organophosphate pesticide (OP) poisoning has never been reported in detail for Taiwan.


METHODS
This study retrospectively reviewed all human OP exposures reported to Taiwan's Poison Control Centers (PCCs) from July 1985 through December 2006.


RESULTS
There were 4799 OP exposures. Most OP exposures were acute (98.37%) ingestions (74.50%) of a single OP (80.37%) to attempt suicide (64.72%) in adults (93.25%). Males were the most common gender (64.95%). Most patients (61.97%) received atropine and/or pralidoxime. The mortality rate for all 4799 OP exposures was 12.71%. Exposures to single OPs without co-intoxicants caused 524 deaths; of these, 63.36% were due to dimethyl OPs.


CONCLUSIONS
Dimethyl OPs cause the majority of deaths in Taiwan.
Lin
Tzeng Jih
TJ
Department of Emergency, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Walter
Frank Gardner
FG
Hung
Dong Zong
DZ
Tsai
Jin Lian
JL
Hu
Sheng Chuan
SC
Chang
Jung San
JS
Deng
Jou-Fang
JF
Chase
Jung San
JS
Denninghoff
Kurt
K
Chan
Hon Man
HM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000931:Antidotes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001285:Atropine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D062025:Organophosphate Poisoning; D010575:Pesticides / Q000506:poisoning*; D011039:Poison Control Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011041:Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology; D011220:Pralidoxime Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
D000931:Antidotes; D010575:Pesticides; D011220:Pralidoxime Compounds; D001285:Atropine; C028797:pralidoxime