This case report illustrates the potential danger of an acute allergic reaction occurring from the use of an animal shampoo containing a pyrethrum insecticide. Parents should be aware of this because manufacturers are not currently required by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to state on the label that the pyrethrum formulations are allergens.
An 11-year-old girl had been diagnosed with asthma at age 6 years. She had never been hospitalized and had rarely received steroids. Her only medication was albuterol, which was taken by inhaler as needed.
On the day of admission, she gave her pet dog a bath using a shampoo containing 0.2% pyrethrin.
She had used this shampoo 2 years earlier, with a brief but mild increase in her asthmatic symptoms that lasted 48 hours.
Within 10 minutes of beginning to bath the dog, she experienced severe shortness of breath with wheezing and she was immediately rushed to the emergency room.
She was intubated and treated aggressively for an acute asthmatic attack.
She did not respond to treatment and died about 2-1/2 hours after the initial exposure to the pet shampoo.
Her cause of death was listed as "respiratory arrest secondary to acute asthmatic attack."
The pyrethrin class of insecticides was originally formulated from plants of the Compositae family, which includes daisies and chrysanthemums. Pyrethroids are insecticides of the same class, but these are synthetic compounds (See this week's article on mosquito spraying due to West Nile Virus).
A study published way back in 1934 warned physicians about its allergenic properties. Neither pyrethrin nor pyrethroids are currently classified as allergens by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Researchers state that "The possibility of an acute allergic reaction occurring from the use of any currently marketed pyrethrum insecticide should be considered in any case of respiratory or dermal allergy of unknown cause ... Pesticides of this class are being used with increasing frequency in homes and are easily available to the public."
Western Journal of Medicine August, 2000;173:86-87
However, the more common issue is that exposures to these chemicals will decrease one's health or the health of one's children. The most dramatic example would be if a pregnant woman were exposed to the chemical. It is highly likely that her child would have impaired reproductive capacity 20-30 years later. The delay is not commonly recognized to the precipitating chemical exposure since there is such a huge time lag.
Pyrethrum insecticides have been shown to cause birth defects in animal studies (Abstract).
Be sure to read this week's article on the adverse effects of the related pesticides of the same class which are currently being used to combat mosquitoes in New York City and Boston.
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Pesticides May Decrease Male Fertility
Pesticides Linked to Stillbirths