Cases Of Poisoning Research Articles

The introduction of clozapine at the Nathan Kline Institute in New York and its long-term consequences

Nathan S. Kline was a pioneer in psychopharmacology in the United States (US). In 1952, Kline started a research unit at Rockland State Hospital, New York. Kline brought clozapine from Switzerland since it was not yet available in the US. At Rockland State Hospital, George Simpson had conducted antipsychotic trials and had developed scales to assess movement disorders. In 1974, Simpson published the first US clozapine trial. In 1978, he published on 1) the effect of clozapine on tardive dyskinesia and 2) high plasma clozapine concentrations in two patients with seizures. His experience of clozapine withdrawal symptoms in his first 2 trials led in the future to more articles in this area. In Philadelphia, Simpson designed a double-blind randomized clinical trial (RCT) with 3 doses (100, 300 and 600 mg/day) which was published in 1999. From the 50 patients started on the RCT, 47 provided repeated plasma clozapine concentrations every other week of the RCT. This rich database of plasma clozapine concentrations under controlled conditions has contributed to many of the advances in clozapine pharmacokinetics in the last 5 years including: 1) obesity can be associated with clozapine poor metabolism (PM) status, 2) a clozapine ultrarapid metabolizer (UM) with a minimum therapeutic dose of 1591 mg/day, 3) a case of clozapine intoxication dropped from the RCT due to pneumonia, 4) cases of increased plasma concentrations during clozapine-induced fever, 5) the possibility that African-Americans may need higher clozapine doses than those of European ancestry, and 6) three indices of non-adherence.

Trends and profiles of acute poisoning cases: a retrospective analysis.

Acute poisoning is a significant public health concern. This retrospective study investigates trends in acute poisoning cases and explores the clinical and sociodemographic profiles associated with this condition. Medical data from 859 hospitalized patients diagnosed with acute poisoning between January 2017 and December 2022 were comprehensively analyzed. The descriptive statistical analysis revealed that 360 patients had underlying diseases, with depression being the most prevalent among them. Furthermore, urban areas accounted for 87.2% of the acute poisoning cases, indicating a higher incidence compared to rural areas. The substances implicated in acute poisoning incidents varied, with drugs of abuse being the most common (53.2%), followed by pesticides (22.2%), carbon monoxide (11.8%), and alcohol (5.4%). Suicide attempt/suicide emerged as the leading cause of acute poisoning incidents, accounting for 75.9% of cases, while poisoning accidents predominantly occurred within the home setting. Through chi-square tests, it was determined that risk factors for suicide attempt/suicide included female gender and underlying medical conditions. Temporal analysis showed that the total number of acute poisoning cases increased from 2017 to 2019 and decreased from 2019 to 2022. Notably, suicide-related cases exhibited an upward trend, with suicide attempt/suicide accounting for over 80% of all acute poisoning cases after 2020. This study contributes valuable insights into the trends, profiles, and risk factors associated with acute poisoning cases.

Study of pattern and outcome of acute poisoning cases at tertiary care hospital in North India.

The WHO 2021 data estimate that 2 million lives and 53 million disability-adjusted life-years were lost in 2019 due to exposures to selected chemicals. It is important to know the pattern and outcome of acute poisoning cases for proper planning, prevention and management. Knowing the pattern will also help in designing training modules for primary care physicians to make them aware about newer poisons and their management. Awareness regarding newer poisons consumed is necessary for early identification, initial management and timely referral to higher centres by primary care physicians. This study was performed to see the pattern and outcome of acute poisoning cases in North Indian population and various factors related to outcome. This study was conducted in department of medicine of a teaching institute in North India after approval by the Institutional Review Board. Patients admitted in the department during the study and fulfilling the inclusion criteria were enrolled in the study after obtaining consent. A total of 417 patients with poisoning were recruited in the study. Out of 417 patients, majority were males (59.5%). Maximum number of patients were in the age group of 21-30 years (33.8%), and rural population (79.9%) was found to be more affected. Most of the patients were students and private employees. Most common types of poisoning were snakebite (n = 109, 26.1%), organophosphate (n = 49, 11.8%) and aluminium phosphide (n = 39, 9.3%). Out of 417 patients, 349 (83.69%) improved, while 68 (16.3%) expired. Requirement of ventilatory support was most commonly associated with aluminium phosphide poisoning (30.12%) followed by organophosphate poisoning (24.1%). Poisoning was more common in young males and more prevalent in rural population. Pesticides and snakebite were major causes of poisoning. Among suicidal cases, family conflict (problem/altercation with family members/marital discord) was main reason for the consumption of poison. There is need for creation of poison information centre along with separate toxicological units in tertiary care hospitals.

