A Narrative Review of Contemporary Lethal Pesticides: Unveiling the Ongoing Threat of Pesticide Poisoning

Abstract

Following the 2011 ban on paraquat sales, South Korea has witnessed a significant reduction in the mortality rate associated with acute pesticide poisoning (1). Traditionally, paraquat and diquat, alongside several highly toxic organophosphates, carbamates, and organochlorine insecticides, have been recognized as culprits in causing fatalities among patients with acute pesticide poisoning (2,3).However, despite global efforts to curtail the use of these highly toxic pesticides, certain pesticides still exhibit a level of lethality surpassing their established clinical toxicity profiles (1-6). Understanding the clinical progression of these pesticides is paramount for physicians and toxicologists, as it holds the potential to enhance patient prognoses in cases of acute poisoning. This review aims to address the persistence of such highly lethal pesticides, which continue to pose a grave threat to victims of acute poisoning.