Title: Ingestion of Lantana camara is not associated with significant effects in children
Abstract: We sought to identify characteristics of children with reportedingestion of Lantana camara. We reviewed the California Poison Control System database for all reported pediatric ingestions of L camara for the years 1997 - 2008. Data collected included age, gender, clinicaleffects, duration of effects, medical interventions, and outcomes. There were a total of 641 patients; patient ages ranged from1 to 16 years, with a mean of 2.5 years. Reported effects includedvomiting (n = 30), abdominal pain (n = 8), agitation (n = 6),diarrhea (n = 6), throat/mouth irritation (n = 5), tachycardia(n = 4), drowsiness (n = 3), nausea (n = 2), and mydriasis (n= 1). There was no difference in frequency of symptoms betweenpatients who ingested ripe (15.5% [95% confidence interval:9.1% - 21.8%]) versus unripe (6.0% [95% confidence interval:0.9% - 11.1%]) berries or between patients who ingestedberries (10.5% [95% confidence interval: 7.3% - 13.8%])versus other plant parts (7.1% [95% confidence interval: 4.0% -10.3%]).Fifty-one patients (8%) were treated in a health care facilityand 2 (0.3%) were admitted. No significant effects and no deathswere recorded. Ingestion of L camara (including unripe berries) was not associated with significant toxicity; patients who ingested unripe berriesdid not exhibit more-frequent or more-severe symptoms than didpatients who ingested ripe berries or other plant parts. Most patients displayed no or minimal symptoms. Children with asymptomatic ingestions and those with mild symptoms can be treated at home. [Shaun D. Carstairs, Joyce Y. Luk, Christian A. Tomaszewski & F. Lee Cantrell (2010). Ingestion of Lantana camara is not associated with significant effects in children. Pediatrics, online Nov 01. doi:10.1542/peds.2010-1669]