Evaluation of Snake Bite Poisoned Cases "Clinical and Biochemical Predictors"

Evaluation of Snake Bite Poisoned Cases "Clinical and Biochemical Predictors"

Types and outcome of patients with acute poisoning presenting to emergency department of Patan Hospital, Nepal

Introduction: Poisoning poses major health and health related issues with the burden of mortality and morbidity in people. Pesticides ingestion poses major burden in our part of world whereas carbon monoxide, prescribed medication overdose is more common in developed regions. This study aimed at finding the type and outcome of patients with poisoning landing in emergency room of Patan Hospital. Method: This is a retrospective observational study conducted at Patan Hospital. This study included data of patients with acute poisoning over a period of 3 years from Apr 2020 to Apr 2023, which was obtained from the nursing register books and record section. The data included information regarding demographic profile of the patient (age and sex), type of poison and outcome of the patient namely admission, referral and mortality. Result: A total of 189 cases of acute poisoning were included in the study over a period of 3 y. Female outnumbered the male with female: male ratio of 1.14:1; 90(47.61%) were seen in age group between 18-29 y. Out of them 112(59.26%) were admitted whereas 70(37.04%) were referred and 7(3%) had mortality. Organophosphate poisoning was the most common form of poison used by the patients 116(61.38%). Conclusion: Pesticides are the most common cause of acute poisoning. Most of the cases were admitted and managed in hospital, however it still poses risk of death. Early identification of the type of poisoning will help in prompt diagnosis, standard management and patient safety.

A clinical case of acute methadone poisoning in an infant child

Introduction. The article considers a case of a favorable outcome of severe acute oral methadone poisoning complicated by the development of acute respiratory failure and toxic hypoxic encephalopathy.
 Clinical observation. A clinical case of acute oral (through breast milk) methadone poisoning of severe degree in a child of 9 months and 6 days with the development of toxicohypoxic encephalopathy is presented. The narcotic substance entered the body once, after breastfeeding from mother to child. Acute poisoning in the child was manifested by respiratory insufficiency with impaired consciousness (did not respond to pain stimuli, short-term apnea was noted, saturation of arterial blood with oxygen (SpO2) was 62%).
 Intensive therapy included infusion, antidote, detoxification therapy, correction of acid-base state disorders, water-electrolyte balance, hypoxic disorders.
 Conclusion. Methadone-induced respiratory failure is characterized by dose dependence and the possibility of relief after administration of naloxone.
 In our clinical case, a specific antidote was used at the prehospital and hospital stages and an activator of metabolic cellular processes – riboxin in combination with B vitamins: thiamine chloride (vitamin B1) and pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6).
 In conclusion, it should be noted that the relevance of acute methadone poisoning in childhood remains high. Taking into account the mechanisms of the toxic effect of methadone, it is possible to formulate the directions of intensive therapy: maintenance of life support systems, rational antidote therapy, the fight against hypoxia and its consequences.

