Multiple Causalities Due to Ethion Pesticide Poisoning: A Case Report |Biomedgrid

Pesticide poisoning remains a serious health threat especially in developing regions such as sub-Saharan Africa. The excess pesticide poisoning related morbidity and mortality in low- and middle-income countries has been attributed to inadequate regulations governing the safe use of pesticides. The lack of regulations, along with inadequate enforcement, is related to increased risk of food, water and air contamination, and direct contact with pesticides or their residues. We hereby present a rare case, in which, an incident involving four (4) non-fatal and four (4) fatal occurred within 24hours of ethion pesticide poisoning. Ethion is available and widely used by farmers in Botswana. In this case, it was recovered from an herbal homemade mixture allegedly prepared to rid the victims of Sejeso (imaginary ailment claimed to arise from poisoning by sorcery). The information was gathered from a 20-year-old male who had also ingested the preparation but survived, medical cards and doctors from the concerned district hospital. Medico-legal autopsy findings for the 3 victims of paediatric-age were unremarkable while for the fourth, a 56-year-old male, revealed multiple co-morbidities. Toxicology analysis of the victims' stomach contents, vomitus and blood samples confirmed the presence of ethion pesticide. The cause of death was determined as ingestion of a pesticide.