J Korean Soc Emerg Med.  2011 Apr;22(2):184-187.

Acute Respiratory Failure and Hypotension with Acute Imidacloprid Poisoning

• Ha MS
• Min JH
• Kim H
• Lee SW
• Park JS

Abstract

Imidacloprid belongs to a relatively new class of insecticides, chloronicotinyl neonicotinoid compounds that are agonists of insect postsynaptic nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChrs). Imidacloprid insecticides have been believed to be of low toxicity to humans causing only mild symptoms such as vomiting, abdominal pain and headache in the majority of cases due to nicotinic receptor resistance. Despite the original belief that imidacloprid has low mammalian toxicity, evidence is increasing evidence that imidacloprid may cause heart, kidney and other organ damages and even death, besides gastrointestinal irritation and neurological symptoms. We report a case of acute ingestion of an imidacloprid-containing insecticide. Clinical manifestrations included hypotension and respiratory failure. A literature review is included.

Keyword

Acute poisoning; Imidacloprid; Respiratory failure

MeSH Terms

Abdominal Pain
Eating
Headache
Heart
Humans
Hypotension
Imidazoles
Insecticides
Insects
Kidney
Nitro Compounds
Receptors, Nicotinic
Respiratory Insufficiency
Vomiting
Imidazoles
Insecticides
Nitro Compounds
Receptors, Nicotinic