title: [Human exposures to veterinary medicines reported to the Poisons Information Centre Erfurt from 2003 to 2012].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to get information on all human exposures to veterinary medicines (HEVM) reported to the Poisons Information Centre (PIC) over a 10-year period.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis of all HEVM was undertaken and a comparison was made to all human exposures (HE) registered by the PIC from the beginning of 2003 to the end of 2012 according to frequencies, circumstances of exposure, symptom severity, age groups, and substances involved in HEVM.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 389 cases of HEVM with 409 veterinary medicines were registered (0.30% of all HE, 360 monoexposures). The relative frequency of children and adults in HEVM (children: 52.4%, adults: 46.0%) and all HE (children: 48.7%, adults 48.7%) was the same with significant (p<0.05) differences in some age subgroups. The portion of accidental exposures was significantly (p<0.05) higher in HEVM (83.3%) than in all exposures (59.3%), whereas the portion of suicidal exposures was significantly (p<0.05) lower (HEVM: 6.4%, all exposures: 23.6%). Most frequent veterinary medicines (ATCvet) in HEVM were antiparasitic substances, insecticides and repellents (n=185), substances for the nervous system (n=48), substances for the cardiovascular system (n=35), and immunologicals (n=35). HEVM mostly resulted in no or mild symptoms (83.8%) and rarely in moderate (10/389, 2.6%) or even severe symptoms (5/389, 1.3%). In 4 of 5 cases of HEVM with severe symptoms, veterinary surgeons used products for animal euthanasia (n=3) or methadone (n=1). Once, self-medication with anthelmintics for several days by a goatherd resulted in transient blindness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In comparison to other HE, HEVM are rare. Most accidental HEVM in laymen result only in none to mild symptoms. If veterinary surgeons, however, swallow or inject products for animal euthanasia or opioids in suicidal intention, severe symptoms can be expected.
authors.affiliation: Giftnotruf Erfurt, c/o HELIOS Klinikum Erfurt GmbH Erfurt, Erfurt.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hentschel
authors.affiliation: Giftnotruf Erfurt, c/o HELIOS Klinikum Erfurt GmbH Erfurt, Erfurt.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Prasa
authors.affiliation: Giftnotruf Erfurt, c/o HELIOS Klinikum Erfurt GmbH Erfurt, Erfurt.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bergmann
authors.affiliation: Giftnotruf Erfurt, c/o HELIOS Klinikum Erfurt GmbH Erfurt, Erfurt.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Enden
authors.affiliation: Giftnotruf Erfurt, c/o HELIOS Klinikum Erfurt GmbH Erfurt, Erfurt.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Frimlova
authors.affiliation: Giftnotruf Erfurt, c/o HELIOS Klinikum Erfurt GmbH Erfurt, Erfurt.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Just
authors.affiliation: Giftnotruf Erfurt, c/o HELIOS Klinikum Erfurt GmbH Erfurt, Erfurt.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Plenert
authors.affiliation: Giftnotruf Erfurt, c/o HELIOS Klinikum Erfurt GmbH Erfurt, Erfurt.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stürzebecher
authors.affiliation: Giftnotruf Erfurt, c/o HELIOS Klinikum Erfurt GmbH Erfurt, Erfurt.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Deters
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D019221:Mandatory Reporting; D008875:Middle Aged; D011039:Poison Control Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D019155:Veterinary Drugs / Q000506:poisoning*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019155:Veterinary Drugs