Question

Organophosphate poisoning symptoms include
(A) Froathy salivation
(B) Watery salivation
(C) Miosis
(D) Hypothermia
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

• A. (A), (B) and (D) only.
• B. (A), (C) and (D) only.
• C. (A), (B), (C) and (D).
• D. (B), (C) and (D) only.

Hint:

To remember the muscarinic signs of organophosphate poisoning, use the classic acronym SLUDGE: Salivation (watery/frothy), Lacrimation, Urination, Defecation, Gastrointestinal distress, and Emesis, alongside Miosis.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Organophosphate (OP) compounds are widely used as insecticides and pesticides.
They bind to and inhibit the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme, leading to an accumulation of acetylcholine at neuromuscular junctions and synapses. This overstimulation triggers severe muscarinic, nicotinic, and central nervous system signs.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us analyze each of the specified clinical signs in relation to OP poisoning:
- Salivation (A and B): Overstimulation of muscarinic receptors in the salivary glands causes profuse, uncontrolled salivation. Depending on the stage of toxicosis and whether the animal is actively hyperventilating or dyspneic, this salivation can present as either thin, watery salivation or whipped, frothy salivation. Both are typical muscarinic signs.
- Miosis (C): Parasympathetic overstimulation of the pupillary sphincter muscle causes severe pupillary constriction (miosis), which is a key diagnostic hallmark of OP poisoning in most species.
- Hypothermia (D): Although mild hyperthermia can occur due to muscle tremors (nicotinic effects), profound OP poisoning often leads to hypothermia in animals due to continuous sweating (in species that sweat), peripheral vasodilation, depressed metabolic rate, and direct disruption of the thermoregulatory center in the hypothalamus by excess acetylcholine.
Therefore, all four clinical symptoms (A), (B), (C), and (D) are observed during organophosphate toxicosis.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The correct combination is (A), (B), (C), and (D), which corresponds to option (C).