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Symptoms,
first aid and treatment
Many people are poisoned by pesticides each year. Being aware of
the symptoms of acute poisoning can help health care providers diagnose
and effectively treat and report such poisonings.
 Symptom
Information Resources
Symptom
Search Tool
First
Aid Information Resources
Treatment
Information Resources
Physician
Advisory Committee
Symptom
Information Resources
For every pesticide for which symptom information is available,
we provide the information, along with a direct link to the information
source. The resources from which the information was obtained are
listed below in order of priority, with
international and government sources being the preferred source.
When information was available only from manufacturers’ Material
Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), then MSDS information is presented, providing
that an internet link was available at the time of the latest update
of the Online Pesticide Poisoning Diagnostic Tool. In addition,
if a pesticide belongs to one of 30 different chemical groups (e.g.
organophosphorus or organochlorine compounds, arsenicals, etc.),
symptoms of poisoning for that group are provided as well.
References:
Listed in order of priority of use for symptom, first aid and treatment
information
-
Recognition and Management of Pesticide Poisoning, 5th edition,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C. March
1999. Viewed on September 20, 2003.
- International
Chemical Safety Cards (ICSC), International Programme on Chemical
Safety. Viewed on September 20, 2003.
- National
Toxicology Program (NTP), U.S. Department of health and Human
Services, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
(NIEHS). Viewed on September 20, 2003.
- Extremely
Hazardous Substances (EHS) Chemical Profiles and Emergency First
Aid Guides, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington,
D.C. Viewed on September 20, 2003.
- International
Program on Chemical Safety INCHEM, International Programme
on Chemical Safety (IPCS) and the Canadian Centre for Occupational
Health and Safety (CCOHS). Viewed on September 20, 2003.
- Extension
Toxicology Network (EXTOXNET), Oregon State University (EXTOXNET).
Viewed on September 20, 2003.
- Material
Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) Index, Vermont Safety Information
Resources, Inc. (SIRI). Viewed on September 20, 2003.
- Material
Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), Department of Environment Health
and Safety, Cornell University. Viewed on September 20, 2003.
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Symptom
Search Tool
All
signs, symptoms and diagnoses in a particular category are assigned
to one check box. Check boxes are organized into one of 13 organ
system categories (Respiratory; Ear, nose, and mouth; Skin and nails;
Eyes; Neurological; Gastrointestinal; Heart and circulatory system;
Musculoskeletal system; Systemic symptoms; Reproductive system;
Internal organs; Blood disorders, Genetic changes).
For the search-by-symptom tool, lay terms are used for labeling
check boxes when no meaning is lost. Medical terms are used when
necessary and may be provided in addition.
The signs, symptoms and diagnoses listed are primarily for acute
poisonings. A few chronic conditions are included, where available.
Clicking on the symptom category name provides a list of all the
associated signs, symptoms and diagnoses included in that category.
Signs and symptoms check boxes are ranked from 10 to 50 with a
ranking of 10 assigned to very common signs and symptoms and a ranking
of 50 assigned to those signs and symptoms that are uncommon and/or
very specific to a particular pesticide or small group of pesticides.
Every effort was made to make each symptom check box unique. However,
in a few cases, some signs and symptoms are repeated in more than
one check box. For example, if “blue skin” appears in
the symptom list then the chemical is coded for both cyanosis (under
the blood organ system) and under the skin organ system. Otherwise,
cyanosis is only listed in the blood organ system category.
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First
Aid Information Resources For every pesticide
for which first aid information is available, that information is
provided along with a direct link to the information source. The
resources from which we searched are listed above
in order of priority, with international and government sources
at the top. When information is available only from manufacturers’
Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), then MSDS information is presented
providing that an internet link was available at the time of the
latest update of the Online Pesticide Poisoning Diagnostic Tool.
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Treatment
Information Resources
The Online Pesticide Poisoning Diagnostic Tool provides no treatment information
directly on the website. We only provide reference to U.S. EPA’s
Recognition and Management of Pesticide Poisoning, along
with the specific chapter and page reference and a link to the PDF
file for that chapter.
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Physican
Advisory Committee
The assignments of signs and symptoms and organization of the symptom
search was conducted by Pesticide Action Network staff in consultation
with members of the Online Pesticide Poisoning Diagnostic Tool project’s
Physician Advisory Committee.
- Gina Solomon, MD, MPH, Natural Resources Defense Council
- Rupali Das, MD, MPH, Occupational Health Branch, CA Dept. of
Health Services
- Rob McConnell, MD, Preventative Medicine, Univ. Southern California
- Mark Miller, MD, MPH, Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty
Unit, UCSF
- Rajiv Bhatia, MD, San Francisco Dept. of Public Health
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Last
updated
October 20, 2003
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