Childhood poisoning in Wales: experience of the Welsh National Poisons Unit (1984)

Deaths from pesticide poisoning in England and Wales 1990-1991

1. Data on deaths from pesticide poisoning occurring in England and Wales in 1990 and 1991 have been collated. Pesticides were responsible for 44 of 3978 deaths from poisoning (excluding carbon monoxide and other gases) over this period. 2. At least 66% of all pesticide fatalities were due to suicide and overall there was a predominance of males (male:female ratio 2.4:1). Eighty per cent of deaths occurred in those more than 44 years old and no child under 10 years old died, although almost 50% of suspected pesticide poisoning incidents involve this age group. 3. Herbicides were responsible for 35 of the 44 deaths; seven were caused by insecticides, one by a molluscicide and one by an unspecified agent. The herbicide, paraquat, was responsible for 33 of 44 deaths (75%) and, although fewer fatalities have occurred from this cause in recent years, paraquat remains the most common cause of fatal pesticide poisoning in England and Wales.

Suspected paediatric pesticide poisoning in the UK. II--Home Accident Surveillance System 1989-1991

1. Between 1989 and 1991, 121,708 children less than 10 years old attended 22 Accident and Emergency (A & E) Departments in the UK as a result of an accident at home; 6,478 of these were cases of suspected poisoning. 2. Two hundred and fifty (124 boys and 126 girls) of 6,478 cases involved pesticides. Forty two per cent of these children were thought to have been poisoned by rodenticides, 33% by a different animal poison, 13% by an herbicide or fungicide, 7% by creosote and 5% by mothballs; a pattern similar to that observed in previous years. 3. Fifty-seven of 250 children (23%) were admitted to hospital. The proportion of children admitted to hospital between 1989 and 1991 is smaller than that observed between 1982-1988 (37%). Forty-six per cent of children were discharged home within one day and 95% within 2 days, whereas between 1982 and 1988 only 35% of children were discharged within one day. No child died during the study confirming the low morbidity. 4. Using these data we estimate that between 1989 and 1991 approximately 1,500 children annually attended an A & E Department in the UK with a diagnosis of suspected pesticide poisoning and that some 350 children were admitted each year.

Suspected paediatric pesticide poisoning in the UK. I--Home Accident Surveillance System 1982-1988

1. Between 1982 and 1988, 239,350 children under 10 years old attended 20 A & E Departments in England and Wales (22 departments throughout the UK in 1988) as a result of a home accident. 15,144 of 239,350 were suspected cases of poisoning and 514 attendances involved pesticides. 2. 501 of 514 children who attended hospital were under 6 years old and 41% were thought to have ingested a rodenticide, 37% an insecticide or other animal poison, 13% an herbicide or fungicide and 9% other pesticides. 3. Overall 189 of 514 children were admitted to hospital and of these 189 cases 35% were discharged home in less than one day; 94% left hospital within 2 days. 4. Using these data we estimate that over the period of study approximately 1,850 children annually attended an Accident and Emergency Department in the UK with suspected pesticide poisoning and that some 450 were admitted to hospital. However, the morbidity from this cause is low and no deaths from pesticide poisoning have been reported in children in England and Wales for more than two decades.

Deaths from pesticide poisoning in England and Wales: 1945-1989

1. Data on deaths from pesticide poisoning occurring in England and Wales between 1945 and 1989 (no data are available for 1954) have been collated; pesticides were responsible for only 1012 (1.1%) of the 87,385 deaths from poisoning (excluding those due to carbon monoxide) occurring over this 44 year period. At least 73% of all pesticide fatalities were due to suicide and overall there was a predominance of males (male:female ratio 2.4:1). No deaths from pesticide poisoning in children under 10 years have been reported since 1974 although almost 50% of suspected pesticide poisoning incidents involve this age group. 2. Herbicides were responsible for 787 (78%) fatal poisonings, 110 (11%) were caused by insecticides, 69 (6.8%) by rodenticides, 30 (3.0%) by wood preservatives and 16 (1.6%) by other pesticides. 3. The herbicide, paraquat, was responsible for 570 of 1012 (56%) deaths and, although there has been a progressive decline in the annual number of deaths from paraquat poisoning since 1982, paraquat remains the most common cause of fatal pesticide poisoning in England and Wales. 4. Sodium chlorate caused 113 (11.2%) deaths, most of these fatalities occurring between 1965 and 1983; only one death has been recorded since 1984. The phenoxyacetate herbicides resulted in 50 deaths; 2,4-D was implicated most commonly. Sixty-eight deaths were due to organophosphorus insecticides; demeton-S-methyl, malathion and mevinphos were involved most frequently. Only eight deaths resulted from organochlorine insecticides and two of these also involved an organophosphorus insecticide.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)