Aluminium phosphide (tank pill) poisoning in the Transkei region of South Africa: a case report.

About half a million people die each year as a result of various kinds of poisoning. The incidence of pesticide poisoning, which is high in developing countries, has doubled over the past 10 years. Aluminium phosphide is a deadly fumigant pesticide. A 21-year-old man committed suicide by ingesting aluminium phosphide, which he had available in his home. He had been charged with rape, and was to appear in court. Soon after ingestion, he told his grandmother about the suicide attempt. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was dead within an hour of arriving. The mechanism of action, symptoms and signs will be discussed in this report. The purpose of this case report is to highlight the problem of aluminium phosphide poisoning in the Transkei region of South Africa.