[Fatal poisoning in Mali]. / Les intoxications mortelles au Mali.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to determine the epidemiological characteristics of the cases of fatal poisoning in Mali. METHODS: This retrospective study examined the cases of fatal poisoning recorded between 2000 and 2010 in six Health Reference centers, six regional hospitals and three university hospitals in the district of Bamako. RESULTS: During the study period, 146 cases of fatal poisoning were recorded, accounting for 4.6% of all poisoning cases during this period. The average age of patients who died was 24 ± 17.7 years with a female-male ratio of 1.05. Nearly half (43%) were younger than 20 years. The ingestion was intentional in 66.4% of cases, mainly suicide attempts (47%) and therapeutic errors (19%). The median time until arrival at hospital was 8 hours after poisoning with multiple and varied clinical signs. CONCLUSIONS: Decreasing the mortality rate from poison ingestion requires increasing public awareness about poisons and improving emergency service equipment and health personnel training.

[Predictive factors of mortality of the burnt persons: study on 221 adults hospitalized between 2004 and 2009]. / Facteurs prédictifs de mortalité des brûlés : étude sur 221 adultes hospitalisés entre 2004 et 2009.

The objective of the present study is the evaluation of the predictive factors of mortality to a troop of Moroccan grown-up serious burnt persons. Variables analyzed in the study are: the age, the sex, the localization of the burn, the degree of burn, indicates Total Body Surface Area (TBSA), indicate Unit of Standard Burn (UBS) and the indication of leases, sepsis and the medical histories (tobacco, diabetes). Factors associated significantly to a mortality raised at the burned patients were the female genital organ, the localization of the burn at the level of the head, the sepsis, one TBSA greater or equal to 20%, an UBS greater or equal to 200 and an indication of leases greater or equal to 75. Other factors such as the age, the degree of burn and the histories did not show a significant difference. An evaluation and a good knowledge of factors associated to a high risk of death allow an adequate coverage of this category of patients.

[Description of poisoning reported in Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz region in Morocco between 1981 and 2008]. / Description des intoxications notifiées dans la région de Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz au Maroc entre 1981 et 2008.

In Morocco, the Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz region is one of the 16 regions most affected by poisoning. The aim of this study was to determine the epidemiological profile of poisoning recorded in the study region. A retrospective study of poisoning cases, declared between 1981 and 2008 in the Morocco Poison Control and Pharmacovigilance Center, was conducted. During the study period, 8517 poisoning cases were collected. The average age of patients was 22 ± 15 years. The male/female sex ratio was 0.85. Food poisoning was the most reported in the region, with 26.6% of cases. Among the 2,779 patients for whom the outcome was known, 65 died, with lethality rate of 23.4‰. The maximum lethality rate was recorded among those poisoned by paraphenylenediamine (170.7‰).

[Ophidian envenomation in the region Souss-Massa-Drâa in Morocco]. / Les envenimations ophidiennes dans la région de Souss-Massa-Drâa au Maroc.

The present study aims to determine the main characteristics of ophidian envenomation in the Souss-Massa-Drâa region in Morocco. It consisted of a descriptive retrospective analysis of all snakebite cases recorded by the Moroccan Poison Control and Pharmacovigilance Center, from 1980 to 2008. According to reported data, this region is the most affected in Morocco with 479 cases, that is 27.6% (17 cases/year). The average age of victims was 26.07 ± 18.28 years. The patients developed clinical signs (55%) dominated by disorders of the digestive system (35.5%), cardiovascular diseases (21.4%), and heart rhythm disorders (16.8%). The lethality and sequelae rates were 12% and 1.9%, respectively.

[Epidemiology of snakebites in Morocco]. / Epidémiologie des envenimations ophidiennes au Maroc.

This study was based on a retrospective descriptive analysis of all cases of snakebite recorded at the Poison Control and Pharmacovigilance Center of Morocco from 1980 to 2008. A total of 1,761 snakebites, i.e., 61 cases per year, were observed during the study period. Males accounted for 54.5% of victims (sex ratio (M/F) = 1.2) and 70% of cases occurred in rural areas. The average age of snakebite victims was 26.7 +/- 17.5 years. A seasonal snakebite peak was observed between May and August coinciding with the warmest period of the year, harvest time and snake migration. Sixty-two percent of patients presented clinical symptoms including respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, neurological and mucocutaneous signs. The average fatality rate was 7.2% per year and the sequel rate was up to 1.04%. This study demonstrates that management of snakebite is problematic in Morocco. Morbidity was probably underestimated. Restricted access to antivenom is a major problem in rural areas where the population cannot afford the cost.

[Poisoning by Atractylis gummifera L. Morocco poison control center data]. / Intoxication par Atractylis gummifera L. Données du centre antipoison et de pharmacovigilance du Maroc.

To assess the extent and severity of poisoning by Atractylis gummifera L. in Morocco, a descriptive retrospective study was conducted on all the poisoning cases listed between 1981 and 2004 to the Morocco Poison Control Center. During this period, 240 people were hospitalized for glue thistle poisoning, 72% of which are children under 16 years. The severity of the poisoning has been affirmed by significant intrahospital lethality. Indeed, among the 182 patients for whom the outcomes were known, 98 died (54%).