Criminal poisoning in Morocco: data from the Morocco Poison Control and Pharmacovigilance Centre (1980-2014)

Introduction: intentional poisoning is a major public health problem in both developed and developing countries. The purpose of this study is to describe the epidemiological features of criminal intoxication in Morocco. Method: we conducted a retrospective study of all cases of criminal intoxication identified by the Morocco Poison Control and Pharmacovigilance Centre (MPCPC) between 1980 and 2014. Results: during the study period, 611 cases of criminal poisoning were recorded, reflecting a rate of 2.1% of all intentional poisoning reported during the same period. The average age of intoxicated patients was 26.4 +/- 14.3 years. More than a quarter of the subjects were children under the age of 15 (28.6%). According to the study results, 55.9% were male, with a sex-ratio (M/F) of 1.3. The majority of cases (89.4%) occurred in urban areas. Collective intoxications were reported in 24.4% of cases. The most frequently used products were pesticides (19.1%) and plants (19%). Patients developed different symptoms based on the toxic substances used, the amount ingested and the time elapsed before treatment. A range of digestive, neurological, respiratory and cardiovascular disorders were reported. Out of 440 patients with outcome data available, 27 died. The remainder of patients survived with or without sequelae. Conclusion: criminal poisoning is a major issue. The number of cases is probably underestimated due to a large number of undiagnosed or unreported cases.