Original Research Article
Year: 2017 | Month: September | Volume: 7 | Issue: 9 | Pages: 1-8
Insecticide Poisoning in Manipur
Dr Mope Loyi1, Dr Meera Thounaojam2, Dr M.I Shah3
1Senior Resident, 2Professor, 3Senior Toxicologist,
Department of Forensic Medicine, Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal
Corresponding Author: Dr Meera Thounaojam
ABSTRACT
Background: Insecticide poisoning is a major problem in the developing world. In view of the very few studies carried out on insecticide poisoning in this part of the world, the present study was taken up to assess the existing problem by studying the pattern of insecticide poisoning in Manipur.
Materials and methods: Forty two cases of insecticide poisoning i.e. fifteen (15) cases of autopsy on insecticide poisoning and twenty seven (27) cases of insecticide poisoning coming to the emergency department of a tertiary care teaching hospital in Manipur during the period of 2011 to 2013 have been studied and samples collected from these cases were analysed using Thin layer Chromatography (TLC) and High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and the findings of the study were analyzed.
Results: The age group of 21-30 years comprised 42.85% of the cases with a male: female ratio of 1.2:1. Married females (38.09%) were the most frequent victims of insecticide poisoning. Maximum no. of cases i.e., 41 (97.61%) in this study were suicidal in nature. Cypermethrin was the commonest agent amongst the individual insecticides (26.19%), and pyrethrum and synthetic pyrethroid group of insecticide was the most frequently involved insecticide in poisoning (40.47%) followed by organophosphates which comprised 26.19%.
Conclusion: The present study has provided an understanding of the pattern of insecticide poisoning in Manipur. This study has also observed an interesting fact like poisoning with an agent like endosulfan, the production, sale and use of which is banned in India since 2011, calling for a strict regulation by government for sale and use of highly toxic insecticides.
Key words: Insecticide, poisoning, pattern, Manipur