Pesticide poisoning
The pesticides that matter in Australian practice beyond organophosphates, with paraquat, glyphosate, chlorophenoxy herbicides, long-acting anticoagulant rodenticides and metal phosphides, and what to do first for each.
Tier 2Condition
Written with AI assistance and fact-checked against the sources below. For exam study, not clinical decisions. How notes are made
At a glance
- Most deliberate pesticide ingestions in Australia are rural, often by men with ready access to farm chemicals. Accidental childhood ingestions are common but usually trivial.
- Identify the product. The active ingredient, concentration and solvent all matter. Ask for the container, then call the Poisons Information Centre (13 11 26), which connects to a clinical toxicologist.
- Organophosphates and carbamates cause the cholinergic toxidrome and are covered in Cholinergic toxidrome. This note covers the others.
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Sources
- Therapeutic Guidelines: Toxicology and Toxinology (December 2024 update)AU/NZTherapeutic Guidelines Limited, 2024
- Poisons Information Centre (13 11 26)AU/NZNSW Poisons Information Centre
- Gawarammana IB, Buckley NA. Medical management of paraquat ingestion. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2011;72(5):745-757British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 2011
- Beriplex AU (4-factor prothrombin complex concentrate)AU/NZRoyal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Blood Transfusion, 2026
- Tian D, Liang J, Li W, et al. Clinical analysis of 26 children with long-acting anticoagulant rodenticides (superwarfarin) poisoning. Res Pract Thromb Haemost 2026;10(2):103377Research and Practice in Thrombosis and Haemostasis, 2026
- Roberts DM, Buckley NA, Mohamed F, et al. A prospective observational study of the clinical toxicology of glyphosate-containing herbicides in adults with acute self-poisoning. Clin Toxicol 2010;48(2):129-136Clinical Toxicology, 2010
- Eddleston M, Juszczak E, Buckley NA, et al. Multiple-dose activated charcoal in acute self-poisoning: a randomised controlled trial. Lancet 2008;371:579-87The Lancet, 2008
- Eddleston M, Buckley NA, Eyer P, Dawson AH. Management of acute organophosphorus pesticide poisoning. Lancet 2008;371:597-607The Lancet, 2008
- Last updated
- 14 November 2026
What changed
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