A case of fatal ingestion of malathion. 1993

U Zivot, and J L Castorena, and J C Garriott
Bexar County Forensic Science Center, San Antonio, Texas 78207.

We report a case of suicide due to organophosphate poisoning in an 80-year-old woman who ingested malathion mixed with a fruit drink. She presented with signs and symptoms of cholinergic crisis and initially improved with therapy. Her plasma cholinesterase (ChE) level remained low, her course progressively deteriorated with respiratory and renal failure, and she died 12 days after hospital admission. The antemortem blood malathion level of 23.9 mg/L is the highest reported in the literature, as determined by modern methods. Postmortem toxicologic analysis revealed still greatly reduced ChE activity.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008294 Malathion A wide spectrum aliphatic organophosphate insecticide widely used for both domestic and commercial agricultural purposes. Carbafos,Carbofos,Carbophos,Cythion,Karbofos,Prioderm,Sadophos
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368 Aged A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available. Elderly
D000369 Aged, 80 and over Persons 80 years of age and older. Oldest Old
D013405 Suicide The act of killing oneself. Suicides

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