A Comprehensive Analysis of Legislative Strategies for New Psychoactive Substances: The Brazilian Panorama

Over the last decades, new psychoactive substances (NPSs) have established a new pattern of drug synthesis and distribution. These compounds brought with them several challenges, including their analytical determination by known methodologies, the uncertainty of their toxicological effects, and the possible approaches used for control. In Brazil, the control of NPS started with a nominal list of proscribed compounds. But the variety of substances was so large that other strategies were implemented. Generic legislation was created as several groups began to emerge, such as phenethylamines, synthetic cathinones, and synthetic cannabinoids. The legislation also began to include salts and isomers of all listed substances and precursor chemical ingredients or plants that may be used to produce them. Those substances are known for the unpredictability of their effects, causing a wide range of symptoms, including seizures, aggression, and acute psychosis. Users under effect represent a high risk for themselves and others. In this study, we present an overview of the timeline in which NPSs were detected in Brazilian territory and the legislative approaches. A complete literature search was performed using PubMed, Scopus, the World Wide Web and Brazilian governmental websites employing relevant keywords such as NPS, legislation, and Brazil. Even with the high volume of legislative measures, the race against NPS intoxication cases and apprehensions continues to be fierce. There are limitations in the process of detection, identification, and prohibition of the substances in the country that demand a multifactorial approach, stronger public health measures, scientific research, as well as harm reduction strategies. Nevertheless, the Brazilian scenario on NPS arrival reflects a worldwide problem faced by many countries. In conclusion, it is stated that the use of multiple legislative strategies such as prohibition lists and generic controls can provide for better regulation of the NPS problem. However, this issue needs to be addressed by multiple organizations, including police departments and the public health system, and that effort needs to be coordinated and standardized for all Brazilian Federal states.

Foodborne botulism in Poland in 2018-2021.

The aim of this study is to assess the epidemiological situation of foodborne botulism in Poland in 2018-2021, compared to previous years. The assessment is based on an analysis of aggregated surveillance data from the annual bulletin "Infectious Diseases and Poisons in Poland" from 2013-2021, as well as botulism case reports collected by sanitary-epidemiological stations and sent to the Department of Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases and Surveillance of the NIPH NIH - NRI or provided by EpiBase. A total of 54 foodborne botulism cases were registered between 2018 and 2021, including 31 (57.4%) cases of laboratory-confirmed botulism intoxication. Most cases (46 cases, 85.2%) were sporadic. The declining trend in the number of notifications continued throughout the time period, and the incidence recorded in 2021 (0.02 per 100,000 population) was the lowest since the introduction of mandatory reporting and registration of botulism in Poland. The highest median annual incidence was recorded in the Warmisko-Mazurskie (0.18), but many voivodeships reported only single notifications or none. The decreasing trend in rural areas relative to the level of incidence in urban areas continued. Men (incidence in men more than twice that of women) and people aged 50-59 predominated. All patients were hospitalized. According to the State Sanitary Inspection, there were 3 deaths (mortality of 5.6%). In 2018-2021, the downward trend in the number of foodborne botulism notifications in Poland continued. At the same time, the considerable proportion of cases reported by physicians without laboratory confirmation and not meeting the definition of botulism adopted in other EU countries is noteworthy. The incidence in rural areas decreases to the level of incidence in urban areas, and the previously observed geographical distribution of cases diminishes.

Estimation of the time of exposure based on interval and censored data using the ε-accelerated EM algorithm.

Accurately estimating the timing of pathogen exposure plays a crucial role in outbreak control for emerging infectious diseases, including the source identification, contact tracing, and vaccine research and development. However, since surveillance activities often collect data retrospectively after symptoms have appeared, obtaining accurate data on the timing of disease onset is difficult in practice and can involve "coarse" observations, such as interval or censored data. To address this challenge, we propose a novel likelihood function, tailored to coarsely observed data in rapid outbreak surveillance, along with an optimization method based on an -accelerated EM algorithm for faster convergence to find maximum likelihood estimates (MLEs). The covariance matrix of MLEs is also discussed using a nonparametric bootstrap approach. In terms of bias and mean-squared error, the performance of our proposed method is evaluated through extensive numerical experiments, as well as its application to a series of epidemiological surveillance focused on cases of mass food poisoning. The experiments show that our method exhibits less bias than conventional methods, providing greater efficiency across all scenarios.

