An Outbreak of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in Yamagata Prefecture Following the Great East Japan Earthquake

Authors

  • Akiko Hayashida Department of Regional Emergency Medicine, Fukushima Medical University School of medicine, Fukushima, Japan. Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Yamagata University School of Medicine, Yamagata, Japan.
  • Choichiro Tase Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan
  • Kaoru Goto Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Yamagata University School of Medicine, Yamagata, Japan
  • Ken Iseki Department of Regional Emergency Medicine, Fukushima Medical University School of medicine, Fukushima, Japan. Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Yamagata University School of Medicine, Yamagata, Japan.
  • Yukihiro Shikama Department of Neurology, Yamagata Prefectural Kahoku Hospital, Yamagata, Japan
Abstract:

Background: In the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake, most of the areas in Yamagata prefecture experienced a serious power failure lasting for approximately 24 hours. A number of households were subsequently poisoned with carbon monoxide (CO) due to various causes. In this study, we conducted a survey of CO poisoning during the disaster. Methods: A questionnaire regarding CO poisoning associated with the disaster was sent to 37 emergency hospitals in Yamagata prefecture. Results: A total of 51 patients were treated for unintentional CO poisoning in 7 hospitals (hyperbaric oxygen chambers were present in 3 of the hospitals). The patients (18 men, 33 women) ranged in age from 0 to 90 years. The source of CO exposure was charcoal briquettes (23 cases; 45%), gasoline-powered electric generators (18 cases; 35%), electric generators together with oil stoves (8 cases; 16%), oil stoves (1 cases; 2%), and automobile exhaust (1 cases; 2%). Blood carboxyhemoglobin levels ranged from 0.5% to 41.6% in 49 cases. Of these, 41 patients were treated by normobaric oxygen therapy, while one was intubated for artificial respiration. Additionally, 5 patients (10%) were treated by hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and 3 patients (6%) experienced delayed neuropsychiatric sequelae. Conclusion: CO sources included gasoline-powered electric generators and charcoal briquettes during the disaster. Storm-related CO poisoning is well recognized as a disaster-associated accident in the United States, but not in Japan. We emphasize that public education is needed to make people aware of the dangers of CO poisoning after a disaster. In addition, a pulse CO-oximeter should be set up in hospitals.

Upgrade to premium to download articles

Sign up to access the full text

Already have an account?login

similar resources

an outbreak of carbon monoxide poisoning in yamagata prefecture following the great east japan earthquake

background: in the aftermath of the great east japan earthquake, most of the areas in yamagata prefecture experienced a serious power failure lasting for approximately 24 hours. a number of households were subsequently poisoned with carbon monoxide (co) due to various causes. in this study, we conducted a survey of co poisoning during the disaster. methods: a questionnaire regarding co poisonin...

full text

Local response following the Great East Japan Earthquake 2011.

The aim of our laboratory is to study the neuroscience of dementia and contribute to the welfare of elderly people. Our work in the northern area of Miyagi prefecture has always been our priority. However, we never expected to experience such an extreme challenge as that of the March 2011 earthquake. This earthquake had been predicted based on a scientific consensus1; unfortunately, the warning...

full text

[Mental health activities following the Great East Japan Earthquake in the stricken coastal area of Iwate Prefecture].

Since the Great East Japan Earthquake, many survivors have experienced psychological crises because of the immense damage in the coastal area of Iwate Prefecture. Mental care teams started activities in March 2011 along the coast of Iwate. We employed a mid- to long-term care model. In February 2012, we set up the Iwate Mental Care Center and built a long-term support system in Iwate Prefecture.

full text

An Overview of Hydrogen Sulfide Suicides Based on Police Data in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan

full text

Investigation of an Influenza A (H3N2) outbreak in evacuation centres following the Great East Japan earthquake, 2011

BACKGROUND The Great East Japan Earthquake of magnitude 9.0 that struck on 11 March 2011 resulted in more than 18000 deaths or cases of missing persons. The large-scale tsunami that followed the earthquake devastated many coastal areas of the Tohoku region, including Miyagi Prefecture, and many residents of the tsunami-affected areas were compelled to reside in evacuation centres (ECs). In Japa...

full text

An Overview of Hydrogen Sulfide Suicides in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan

Background: Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is one of the major toxic gases and the second most common cause of death in workplaces among toxic gas-related morbidities. H2S suicides using hospital-based data were studied in 2008. However, most cases did not involve ambulance transfer to the hospital because the victims of H2S suicide were usually found dead at the scene. H2S suicide-related data elucida...

full text

My Resources

Save resource for easier access later

Save to my library Already added to my library

{@ msg_add @}


Journal title

volume 2  issue 2

pages  37- 41

publication date 2013-06-01

{@ msg @}

By following a journal you will be notified via email when a new issue of this journal is published.

Keywords

Hosted on Doprax cloud platform doprax.com

copyright © 2015-2023