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01-01-2020 | Intoxication | Original Article

Pathological changes induced by phosphine poisoning: a study on 8 children

Authors: Yue Liang, Fang Tong, Fang Huang, Yuluo Liu, Longlong Zhu, Jehane Michael Le Grange, Guanglong He, Yiwu Zhou

Published in: International Journal of Legal Medicine | Issue 1/2020

Abstract

Aluminum phosphide (ALP) has been extensively used as an economical and effective insecticide, rodenticide, and fumigant. The active ingredient of ALP is phosphine (PH₃), the use of which can lead to accidental inhalation and mass poisoning with high mortality. Exposure to PH₃ will give rise to global damage in the human body. This study reviewed 4 fatal accidents including 8 children with PH₃ poisoning and aimed to determine the pathological changes that resulted from exposure to PH₃ and, secondly, aimed to determine whether oxidative stress was involved in PH₃-induced neurotoxicity using histopathological and immunohistochemistry (IHC) methods. After focusing on the pathological changes on the major organs, we found severe damage induced by PH₃ in many systems, especially the neurological system, including neuronal, axonal, and vascular injuries as well as oxidative damage with increased expression of 4-hydroxy-2-trans-nonenal (4HNE), 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG), and 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT) in the brain, which indicated that oxidative stress was a crucial mechanism for neuronal death in PH₃ toxicity. Moreover, we observed severe myocardial and hepatocellular fatty degeneration in the tissues of the heart and liver. We considered that these characteristic changes are a suggestive sign of PH₃ poisoning and partly explained the toxic mechanism of PH₃ (inhibition of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation). We hope that this research could improve the understanding of the toxicity of PH₃ in both forensic and clinical practice.

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Title: Pathological changes induced by phosphine poisoning: a study on 8 children
Authors: Yue Liang
Fang Tong
Fang Huang
Yuluo Liu
Longlong Zhu
Jehane Michael Le Grange
Guanglong He
Yiwu Zhou
Publication date: 01-01-2020
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Keyword: Intoxication
Published in: International Journal of Legal Medicine / Issue 1/2020
Print ISSN: 0937-9827
Electronic ISSN: 1437-1596
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-019-02169-z

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Pathological changes induced by phosphine poisoning: a study on 8 children

Abstract

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

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