Delayed Lithium Reintoxication in a Case of Severe Multidrug Intoxication: A Case Study.

The authors present a case of severe multidrug intoxication following massive ingestion of lithium, nortriptyline, aripiprazole, lorazepam, and temazepam. After initial treatment, serum lithium levels decreased significantly. However, 28 hours post ingestion, recurrent elevated lithium levels were observed, and serum lithium level increased 0.71 mmol/L in 12 hours. The intensivist consulted a hospital pharmacist about this. After administering clearance-inducing therapy using continuous venovenous hemodialysis, the lithium level was reduced to a long-lasting nontoxic level. The occurrence of secondary elevation in lithium levels exceeding the toxic limit in cases of massive ingestion of lithium tablets, whether in combination with anticholinergic drugs, should be anticipated. Close monitoring and prompt initiation of clearance-inducing therapy can improve clinical outcomes.

Toxic substances in the household - cases of poisoning, therapy, complications

There are many toxic substances used in our houses. Rodent poisons are not the most common group of substances, but cases of poisoning still occur. Long-acting anticoagulant rodenticides, also called superwarfarins, are known for their greater potency, longer half-life and delayed onset of symptoms. Cases of superwarfarin poisoning can pose a diagnostic and clinical challenge due to a wide array of presentations and prolonged severe coagulopathy requiring months of high-dose oral vitamin K therapy. The most common presentation of long-acting anticoagulant rodenticide poisoning is mucocutaneous bleeding, with other common presentations including haematuria, gingival bleeding, epistaxis and gastrointestinal bleeding.We discuss a case of self-poisoning with long-acting anticoagulant rodenticides with a little presentation of sympthoms and disscus about another cases based on the found articles.

106 Cases of homicide poisoning in China-A retrospective study

Homicidal poisoning has received limited scholarly attention, despite having recently increased in frequency in China, especially in rural areas, where it causes numerous deaths and disabilities. In this study, the author collected data on 106 cases of homicidal poisoning from 1995 to 2000. Of these cases 105 were found through website established by the Supreme Court of China, and one case was as an exception identified from the internet. There were 46 male perpetrators and 59 female perpetrators. The most common reason male perpetrators poisoned someone was conflict among neighbours (include residents in the same village) (ten cases), and the most common reason female perpetrators did so was an affair (13 cases). Compared with the perpetrators of general homicide, those who poisoned people included a high proportion of female, elderly, and well-educated individuals. This is related to the nonviolent nature of the poisoning, which requires no physical strength. Residents living in rural and urban areas chose poisoning based on convenience. People living in rural areas used pesticides most often, and people in urban areas have greater access to drugs or medications obtained at work or online. In this study, a total of 9.4% of the perpetrators were diagnosed with psychiatric disorders or psychosis. In all, the 106 cases resulted in 58 human deaths. Tetramine and paraquat caused many of the deaths, and this suggests a need for the government to manage and monitor these highly toxic pesticides. These cases are representative of issues in contemporary Chinese society, for example, population mobility, fierce competition.

Unraveling the In Vitro Toxicity Profile of Psychedelic 2C Phenethylamines and Their N-Benzylphenethylamine (NBOMe) Analogues.

