Surveillance of toxic exposures: the pilot experience of the Poison Control Centers of Milan, Pavia and Bergamo in 2006.

Between 1 February and 31 March 2006, the Poison Control Centers (PPC) active in Lombardy collaborated with an integrated surveillance system carried out in Piedmont during the Olympic Games 2006. The collaborating PPC notified to the system 697 human cases of exposure occurred in Piedmont during the observation period. Among these cases, 70% were exposed accidentally, 40% were 6 years old or younger, and 45% reported at least a clinical effect. The agents more frequently reported were: cleaning substances (household) (110 cases), fumes/gases/vapors (63 cases, comprising 38 cases accidentally exposed to carbon monoxide), and sedative/hypnotics/antipsychotics (53 cases). Although very limited, the available observations focused the attention on specific hazards and were able to highlight the potential of a toxic exposure surveillance system based on the information reported by the Italian PPC.