A recurring disease outbreak following litchi fruit consumption among children in Muzaffarpur, Bihar-A comprehensive investigation on factors of toxicity.

Sukesh Narayan Sinha,Ungarala Venkat Ramakrishna,P K Sinha,C P Thakur,Ch Ratnasekhar

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0244798

Sukesh Narayan Sinha, Ungarala Venkat Ramakrishna + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0244798

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Journal: PloS one	Publication Date: Dec 31, 2020
Citations: 5	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: National Institute of Nutrition, Balaji Utthan Sansthan

Abstract

Litchi fruits are a nutritious and commercial crop in the Indian state of Bihar. Litchi fruit contains a toxin, methylene cyclopropyl-glycine (MCPG), which is known to be fatal by causing encephalitis-related deaths. This is especially harmful when consumed by malnourished children. The first case of litchi toxicity was reported in Bihar in 2011. A similar event was recorded in 2014 among children admitted to the Muzaffarpur government hospital, Bihar. Litchi samples sent to ICMR-NIN were analyzed and MCPG was found to be present in both the pulp and seed of the fruit. Diethyl phosphate (DEP) metabolites were found in the urine samples of children who had consumed litchi fruit from this area indicating exposure to pesticide. The presence of both MCPG in litchi and DEP metabolites in urine samples highlights the need to conduct a comprehensive investigation that examines all factors of toxicity.

Highlights

Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) is a tropical and subtropical fruit belonging to the genus Litchi in the soapberry family, Sapindaceae
Fruit parts were analyzed for traces of methylene cyclopropyl-glycine (MCPG) and metabolites of different pesticides
The use of organophosphate pesticide (OP) pesticides in Bihar for litchi cultivation called for a thorough investigation

Summary

Introduction

Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) is a tropical and subtropical fruit belonging to the genus Litchi in the soapberry family, Sapindaceae. Produced in China, India, and Vietnam, litchi fruits are highly perishable and have a very short harvest period (approximately 1 month) [1]. The crop is highly susceptible to many diseases, which can lead to significant losses in quality and yield [2]. To overcome this limitation, pesticides are commonly used. In 2012–2013, a total of 7 metric tons/hectare (MT/ha) were produced in India, and Bihar was the leading producer, with 44.2% of the yield (Indian Horticulture Database 2013, National Horticulture Board). This region was responsible for using a significant portion of the total pesticide imported and produced in India [4]. Since pesticides are known to be carried from crops into our diets, they raise a significant concern toward human health

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