Abstract

GALOFRE-RUIZ, Mario David  and  PADILLA-CASTANEDA, Édgar Iván. Rodenticide poisoning: cases reported to the Toxicology Research, Management and Information Center, National University of Colombia. rev.fac.med. [online]. 2014, vol.62, n.1, pp.27-32. ISSN 0120-0011.  https://doi.org/10.15446/revfacmed.v62n1.43669.

Background. Rodenticides are chemical compounds designed to kill rats and mice through different mechanisms: by impairing their clotting systems; by blocking the acetylcholinesterase enzyme, resulting in a severe cholinergic crisis, by halting the Krebs cycle and therefore cellular respiration or by inhibition of cellular enzyme systems with ion displacement. Objective. To identify the most frequently involved rodenticides in cases of acute poisoning in Colombia. Materials and methods. A retrospective, descriptive research has been developed, and is a review of cases that took place in Colombia and other South American countries. These cases were reported to the Toxicology Research, Management and Information Center CIGITOX, in 2012. Results. 177 cases of rodenticide exposures were reported from april to august 2012; more than 80% of the cases occurred to youngsters, 53% of them involved the female gender while 69% were due to suicidal attempts. The departments of Valle del Cauca, Antioquia and Cundinamarca reported most of the cases; and 45% of the events took place in the victim's home. The most used rodenticide was the carbamate aldicarb in 55% of the events, followed by anticoagulant rodenticides with 29% and sodium fluoroacetate with 12%; in the events with anticoagulant rodenticides, most patients were asymptomatic (45% of cases), 60% of the carbamate intoxications were featured with cholinergic crises, and in the sodium fluoroacetate poisoning, gastrointestinal upset and symptoms from the peripheral nervous system were dominant with 45% of the events. Sixty four percent of the patients were discharged after few hours of clinical observation and supportive care, while 26% of them were referred to tertiary care hospitals; 5% of the patients had their fate unclear. Conclusions. The rodenticide intoxication brings along high morbidity, this might be fatal if there is no proper and timely medical attention.

Keywords : Poison; Poisoning; Toxicological Symptoms; Toxic Substances; Toxicity; Colombia.

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