Mescaline derivative (2C phenethylamines) drugs have been modified by the introduction of a N-2-methoxybenzyl group to originate a new series of compounds with recognized and potent psychedelic effects, the NBOMe-drugs. Although they are prevalent in unregulated drug markets, their toxicity profile is still poorly understood, despite several reports highlighting cases of acute intoxication, with brain and liver toxicity. Thus, in this study, mescaline, 2C-N (insertion of a nitro in the para position of the 2C phenethylamines aromatic ring) and 2C-B (insertion of a bromide in the para position of the 2C phenethylamines aromatic ring) and their corresponding NBOMe counterparts, mescaline-NBOMe, 25N-NBOMe and 25B-NBOMe, were synthetized and the in vitro neuro- and hepatocytotoxicity evaluated in differentiated SH-SY5Y and HepG2 cell lines, respectively. Cytotoxicity, oxidative stress, metabolic and energetic studies were performed to evaluate the main pathways involved in their toxicity. Our results demonstrated that the presence of the N-2-methoxybenzyl group significantly increased the in vitro cytotoxicity of 2C phenethylamines drugs in both cell lines, with the NBOMe drugs presenting lower EC50 values when compared to their counterparts. Consistently, our data showed a correlation between the drug's lipophilicity and the EC50 values, except for 2C-B. The 2C-B presented higher cytotoxic effects in both cell lines than mescaline-NBOMe, a result that can be explained by its higher passive permeability. All the NBOMe derivatives were able to cross the blood-brain barrier. Considering metabolic studies, the cytotoxicity of these drugs was shown to be influenced by inhibition of cytochrome P450 (CYP), which suggests a potential role of this enzyme complex, especially CYP3A4 and CYP2D6 isoenzymes in SH-SY5Y cells, in their detoxification or bioactivation. Furthermore, in differentiated SH-SY5Y cells, the drugs were able to induce mitochondrial membrane depolarization, and to disrupt GSH and ATP intracellular levels, these effects being concentration dependent and more pronounced for the NBOMe derivatives. No ROS overproduction was detected for any of the drugs in the tested experimental conditions. A correlation between a drug's lipophilicity and the EC50 values in both cell lines, except for 2C-B, was also obtained. In summary, the introduction of a NBOMe moiety to the parent drugs significantly increases their lipophilicity, brain permeability and cytotoxic effects, with GSH and ATP homeostasis disruption. The inhibition of CYP3A4 and CYP2D6 emphasized that CYP-mediated metabolism impacts the toxicity of these drugs.

Unveiling the Protein Components of the Secretory-Venom Gland and Venom of the Scorpion Centruroides possanii (Buthidae) through Omic Technologies.

Centruroides possanii is a recently discovered species of "striped scorpion" found in Mexico. Certain species of Centruroides are known to be toxic to mammals, leading to numerous cases of human intoxications in the country. Venom components are thought to possess therapeutic potential and/or biotechnological applications. Hence, obtaining and analyzing the secretory gland transcriptome and venom proteome of C. possanii is relevant, and that is what is described in this communication. Since this is a newly described species, first, its LD50 to mice was determined and estimated to be 659 ng/g mouse weight. Using RNA extracted from this species and preparing their corresponding cDNA fragments, a transcriptome analysis was obtained on a Genome Analyzer (Illumina) using the 76-base pair-end sequencing protocol. Via high-throughput sequencing, 19,158,736 reads were obtained and ensembled in 835,204 sequences. Of them, 28,399 transcripts were annotated with Pfam. A total of 244 complete transcripts were identified in the transcriptome of C. possanii. Of these, 109 sequences showed identity to toxins that act on ion channels, 47 enzymes, 17 protease inhibitors (PINs), 11 defense peptides (HDPs), and 60 in other components. In addition, a sample of the soluble venom obtained from this scorpion was analyzed using an Orbitrap Velos apparatus, which allowed for identification by liquid chromatography followed by mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) of 70 peptides and proteins: 23 toxins, 27 enzymes, 6 PINs, 3 HDPs, and 11 other components. Until now, this work has the highest number of scorpion venom components identified through omics technologies. The main novel findings described here were analyzed in comparison with the known data from the literature, and this process permitted some new insights in this field.

Use of a lab-made screen-printed sensor with chemically deposited boron-doped diamond for simple and selective electrochemical detection of the synthetic cathinone N-ethylpentylone in forensic samples

