Exposure surveillance

Litovitz T, Felberg L, White S, et al. 1996. 1995 annual report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers Toxic Exposure Surveillance System. Am J Emerg Med 14 487-494, 521. 

A new area of research concerns exposure assessment for beryllium in the production of nuclear weapons at nuclear defense industries. A safe level of exposure to beryllium is still unknown. Potential explanations include (1) the current exposure standard may not be protective enough to prevent sensitization, or (2) past exposure surveillance may have underestimated the actual exposure level because of a lack of understanding of the complexity of beryllium exposures. Task-based exposure assessment provides information not directly available through conventional sampling. It directly links exposure to specific activity associated with contaminant generation and provides in-depth evaluation of the worker s role in a specific task. In-depth task analysis is being used to examine physical, postural, and cognitive demands of various tasks. 

Litovitz, T. L., Klein-Schwartz, W., White, S., Cobaugh, D., Youniss, ]., Omslaer, ]., Drab, A. and Benson, B. (2001). Annual Report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers Toxic Exposures Surveillance System. Am. ]. Emergency Med, 19(5), 337-396. 

The 2000 Annual Report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers Toxic Exposure Surveillance System listed six lithium-related deaths (four cases of intentional suicide and two of therapeutic error) and two other deaths in which lithium was not listed as the primary cause (534). A total of 4663 lithium-related exposures were reported, in which death was the outcome in 13 and a major hfe-threatening event or cause of significant disability in 267. 

AAPCC (American Association of Poison Control Centers) (2006). Toxic Exposure Surveillance System AAPCC-TESS. Annual Reports from 1983 to 2006 (http //www.aapcc.org/ armual.htm). 

Poisoning emergencies are a common occurrence. In 2002, The Toxic Exposure Surveillance System of the American Association of Poison Control Centers reported 2 380028 toxic exposures and 1153 resultant fatalities. Of these total exposures, 548 093 (22.2%) were managed in a healthcare facility and 72 877 were admitted to a critical care unit (3.1%). The mortality rate associated with these overdose patients was less than 1%. Thorough evaluation, adequate supportive care, and the use of a few specific antidotes have resulted in lowered morbidity and mortality if the poisoned patient arrives at the hospital in time for the healthcare team to intervene. In select cases, decreasing further toxin absorption by various decontamination procedures may be of benefit. 

In 2002, the American Association of Poison Control Centers Toxic Exposure Surveillance System reported... 

Maintain toxicosurveillance by participating in the AAPCC Toxic Exposure Surveillance System. 

B. The certified poison center or system must submit all its human exposure data (except as noted in IV.B.l.) to AAPCC s Toxic Exposure Surveillance System meeting specified submission deadlines and quality requirements and including all required data elements. 

AAPCC-TESS American Association of Poison Control Centers-Toxic Exposure Surveillance System ALT Alanine aminotransferase ARDS Adult respiratory distress syndrome AST Aspartate aminotransferase BUN Blood urea nitrogen ECG Electrocardiogram INR International normalization ratio NAPQI A-acetyl-/>-benzoquinone-imine PPPA Poison Prevention Packaging Act (of 1970)... 

The Ramathibodi Poison Center (RPC) was established in 1996 under the auspices of the Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital. In the year of 2000, the RPC Toxic Exposure Surveillance System was supported by the Royal... 

Immediately undertake improvements in CDC, state, and local disease and exposure surveillance and epidemiologic investigation infrastructure, and support them on a long-term basis. These improvements must focus on communicable disease epidemiology and laboratory programs and on poison control centers. 

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