ABSTRACT
Background: This study sought to characterise acute poisoning cases seen in three health districts of Botswana. Methods: A retrospective review of patients' records was conducted and included patients treated from January 2004 to December 2005. Data on the demographic status of the patients; information about the poisonous agent(s) involved; and the circumstances and outcomes of the poisoning incidents were recorded on a pre-tested data collection form. Results: A total of 590 cases of acute poisoning were included in the analysis. The most affected age category was that of children aged less than six years; who constituted 33.4of the cases. Most incidents were recorded in the urban district of Gaborone. Seventy-eight percent (78) of the incidents were accidental; with the remainder being intentional. The poisonous agents involved were pharmaceuticals (26.6); natural toxins (25.6); household products (14.6); foods (14.4); alcohol (6.9); traditional medicines (4.7); unspecified agents (3.2); and agrochemicals (2.7). The most common route of poison exposure was by oral (82.2); followed by dermal contact (16.5); while the inhalation of gases occurred in 1.2of cases. An incidence rate of 4.7/1000; a case fatality rate of 3.8/100; and 1.5of deaths were recorded over the two-year period. Conclusions: In conclusion; it can be stated that acute poisoning involved mainly young children and resulted in an incidence rate of 4.7/1000; a case fatality rate of 3.8/100; and 1.5of deaths over the two-year period. There were differences based on age category; gender and residence of the victims; the types of toxic agents involved; as well as the circumstances and the outcomes of the poisoning incidents. Given the fact that pharmaceuticals; natural toxins; household products and foods were the agents most commonly involved; targeted interventions should take these differences into account in addressing the problem of acute poisoning