Here’s your word for the day…organophosphate poisoning, the active ingredient in flea collars and spot treatments.

Organophosphate poisoning can cause 3 syndromes. First one is the cholinergic syndrome which can be fatal and happens immediately after organophosphates are inhaled, swallowed or absorbed through the skin. Second is the intermediate syndrome (IMS), which causes weak muscles and develops between one to four days in some patients. The third one is long-term nerve damage which sometimes develops 2 to 3 weeks after poisoning.
Approximately, every year there are 25 million cases of pesticide poisoning. While most pesticides are applied in developed countries, 80 percent of all poisonings occur in developing countries where regulatory, health, and education systems are weakest.
According to some reports, exposure to excessive levels of organophosphate pesticides may cause runny nose, temporary cough and burning eyes near the time of exposure. And long term exposure may result in lingering effects months or years later.
The continuous symptoms are fatigue, joint and muscle pain, memory problems, headache, respiratory problems, dizziness, gastrointestinal disturbance, atrophy, and antibiotic define sensitivity 1 to several years after exposure.