Rana H.Abo-Hammam
Presentation: Fipronil is abroad spectrum N-phenylpyrazole
insecticide being used with an objective of controlling
insect pest. It has been reported to cause toxic
manifestation particularly in gastrointestinal and central
nervous system. Although toxicity caused by it not commonly
detected in human, in this reported case a chronic
toxicity of it was achieved by oral ingestion of cockroach
killing bait powder, containing fipronil (0.5 g/kg), mixed
with food.
Case report: A suspected case, with abnormal death and
negative autopsy, 33-years old male. In months prior to
his death, the deceased was complained of abdominal
pain, weakness, nausea, vomiting agitation and seizures.
Although he went to hospital, but no one know that he
had fipronil intoxication. Only he managed with anti-
emetic and anti-spasmodic drugs. The corpse was removed
from the grave five days after the burial. Fipronil
was identified qualitatively by thin layer chromatography
through acidic extraction of visceral samples obtained
from the autopsy by ammonium sulfate method then the
extraction applied on silica gel plate(silica gel 60 GF 254
for TLC,ADVENT) by hematocrit 75 mm capillary tube.
Several elution systems (acetone or petroleum ether/ acetone
as mobile phase) were used and finally the plates
were visualized by fast blue b salt or furfural reagents,
then confirmed by TLC-MS (Advion, USA).
Conclusion: Based on the toxicological finding and case
investigation, the cause of death was determined to be
fipronil intoxication due to long time ingestion of food
intentionally mixed with it.
