The epidemiology and clinical features of paraffin (kerosene) poisoning in rural African children

Abstract

One hundred and eleven children under 5 years of age admitted with a diagnosis of paraffin ingestion, constituting 9.1% of total ward admissions in this age group, were studied prospectively. The majority were between 13 and 36 months old. One-fifth of the children were in the care of another child at the same time of ingestion. Fourteen families had a past history of paraffin ingestion. Only 22% of households normally stored in paraffin above ground level and in only 15% of cases was paraffin stored in a container specified for that purpose. Emesis was attempted using home remedies in 72% of cases and was associated with a significant increase in vomiting. Vomiting had an impact on the exacerbation of the clinical features of paraffin poisoning, particularly fever. Clinical criteria laid down for suspected superadded bacterial lung infection resulted in half of the study group having blood cultures performed on day 1 and another 17 on day 4. Only two yielded isolates which possibly could have been indicative of bacteremia secondary to infective pneumonia. No child in the suspected group was treated with antibiotics and all recovered uneventfully. Admission chest X-rays contributed little to the management of the illness. Paraffin ingestion remains a serious contributor to child morbidity in rural South Africa and there appears to be room for further preventive education at community level. Specific measures could include storage of paraffin in designated containers above ground level and emphasis on adult supervision of children. Superadded bacterial pneumonia is uncommon and antibiotics in the management of suspected cases are not routinely indicated.

Childhood poisoning in Warri, Niger Delta, Nigeria: A ten year retrospective study

“…15 The majority of the children had mild symptoms which are similar to patients' experience elsewhere. 27 Only 11.8% of the cases were classified as severe. The complications were largely due to the use of kerosene and nail polish.…”

Clinical Profile of Kerosene Poisoning in a Tertiary Level Hospital in Bangladesh

“…6,1,2 Inadequate legislation on the sale of kerosene allows it to be sold in unlabelled containers. 7 The pattern of poisoning varies in different areas and also with changing times. Aspiration usually occurs at the time of ingestion when coughing and gagging are common, but can result from vomiting after ingestion.…”

Evaluating the Necessity of a Poison Control Center in Cameroon: The Knowledge and Perception of Health Care Professionals in the Laquintinie Hospital and the Bonassama District Hospital in Douala

“…The absences of such centers in Cameroon and more particularly in highly urbanized towns like Douala in which this work was done are more handicaps to enable a proper quantification of the necessary as such a center in Douala and in Cameroon at large and moreover the lack of a PCC in Douala and Cameroon are deficiency to proper evaluate the cost effectiveness of a PCC in poison management and its possibilities of been a real disaster surveillances public health asset for its citizens [46][47][48][49][50][51]. This is a public health challenge that patient management on poisoning and poison related exposure would face in Cameroon [52][53][54][55][56][57][58].…”