Bronchiolitis Revealing Pyrethroid Poisoning in a 2-Month-Old Infant

Abstract

Despite the widespread domestic use of pyrethroid insecticides, very few cases of poisoning are reported in the literature, especially in children. The manifestations are generally benign, and the management is controversial. We report a case of severe intoxication in a 2-month-old infant, initially treated as bronchiolitis, which progressed favorably under atropine. This case illustrates on the one hand the importance of looking for the notion of a spray in the sudden onset of respiratory distress in the infant, and on the other hand monitoring any intoxication with pyrethroids in a small infant in order to consider a treatment with atropine sulfate in case of the occurrence of a muscarinic syndrome.