Veterinary and human toxicology最新文献

Exotic pet ownership and distribution continues to grow in popularity in the United States. In light of this dangerous hobby and trade, emergency physicians may be confronted with caring for a patient injured by animals not indigenous to our country. We report a patient with significant neurotoxicity resulting from being envenomated by his pet Suphan cobra.

An outbreak of cyanide poisoning that killed 56 ewes and 2 goats is reported. Fluid released into a ditch contained 1 g cyanide/L and produced toxicity in 3 ewes experimentally dosed with the liquid waste.

A cross sectional study recorded the Lead (Pb) concentrations in blood from 288 horses in urban areas. Mean blood Pb concentration was estimated as 0.47 +/- 0.02 and 0.55 +/- 0.02 ppm in horses for industrial and highway-adjacent localities respectively. Mean blood Pb in horses from rural areas was 0.38 +/- 0.03 ppm. The mean Pb in forage samples from these horses was 36.96 +/- 6.23, 52.08 +/- 9.86 and 11.72 +/- 1.34 ppm in industrial, highway-adjacent and rural localities respectively. No overt signs of Pb toxicosis were seen in these animals

Both exposures reported to poison centers and the treatments used involved potential teratogens. This investigation describes the patterns of exposures and treatments among women of childbearing age and pregnant women reported to Texas poison centers during 2000-2002. Of 476,365 total reported human exposures, 65,074 (13.7%) involved women of childbearing age and 1,406 (0.3%) involved pregnant women. The most frequently reported exposures among women of childbearing age were analgesics (sedatives, hypnotics, antipsychotics) and antidepressants. The teratogens alcohol and anticonvulsants were the 5th and 13th most frequently reported exposures, respectively. The substances used most often to treat women of childbearing age were oral N-acetylcysteine, antihistamines and naloxone; anticonvulsants were the 7th most frequently reported substance used in treatment, and ethanol the 28th most commonly reported substance. Although only a small fraction of pregnant women of childbearing age reported to Texas poison centers, a portion of women reported to be not pregnant may have been pregnant and unaware of the fact, and thus may have been exposed to a teratogen at a time when susceptibility to teratogens is greatest. Poison centers need to be aware of this when providing information to patients and recommending treatment.

Hepatotoxic substances such as aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) produce free radical reactions during biotransformation damage to liver cells. Vitamins C and E are important natural antioxidants suppressing free radicals. This study investigated the effects of vitamins C and E on liver enzymes and other biochemical parameters in rabbits experimentally exposed to AFB1. The first group was control and fed the diet with dimethyl sulfoxide; the second group received 0.1 mg AFB1/kg diet; the third group received vitamin C (100 mg L-ascorbic acid/kg diet); the fourth group received vitamin E (100 mg alpha-tocopherol/kg diet); and the fifth group received vitamin C+vitamin E (100 mg L-ascorbic acid/kg diet+100 mg alpha-tocopherol/kg diet). Diets of the second, third, fourth and fifth groups were mixed with 0.1 mg AFB/kg diet) and feedings were continued for 10 w. Levels of aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, creatine phosphokinase and lactate dehydrogenase after receiving AFB1 were significantly increased, while activities of aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, amylase, creatine phosphokinase and lactate dehydrogenase in groups receiving AFB1 + vitamins C, E or C+E were significantly lower than that of the AFB1-alone group. Although of the activity of alkaline phosphatase increased with AFB1 exposure, it decreased with vitamin C administration. Levels of urea, triglyceride, cholesterol and albumin were affected by AFB1 and AFB1+vitaminC. AFB1 affected some liver enzymes and other biochemical parameters, but vitamins C, E and C+E partially prevented an increase in these liver enzymes and some the biochemical parameters induced by AFB1.

Low-level copper excess was produced in male BALB/c mice by oral supplementation of copper sulfate solution during a 19-w period. The control Group was supplied with pure drinking water and the 2 experimental Groups with CuSO4.5H2O solutions at 120 mg Cu/L or 300 mg Cu/L, respectively. Compared to the control Group, the copper-dosed animals were slightly smaller, the weight of liver was significantly reduced and liver copper content increased. Chronic copper impaired the liver antioxidant defense system by decreasing activities of Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase and catalase to 14% and 11% respectively. No significant changes were observed in hematological parameters, but flow cytometry revealed altered phenotypic properties of lymphocytes: decreased suppressor (CD8+CD4-), natural killer and its precursor (CD4+CD8+) cell percent, but increased immunoregulatory index (helper (CD4+CD8-)/suppressor (CD8+CD4-) ratio). Prolonged exposure to low copper concentration had been shown a deleterious effect on both antioxidant defense system enzymes and phenotypic properties of immunocompetent cells of mice.

To determine the various factors involved in poisoning deaths, a 10-y retrospective review of 335 cases were carried out. There was an increasing trend in number of poisoning deaths from 1993-94 to 1999-2000, followed by a decline trend the last 2 y (2001-02). Ninety-one percent of the deaths were due to self-poisoning, with 77.6% of the fatalities due to insecticide consumption. Most cases occurred during winter and in the victim's rural home. Amongst all the poisoning deaths, 249 were males and 86 were females, most in the of 20-29 y age group. Suggestions have been made for the prevention of insecticide poisoning.

Anticholinergic plants contain a variety of alkaloids and have been used for herbal medications. We present a case of acute anticholinergic syndrome from ingestion of lime tea accidentaly mixed with Datura innoxia Miller. Its intoxication should be suspected in patients presenting with altered mental status, agitation and hallucinations and with other anticholinergic symptoms and signs. Toxicities of herbal medicine should always be considered and queried when a patient presents with unusual systemic symptoms.