Pattern of acute poisoning in Al- Qassim region: a surveillance report from Saudi Arabia, 1999–2003

We reviewed all registered cases of acute chemical poisoning reporting to the preventivemedicine department in the Qassim Region of Saudi Arabia from 1999 to 2003. The number of casesincreased from 66 to 114 during the study period. Mean age of patients was 17.7 years, and over 39%were children aged ≤ 5 years. Pesticides were the most common chemical involved; paracetamol andother analgesics were also frequently reported. The oral route was the most frequent, while vomitingwas the commonest symptom. Nine deaths were recorded, of which 4 were due to pesticide poisoning.In line with the global trend, acute chemical poisoning is growing as a major health issue in the QassimRegion.