AN ESTIMATE OF THE INCIDENCE OF PESTICIDE POISONING IN HONG-KONG

Citation
Tyk. Chan et al., AN ESTIMATE OF THE INCIDENCE OF PESTICIDE POISONING IN HONG-KONG, Veterinary and human toxicology, 38(5), 1996, pp. 362-364
Citations number
12
Categorie Soggetti
Toxicology,"Veterinary Sciences
ISSN journal
01456296
Volume
38
Issue
5
Year of publication
1996
Pages
362 - 364
Database
ISI
SICI code
0145-6296(1996)38:5<362:AEOTIO>2.0.ZU;2-7
Abstract
The exact incidence of vegetable-borne and other types of acute pestic ide poisoning among the 6.2 million population of Hong Kong is difficu lt to determine. Vegetable-borne pesticide poisoning is notifiable and , in 1992, 47 outbreaks of such poisoning (all caused by methamidophos ) affected about 329 persons. No similar figures are available for non -vegetable-borne pesticide poisoning, but we calculated it based on ou r experience at the Prince of Wales Hospital (PWH) and on reports to o ur territory-wide-Drug and Poisons Information Bureau (DPIB). The PWH serves the 1.2 million population in the New Territories East, where m uch of the remaining farmland in Hong Kong is situated. Extrapolating from our regional data to the whole of Hong Kong, we estimate that, in subjects aged greater than or equal to 15 y between 1988 and 1991, th e annual incidence of non-vegetable-borne acute pesticide poisoning fr om parasuicides, non-farming accidents and work-related accidents was 59, 4 and 1, respectively. Between 1988 and 1992, 5 pediatric cases of non-vegetable-borne pesticide poisoning were reported to the DPIB ann ually. In the New Territories East, 80% of the acute pesticide poisoni ng deaths were due to 24% paraquat solution. In Hong Kong, acute pesti cide poisoning is relatively uncommon. By maintaining a close surveill ance of imported vegetables for excessive methamidophos residues, repl acing high concentration paraquat with less toxic formulations, and pl acing pesticides out of reach of children, much of this morbidity and mortality associated with acute pesticide poisoning can be prevented.