Robert Cox1, Teresa Amundson, Bruce Brackin. 1. Medical Toxicology Service, Department of Emergency Medicine, The University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State St., Jackson, Mississippi 39216-4505, USA. rcox@emergmed.umsmed.edu
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe the changes in the frequency of selected toxic exposures reported to the state poison control center following Hurricane Katrina. METHODS: The numbers of selected exposures reported to the Mississippi Poison Control Center at 0-2 weeks, 3-4 weeks, and 5-12 weeks following Hurricane Katrina were compared to those for the same time periods in the previous 3 years. Absolute numbers of exposures and odds ratios with confidence intervals were used for comparison. RESULTS: In the first 2 weeks following Hurricane Katrina, there were 44 reported gasoline exposures compared to 7 expected, 8 lamp oil exposures compared to 1 expected, and seven carbon monoxide exposures compared to 1 expected. Only gasoline exposures remained elevated in the second 2 weeks period following the hurricane. Lamp oil exposures were elevated during the 5-12 week recovery period. There was no increase in the frequency of exposures to household cleaning agents, food poisoning, pediatric exposures, drug-related suicide events, bites and stings, or venomous snakebites. CONCLUSIONS: The most common toxic exposures following Hurricane Katrina were related to the lack of typical energy sources, electricity, and gasoline.
OBJECTIVE: To describe the changes in the frequency of selected toxic exposures reported to the state poison control center following Hurricane Katrina. METHODS: The numbers of selected exposures reported to the Mississippi Poison Control Center at 0-2 weeks, 3-4 weeks, and 5-12 weeks following Hurricane Katrina were compared to those for the same time periods in the previous 3 years. Absolute numbers of exposures and odds ratios with confidence intervals were used for comparison. RESULTS: In the first 2 weeks following Hurricane Katrina, there were 44 reported gasoline exposures compared to 7 expected, 8 lamp oil exposures compared to 1 expected, and seven carbon monoxide exposures compared to 1 expected. Only gasoline exposures remained elevated in the second 2 weeks period following the hurricane. Lamp oil exposures were elevated during the 5-12 week recovery period. There was no increase in the frequency of exposures to household cleaning agents, food poisoning, pediatric exposures, drug-related suicide events, bites and stings, or venomous snakebites. CONCLUSIONS: The most common toxic exposures following Hurricane Katrina were related to the lack of typical energy sources, electricity, and gasoline.
Authors: Shahed Iqbal; Jacquelyn H Clower; Sandra A Hernandez; Scott A Damon; Fuyuen Y Yip Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2012-08-16 Impact factor: 9.308
Authors: Kathryn Lane; Kizzy Charles-Guzman; Katherine Wheeler; Zaynah Abid; Nathan Graber; Thomas Matte Journal: J Environ Public Health Date: 2013-05-30