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Family poisoned by pesticide while vacationing in US Virgin Islands
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A mother, father and their two teenage sons were sickened in the U.S. Virgin Islands after the condominium resort where they were vacationing was fumigated with methyl bromide, a toxic pesticide prohibited in the United States for residential use, according to a report in MMWR.
“This investigation highlights the public health consequences of methyl bromide use in a residential setting,” Prathit A. Kulkarni, MD, of the Epidemic Intelligence Service at the CDC, and colleagues wrote. “Prompt identification of such an exposure, as occurred in this situation, can prevent further exposure and subsequent illness.”
On March 22, the CDC launched an investigation into the incident. The family was vacationing in the upper unit of a two-story condominium when they began experiencing severe neurological and gastrointestinal symptoms, including generalized weakness, severe myoclonus, muscle spasms, altered sensorium word-finding difficulty, diarrhea and vomiting.
Upon hospital admission on March 20, food poisoning was quickly ruled out as a cause. Investigators discovered that the condominium unit directly below the affected family had been fumigated with methyl bromide pesticides 2 days earlier.
The investigation revealed that the same unit also had been treated with methyl bromide on Oct. 20, 2014, potentially exposing 37 additional persons to the pesticide. Of those, CDC investigators identified six who demonstrated symptoms consistent with methyl bromide exposure.
The family of four was transported back to the U.S., where they received intensive care treatments. Two rounds of hemodialysis were administered to the family to reduce the bromide levels in their bodies. As of June 30, three members still were receiving treatment for significant neurological dysfunction.
“This investigation serves as a reminder to clinicians to consider the possibility of acute chemical toxicity in the relevant clinical and epidemiologic situation,” Kulkarni and colleagues wrote. – by David Costill
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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