Pesticide poisoning surveillance through regional poison control centers

Pesticides are chemicals designed to kill specific organisms, mainly insects that destroy crops or that infiltrate the home. Their use has increased greatly in the past few decades as have worries about their effects on humans. One study found that 1.35 cases of pesticide-related illnesses occur per 10,000 population each year. Other studies have shown increased cancer rates among farmers where pesticide use is heavy, and a number of cases of children being poisoned by insecticides in the home have been reported. This study examined the prevalence and characteristics of human poisonings with pesticides in the state of Minnesota. Data was collected and examined from the Minnesota Regional Poison Control Centers. There were 1,428 cases of poisonings caused primarily by pesticides reported in Minnesota in 1988. Of these, 74 percent were caused by insecticides, 12 percent by herbicides, 11 percent by rodenticides, and 3 percent by fungicides. The average age of the poisoning victim was 5 years, and half the reported cases involved children under three years of age. The most common route of exposure was ingestion, and the most common place of exposure was in the home. The results indicate that pesticide poisonings are a major health problem in the US. They also indicate that poison control centers are very useful for investigating such problems and in helping to plan for prevention and treatment. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)