Article original / Original article Intoxications au paraquat en Guyane française : utilisation persistante lors de comportements suicidaires en outre-mer Self poisonings with paraquat in French Guiana: persistent use during suicidal behavior in French overseas territories

Objective: Paraquat is a pesticide widely used around the world as herbicide. The toxicity of this molecule on human beings is high as it induces after ingestion liver and renal failure with possible delayed pulmonary fibrosis. After numerous reports about this major toxicity the European authorities decided to withdraw this herbicide of the market in July 2007. The authors report a collective case of poisoning with paraquat in French Guiana in 2011. Method: A teenager boy and his mother ingested paraquat deliberately. Hepatic and renal failures were observed for the young male who was treated with the immunosuppressive protocol treatment in order to prevent the pulmonary complications. His mother rapidly developed multi-organic failure. Results: The young boy's hepatic and renal failure evolved quickly favorably. No respiratory disturbances were reported with him allowing a discharge after 16 days of hospitalization. His mother who ingested higher quantities of paraquat died in 2 days. Conclusion: This collective case proves that 4 years after the prohibition of paraquat in French Guiana it is still possible to observe life-threatening poisonings induced by such a dangerous herbicide.