N-ethylpentylone (NEP), also known as ephylone, is a synthetic cathinone (SC) that has been banned worldwide since 2019 due to alarming cases of intoxication. However, preliminary identification of this drug is of interest in the forensic scenario. Here, a new forensic application using a lab-made screen-printed sensor with chemically deposited boron-doped diamond electrode (LM-SP/BDDE) for the detection of SCs is presented. We present, for the first time, the electrochemical behavior of NEP and its detection in forensic samples using a versatile, robust, low-cost, and simple sensor that requires a small sample volume (30 µL) for the analysis. NEP presented three irreversible and independent redox processes (O1 at +0.88 V, R1 at –1.3 V and R2 at –1.45 V), and a dependent reduction R3 at –1.6 V vs. Ag/AgCl. The proposed method for NEP detection on LM-SP/BDDE was optimized by adsorptive stripping differential pulse voltammetry (AdSDPV). The use of LM-SP/BDDE with AdSDPV provided a good stability of NEP electrochemical responses using the same electrode (n = 5), with RSD < 4.0% for all redox processes. Furthermore, wide linear ranges for NEP determination (1.0 – 100.0 µmol L − 1) with a low LOD (0.66 µmol L − 1) were obtained. Interference studies have been performed for common adulterants and other illicit drugs (semi-synthetics, amphetamines, and other SCs), and a highly selective response for NEP detection was observed. Therefore, LM-SP/BDDE combined with AdSDPV is an alternative tool for selective screening of NEP in on-site forensic analysis, providing rapid and simple preliminary identification.

Poisoning and suicide attempts in adolescent girls - a problem we need to be aware of

Introduction and purpose: Poisoning among children and adolescents is occurring on an ever-increasing scale. Women are particularly susceptible to intentional poisoning, and they predominate in the statistics of self-poisoning. The aim of the study is to analyze cases of poisoning in girls under 18 years of age hospitalized in the Clinical Toxicology and Cardiology Department of the Stefan Cardinal Wyszynski Regional Hospital in Lublin in 2022, taking into account the type of substance ingested, the place of residence of the patients and comorbidities.Material and methods: The study was retrospective in nature. It used the analysis of medical records of 84 cases of intoxication in girls under 18 years of age.Results: During the time period studied, 84 girls aged 13-18 were hospitalized for poisoning. Most of the cases were urban residents (64.3%). The toxic substances causing poisoning were mainly drugs (63.1%), narcotics (17.9%) and ethanol (17.8%). Poisoning of an intentional nature involved 80 (95.2%) cases, 37 (44%) cases were suicide attempts. In 54 (64.3%) cases, the patient was burdened with a mental illness, the most common being depressive disorders. There were no deaths in the study group.Conclusions: Due to the increasing phenomenon of mental disorders, as well as intentional poisoning among adolescent girls, special emphasis should be placed on psychological care, pedagogical care, of girls in adolescence. This is the time when girls have problems with acceptance of their bodies, with acceptance among peers. Parents and teachers should be made aware of this.

Anthropogenic threats to owls: Insights from rehabilitation admittance data and rodenticide screening in Texas.

Owls (Strigiformes) provide myriad ecosystem services and are sentinels for ecosystem health. However, they are at continued risk from anthropogenic threats such as vehicle collisions, entanglement with human-made materials, and exposure to anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs), a widespread pesticide known to affect owls. Texas is an important region for numerous migratory and non-migratory owl species in the United States (US), yet assessments of threats owls face here are lacking preventing the development of informed conservation strategies. This study coupled assessment of admittance data from two wildlife rehabilitation centers in Texas with AR liver screening to (1) identify which species of owls are commonly admitted, (2) evaluate seasonality of admittance, and (3) assess causes of admittance for owls in Texas. Between 2010 and 2021, 1,620 owls were admitted into rehabilitation, representing eight species of which the Great-horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) was the most common. For all owls combined admittance rates were highest in the spring, driven by an influx of juveniles (n = 703, 43.40%). The leading cause of admittance amongst species was 'no apparent injury' (n = 567, 34.94%). Where clear diagnoses could be made, the leading causes of admittances were 'entrapment in human infrastructure' (n = 100, 6.11%) and 'collision with vehicles' (n = 74, 4.56%). While the admittance data did not reveal any cases of AR poisoning, liver screening demonstrated high incidences of AR exposure; of 53 owls screened for ARs, 50.94% (n = 27) tested positive with 18 showing exposure to multiple ARs. Brodifacoum was the most frequently detected AR (n = 19, 43.18%) and seven owls (25.93%) tested positive within lethal ranges. Our results suggest that owls in Texas are at risk from myriad anthropogenic threats and face high exposure rates to ARs. In doing so, our results can inform conservation strategies that mitigate anthropogenic threats faced by owls in Texas and beyond.

