Poisoning deaths in Central China (Hubei): A 10-year retrospective study of forensic autopsy cases.

Abstract

A retrospective study of autopsy cases was conducted at the Department of Forensic Medicine, Tongji Medical College (DFM-TMC), in Hubei, China to describe the characteristics of poisoning deaths from 1999 to 2008. A total of 212 poisoning deaths were investigated by DFM-TMC during the 10-year period. The poisoning deaths ranged from 17 cases in 1999 to 27 cases in 2008. Of the 212 cases, 82 deaths (38.7%) were from pesticides, 36 deaths (17.0%) from carbon monoxide, 34 deaths (16.0%) from drugs, 22 deaths (10.4%) from alcohol, 17 deaths (8.0%) from other chemicals, 15 deaths (7.1%) from poisonous plants and animals, and six deaths (2.8%) from heavy metals. Of the 82 pesticide poisoning deaths, 43 (52.4%) cases were caused by rodenticides, mainly tetramine (N = 39). The majority of poisoning deaths were accidents (63.7%), followed by suicides (25.9%) and homicides (3.8%). The manner of death could not be determined in 14 cases (6.6%).

• Authors: Lan Zhou, Liang Liu, Lin Chang, Ling Li
• Journal: Journal of forensic sciences (J Forensic Sci) Vol. 56 Suppl 1 Pg. S234-237 (Jan 2011) ISSN: 1556-4029 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 21198624 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: © 2010 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Chemical References

• Central Nervous System Depressants
• Narcotics
• Pesticides
• Pharmaceutical Preparations
• Ethanol

Topics

• Accidents (statistics & numerical data)
• Adolescent
• Adult
• Age Distribution
• Aged
• Animals
• Carbon Monoxide Poisoning (mortality)
• Central Nervous System Depressants (poisoning)
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• China (epidemiology)
• Ethanol (poisoning)
• Female
• Forensic Medicine
• Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
• Heavy Metal Poisoning
• Homicide (statistics & numerical data)
• Humans
• Infant
• Infant, Newborn
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Narcotics (poisoning)
• Pesticides (poisoning)
• Pharmaceutical Preparations
• Plants, Toxic (poisoning)
• Poisoning (mortality)
• Retrospective Studies
• Sex Distribution
• Suicide (statistics & numerical data)
• Young Adult