TY - JOUR
T1 - Plants and mushrooms associated with animal poisoning incidents in South Africa
AU - Moshobane, Moleseng Claude
AU - Bertero, Alessia
AU - Marks, Carine
AU - Stephen, Cindy
AU - Mothapo, Natasha Palesa
AU - Middleton, Lorraine
AU - Caloni, Francesca
N1 - Funding Information:
1Department of Biological Invasions, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa 2Department of Biology, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa 3Department of Environmental Science and Policy (ESP), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy 4Tygerberg Poisons Information Centre, Division Clinical Pharmacology, Stellenbosch University – Tygerberg Campus, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa 5Poisons Information Centre, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Observatory, Western Cape, South Africa 6Division for Research and Development, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa 7Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy Acknowledgements This study is based on data from the Tygerberg Poison Information Centre and the Poisons Information Centre (PIC) at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, and we would like to thank these institutions. This research was supported by funding from the South African National Department of Environment Affairs through the South African National Biodiversity Institute, Directorate on Biological Invasions.
Funding Information:
Funding This study was supported by the South African National Department of Environment Affairs through the South African National Biodiversity Institute, Directorate on Biological Invasions.
Publisher Copyright:
©
PY - 2020/11/19
Y1 - 2020/11/19
N2 - Background There is extensive literature on animal poisoning from plants and mushrooms worldwide; however, there is limited account of poisoning from South Africa. Methods This study sought to describe and provide an overview of animal poison exposures in South Africa. Poisoning episodes reported to the Poisons Information Helpline of the Western Cape, jointly run by the Poisons Information Centres at the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital and Tygerberg Hospital over a period of approximately 2.5 years, from June 2015 to November 2017, were analysed to identify exposure patterns, severity and clinical outcomes. Results Alien plant species accounted for most cases (n=10) of reported poison exposures. Among the 26 recorded animal poisoning episodes, the dog was the most commonly implicated species (n=24), whereas just two enquiries were related to other animals (one rabbit and one cow). There were 20 plant cases and 6 mushroom cases (all dogs). There was only one fatal case involving cycad in a dog. Conclusion Features of animal poisoning in South Africa were similar to those in other countries. The reported cases of animals exposed to poisonous plants and mushrooms could represent only a fraction of the actual exposures. Since most reported cases involved taxa that could not be identified to species level, more attention should be paid in case reporting and in animal poisoning prevention, engaging the public to enable people to recognise potentially hazardous plants and reduce the risk of poisoning in animals.
AB - Background There is extensive literature on animal poisoning from plants and mushrooms worldwide; however, there is limited account of poisoning from South Africa. Methods This study sought to describe and provide an overview of animal poison exposures in South Africa. Poisoning episodes reported to the Poisons Information Helpline of the Western Cape, jointly run by the Poisons Information Centres at the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital and Tygerberg Hospital over a period of approximately 2.5 years, from June 2015 to November 2017, were analysed to identify exposure patterns, severity and clinical outcomes. Results Alien plant species accounted for most cases (n=10) of reported poison exposures. Among the 26 recorded animal poisoning episodes, the dog was the most commonly implicated species (n=24), whereas just two enquiries were related to other animals (one rabbit and one cow). There were 20 plant cases and 6 mushroom cases (all dogs). There was only one fatal case involving cycad in a dog. Conclusion Features of animal poisoning in South Africa were similar to those in other countries. The reported cases of animals exposed to poisonous plants and mushrooms could represent only a fraction of the actual exposures. Since most reported cases involved taxa that could not be identified to species level, more attention should be paid in case reporting and in animal poisoning prevention, engaging the public to enable people to recognise potentially hazardous plants and reduce the risk of poisoning in animals.
KW - alien plant
KW - companion animals
KW - poisoning
KW - toxicology
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85096778552&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1136/vetreco-2020-000402
DO - 10.1136/vetreco-2020-000402
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85096778552
SN - 2399-2050
VL - 7
JO - Veterinary Record Open
JF - Veterinary Record Open
IS - 1
M1 - e000402
ER -