Toxics (Jan 2023)

Rat Bait, Not Healthy Rice!

  • Kuan-I Lee,
  • Jing-Hua Lin,
  • Yen-Jung Chu,
  • Jou-Fang Deng,
  • Wei-Lan Chu,
  • Dong-Zong Hung

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11010060
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 1
p. 60

Abstract

Read online

Bromadiolone, a potent, long-acting anticoagulant rodenticide is frequently tinted to a red or pink color and mixed with cereals as rat bait. Six peoples working in a small factory suffered from a severe bleeding tendency several weeks after consuming a rice meal that was tainted with bromadiolone mistaken to be healthy food. High serum levels of bromadiolone and excessive bleeding were found in these individuals, and they needed vitamin K1 therapy for weeks. These cases indicated that long-acting anticoagulant rodenticide might induce cumulative toxicity in repeated, low-dose exposure, and the blood levels of bromadiolone might be an indicator for antidote therapy if available.

Keywords