Online Program

338751
Pediatric Exposures to Veterinary Pharmaceuticals (1999-2013)


Monday, November 2, 2015

Kristin Roberts, MS, MPH, The Center for Injury Research and Policy, The Research Insitute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH
Suzanne Tomasi, DVM, College of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
Jason Stull, VMD, MPVM, PhD, Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
Henry Spiller, D.ABAT, Central Ohio Poison Center, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH
Lara B. McKenzie, PhD, MA, Center for Injury Research and Policy, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH
Objective: To describe the epidemiology of veterinary pharmaceutical-related exposures to children based on calls to a regional poison control center.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of pediatric (≤19 years of age) exposures to pharmaceutical products intended for animal use managed by a poison control center from 1999 through 2013 was conducted. Case narratives were reviewed and coded for exposure-related circumstance and intended species. Descriptive statistics were generated.

Results: Of 527,441 cases identified from a key word search, a total of 2,954 met inclusion criteria. Approximately one-half (49%; 1446) of the cases involved children ≤19 years of age, and 43% of all cases involved children ≤5 years of age. Exploratory behavior of children was the most common (61%) exposure-related circumstance. Substances commonly associated with exposures included: veterinary drugs without human equivalent (17%), antimicrobials (14%), anti-parasitics (14%), analgesics (11%), hormones (9%), and anticonvulsants (5%). The most common route of exposure was ingestion (93%). The majority of exposures (90%) were expected to result in no long-term or lasting health effects and were managed at home (94%). A total of 86 cases were referred to a health care facility and seven cases resulted in a moderate or major health effect.

Conclusion: Children ≤5 years of age are most at risk for veterinary pharmaceutical-related exposures. Attention to veterinary product dispensing and home storage practices may reduce these risks.

Learning Areas:

Epidemiology
Other professions or practice related to public health
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Describe the epidemiology of veterinary pharmaceutical-related exposures to children (¡Ü19 years of age) based on calls to a regional poison control center.

Keyword(s): Pediatrics, Veterinary Public Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been working in the field of public health for over 8 years and have been acting as a Research Project Coordinator on several federally funded grants focusing on a variety of injury prevention topics. I received my Masters of Veterinary Public and have co-authored papers and abstracts describing medications exposures previously
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.