Veterinary and human toxicology最新文献

Melatonin regulates circadian rhythms, and although widely used in the US, information on the public use of melatonin and patterns of reported adverse effects associated with the substance is limited. To describe the patterns of melatonin calls to poison centers in Texas during 1998-2003, data on all melatonin calls reported to the Texas Poison Center Network were analyzed. During 1998-2003, there were 779 identified human exposures to melatonin identified. Of those patients with a known age, 59.1% were < 6 y. Males accounted for 54.1% of preschool-age patients while more of the older patients were female. Melatonin exposures were unintentional in 99.3% of the cases among children less than 6y and unintentional in < 41% among the older age groups. While 92.4% of exposures involving theyoungest age group were managed outside of a health care facility, 42% or less of the exposures occurring to patients > age 6 years were managed outside of a health care facility. Of those cases with a known outcome, the proportion of cases with at least minor effects rose with increasing age. The majority of melatonin exposures reported to Texas poison centers involved children < 6 y. Younger patients were more likely to be male, have unintentional exposures, have no clinical effect, and to not require management at health care facilities. The observed clinical effects and treatment methods were consistent with the literature.

The non life-threatening results of a bite from a grass snake in a 17-y-old patient are described, their significance evaluated, and the hazard of such bites discussed.

We defined patient demographics, type of the poisoning, distribution according to month, route and reason for exposure, mortality causes and rates from 682 poisonings admitted to University Hospital in Kayseri, Turkey to evaluate whether they follow the pattern of other countries. Poisoning were drugs (54.5%), inhalational poisonings including carbon monoxide (13.7%), food (12.4%), alcohol (7%), pesticides (5.4%) and corrosives (2.1%). In drug ingestions, psychoactive drugs most common; psychoactive, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory drugs were most frequent agents in multiple drug poisonings. Drugs were the most used poison while pesticides, mushrooms, methanol and carbon monoxide caused more deaths. The mortality rate was 2%.

Veterinary anesthestics have gained popularity as drugs of abuse. A case of multiple drug abuse by a 36-y-old veterinarian involved the injection of xylazine-ketamine, resulting in gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and central nervous system effects, and unexpected hypertension, tachycardia and electrocardiogram changes.

Fourteen pigs, fed during the last 5 mo of rearing on fumonisin B1 naturally contaminated feed, were evaluated for hematological and biochemical effects. After slaughtering of the animals, the liver and 1 kidney underwent histopathological examination; the other kidney was tested by HPLC for fumonisin B1 residues. With feed contamination of 2 and 22 mg fumonisin B1/kg, the calculated daily intake of fumonisin B1 was approximately 50 microg/kg bw before the first blood sampling and approximately 500 microg/kg bw before the second blood sampling and slaughter. No hematological changes were observed, while moderate adverse effects on liver function (ALT and cholesterol) and hepatocyte integritywere found. No histopathological alterations nor fumonisin residues were detected (LOD 5 microg/kg) in the kidneys. The levels of contamination had slight but observed effects on swine health. The lack of fumonisin B1 carry-over to edible swine tissues was confirmed and under the studied conditions, no consumer risk from the pork products was expected.

The establishment of regulations for genetically modified organisms and the application of environmental risk assessment principles within the European Union are documented.

Venom from an African bush viper is primarily hemotoxic and potentially life threatening. Existing, commercialy available antivenoms may not neutralize venom of this genus. A 25-y-old male was brought to the emergency room diaphoretic and hypotensive (70/40 mmHg) after a bite from a pet African bush viper. A puncture wound on the left thumb was leaking slightly, but there was no evidence of blood loss, edema or bruising. Approximately 100 min after exposure, the patient experienced a small amount of proximal swelling. Six h after envenomation, he was admitted to the intensive care unit for monitoring. At 10 h after the bite prothrombin time (PT > 100 sec) and international ratio (INR = 9.2) were elevated. The patient was unable to coagulate. He received fresh frozen plasma, cryoprecipitate, and Near Middle East Antivenom. Improvement in clinical status and laboratory parameters were observed after each of 3 doses of antivenom (d-dimer > 1000 and fibrinogen = 137 mg/dL). The patient was monitored overnight, did not require additional antivenom and was discharged as laboratory parameters, vital signs and spread of the necrotic lesion stabilized. Near Middle East Antivenom appears effective in treatment of the hematologic sequelae secondary to African bush viper envenomation.

The development of anuric renal failure associated with zinc intoxication was detected in a dog following ingestion of an ornamental brass knob from a toilet paper holder. The 3-y-old, male neutered, 15.4 kg Welsh Corgi presented to a local veterinary clinic with a 2-w history of intermittent vomiting, inappetance and lethargy. The dog was transferred to a veterinary teaching hospital where surgery was performed to remove the foreign body. The dogwas euthanized 24 h post-surgery due to the development of anuric renal failure. Whole blood drawn at the time of surgery had a serum zinc concentration of 89.8 ppm (normal 0.7-2.0 ppm). The serum zinc concentration in this dog is the highest reported concentration in the literature. Ingestion of any zinc-containing metal object can potentially result in a severe intravascular hemolysis with subsequent renal impairment. Zinc intoxication should be suspected when hemolysis is accompanied by the finding of a metallic object in the gut.

Paraquat is one of the few broad-spectrum herbicides available in the US; however, it is extremely toxic to companion animals when ingested. Despite its restricted use status, poisoning of dogs and cats remains relatively common. This clinical report documents a series of chronologically and geographically related cases of presumed malicious and fatal sub-acute paraquat poisoning in 7 dogs in Portland, OR. All animals developed acute gastrointestinal disturbance, renal compromise and insidiously progressive respiratory failure. Hyperlipasemia and moderate hypertension were notable featured in 5/7 cases. Trace levels of paraquat were demonstrated in the urine of 4/7 animals by gas-liquid chromatography/mass spectroscopy. Diagnosis in the remaining 3 cases was made through a combination of history or exposure, clinical signs and their progression, and pulmonary and renal histopathology.