Monitoring of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: Update as of October 15, 2012

The fight against CO poisoning became a priority in 2004 as part of the National Health and Environment Plan and the Public Health Act, leading to strengthened prevention and regulation, as well as the establishment in 2005 of a surveillance system coordinated by the French Institute for Public Health Surveillance (InVS).The objectives of the surveillance system are to prevent poisoning and recurrence through risk management—particularly in the home—and to monitor trends in poisoning incidence at the national and local levels, describe the characteristics of victims, and analyze the circumstances and etiological factors of poisoning in order to develop prevention measures.Since September 1, 2012, 49 episodes of CO poisoning have been reported nationwide, affecting 97 people, 64 of whom were transported to a hospital emergency department. The improper use of a brazier or barbecue inside a residence caused two accidental poisoning incidents, affecting 7 people, 5 of whom were hospitalized. Three people died in two accidental incidents. The first was linked to the obstruction of a boiler’s individual flue gas exhaust duct by soot; the second occurred following the malfunction of a coal-fired convector heater. Since then, no cases have been reported in Limousin. One case had been reported last year during the same period.