[Poisoning by hypochlorite-containing disinfectants. A retrospective analysis of 594 cases of poisoning].

Hypochlorite-containing disinfectants or bleaching fluids, if inhaled, may lead to life-threatening poisoning (56% of moderately severe cases, 5% of severe cases) through the immediate liberation of chlorine gas, if they are used together with another cleansing fluid which is very acid. A rough estimate suggests that there must be about 700 cases of such poisonings per year in the Federal Republic of Germany. The characteristic symptom is a respiratory distress syndrome when the liberated chlorine gas is inhaled. Toxic pulmonary oedema and cardiovascular failure can occur if the poisoning takes a fulminating course.