Morbidity and mortality in methanol poisoning: an observational study conducted in Karachi

ABSTRACT

Background alcohol poisoning is a serious issue in both the developed and developing countries. Illicit alcohol is commonly called as moonshine or bootleg whereas in Pakistan it is ordinarily known as tharra, kuppi, desi sharab, or daroo. This alcohol is mainly prepared by fermenting the mash of sugar cane pulp in a clay pot up to near 100% alcohol; however, it may contain impurities and many toxic materials. The awareness and basic knowledge of methanol poisoning is quite scarce in our society due to the cultural aspects. The goal of our study is to identify the clinical factors associated with the alcohol poisoning along with the frequency of mortality