TY - JOUR PY - 2004// TI - Agricultural pesticide-related poisonings in Italy: cases reported to the poison control centre of Milan in 2000-2001 JO - Epidemiologia e Prevenzione A1 - Marcello, Ida A1 - Travaglia, Angelo A1 - Maiozzi, Pietro A1 - Faraoni, Lorella A1 - Settimi, Laura A1 - Davanzo, Franca A1 - Davanzo, Franca SP - 330 EP - 337 VL - 28 IS - 6 N2 - OBJECTIVE: Aim of the present study is to provide a preliminary description of agricultural pesticide-related poisonings in Italy. DESIGN: The study focuses on the cases with at least one sign or symptom due to exposure to agricultural pesticides occurred in 2000-2001 and referred to the Poison control centre of Milan, the Italian centre more frequently consulted nationwide. RESULTS: During the study period, 872 agricultural pesticide-related poisonings were identified. Most of the observed cases occurred in Sicily (n=199), Lombardy (n=100), Apulia (n=99), Veneto (n=75), Emilia-Romagna (n=67) and Campania (n=59). About 86% of the observed cases were unintentional and about 76% of them were men. Children aged 10 or less accounted for about 6% of the total. The poisonings occurred more frequently at home (about 38%) than at workplace (about 24%). The chemical classes of agents more frequently reported were: organophosphates (233 cases), copper and sulphur compounds (140 cases), carbamates (126 cases) and pyrethrins/pyrethroids (102 cases). The top six pesticides associated with poisonings were methomyl (97 cases), dimethoate (59 cases), copper sulfate (58 cases), glyphosate (53 cases), sulphur compounds other than copper sulfate (47 cases), and paraquat dichloride (41 cases). CONCLUSION: The data here presented provide an initial support to identify priorities for prevention in agricultural settings. (Italian language) LA - SN - 1120-9763 UR - http://dx.doi.org/ ID - ref1 ER -