UNUSUAL MANIFESTATIONS AFTER MALATHION POISONING

We report a case of organophosphate poisoning with a commercial prepar ation of malathion (deliberate ingestion of Malathane Garden Spray: ma lathion 15% in isopropyl alcohol) in which the initial cholinergic cri sis was followed by cardiac, pulmonary, neurological and renal manifes tations. They occurred when erythrocyte and plasma cholinesterases wer e reactivating. A chemical analysis of the pesticide preparation revea led, apart from malathion itself, the presence of isopropylmalathion a nd O,O,S-trimethylphosphorothioate. Although pure malathion is regarde d as one of the safest organophosphate insecticides, this observation underlines the possibility of severe complications after exposure to a preparation which has been stored for a long period of time.