Poisoning among Autopsies Conducted in the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology in a Tertiary Care Centre.

Poisoning is a serious public health issue in developing countries like Nepal. Information about poisoning may be helpful for poisoning prevention and hospital treatment, aiding in the development of measures that lower the morbidity and mortality associated with poisoning. This study aimed to find out the prevalence of poisoning among autopsies conducted in the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology in a tertiary care centre. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among autopsied cases in the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology in a tertiary care centre. Data from 1 October 2020 to 1 April 2022 was collected between 22 December 2022 to 30 December 2022 from records after receiving ethical approval from the Institutional Review Committee. All autopsied cases during the study period were included with the exclusion of decomposed bodies. Convenience sampling method was used. The point estimate was calculated at a 95% Confidence Interval. Among 399 autopsies, 63 (15.79%) (12.21-19.37, 95% Confidence Interval) were found to be cases of poisoning. Among 63 cases, 35 (55.56%) were male and 28 (44.44%) were female. The most common substance causing poisoning was unknown with 31 (49.21%) cases, followed by organophosphates with 24 (38.10%) cases and rodenticide with 8 (12.70%) cases. The prevalence of poisoning among autopsies was found to be higher than similar studies conducted in similar settings. autopsy; organophosphate poisoning; poisoning; suicide.

A fast and non-invasive imaging procedure to fight red tuna fraud

Recently, a food fraud regarding tuna samples has been detected in Europe. Some batches of tuna treated with illegal adulterants like vegetable extracts, including beetroot, were detected after several cases of food poisoning. This paper proposes a new fast and non-destructive technique based on smartphone imaging which contributes to the fight against tuna fraud. The color of different samples of three species of tuna (Thunnus thynnus, Thunnus albacares and Thunnus obesus) has been analyzed by a colorimetrically characterized smartphone. Descriptive analysis of the samples shows that different species of tuna can be grouped by their color in CIELAB space, and that samples adulterated with beetroot extracts can be detected by the proposed image processing procedure. A logistic regression model was implemented to distinguish between real and fraudulent samples, and its suitability checked by k-folding cross validation (n = 189), achieving a 0.59% false positive rate with a 10% false negative rate.

MANAGEMENT OF FOOD POISONING EPIDEMIC AT COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTRE LEVEL IN RAJASTHAN

This case study examines the efficient management of food poisoning cases in a prominent hospital with early intervention and timely implementation of epidemiology study. The hospital implemented a streamlined approach to handle food poisoning incidents, emphasizing prompt diagnosis, treatment, and containment. An interdisciplinary team comprising physicians, nurses, and infection control specialists collaborated to ensure swift response and patient care. Utilizing advanced diagnostic techniques and evidence-based treatments, the hospital achieved reduced hospitalization durations and improved recovery rates. Additionally, they actively engaged in community awareness programs to prevent future outbreaks. The hospitals successful management of food poisoning cases showcased their commitment to patient welfare and public health. Methods: A retrospective-prospective study design was used for the investigation of the outbreak. using an epidemiological case sheet for each case, primarily based on a standardized questionnaire. Results: A total of 365 patients reported to the hospital with symptoms of diarrhoea (100%), with the number of episodes ranging from 4 to 20, abdominal cramps (87%), fever (21%), and vomiting (65%). The range of incubation period was from 12 h to 48 h. Keeping the incubation period and clinical profile in view, the likely organisms are enteropathogenic Escherichia coli or Salmonella spp. Conclusion: Such events expose masses to risk of food-borne infections as the food is prepared under temporary arrangements. The application of WHO and The Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSA) in India is a forward-looking act aimed at food safety at all levels which can prevent such occurrences.