Epidemiology of poisoning fatalities in Manipal.

ABSTRACT

A twelve year retrospective review of poisoning fatalities was undertaken in the tertiary care referral hospital of Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, South India. Of the 1917 cases of forensic autopsies conducted, 372 cases (79.4%) were due to poisoning deaths. There was an increasing trend observed in the number of poisoning deaths from the period 1993-94 to 1999-2000, followed by a declining trend during 2003-04. Ninety two percent of the fatalities were due to self-poisoning, with 77% due to pesticide consumption. Majority of the cases occurred in the rural areas during winter season. Many of the decedents were men (73.1%) in their 3rd decade of life. Suggestions are being offered on the basis of this study for the control of pesticide poisoning.