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.