Poisoning treatment centre admissions following acute incidents involving pesticides.

1. Adult hospital admissions following acute exposures to pesticides are very uncommon and are more often due to parasuicide than to accidents. 2. Most accidental pesticide incidents are work-related. 3. Males are more likely to be involved than females (2.9:1). 4. Life-threatening and fatal consequences developed in 24% of 54 incidents. 5. Of the 10 fatalities, eight were caused by paraquat, eight were due to parasuicide and two to non-work related accidents.