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. 2024 Jul-Aug;139(4):443-450.
doi: 10.1177/00333549231200850. Epub 2023 Nov 4.

Occupational Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in Wisconsin: Results From a Statewide Electronic Disease Surveillance System and From the Wisconsin Poison Center, 2018-2021

Elaina M Andreychak  1 , Carrie D Tomasallo  1 , Damilola Idowu  2 , David D Gummin  3 , Jon G Meiman  1
Affiliations

Occupational Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in Wisconsin: Results From a Statewide Electronic Disease Surveillance System and From the Wisconsin Poison Center, 2018-2021

Elaina M Andreychak et al. Public Health Rep. 2024 Jul-Aug.

Abstract

Objectives: Prevention methods for carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning in Wisconsin address occupational and nonoccupational exposures together, but differences between the settings could inform new approaches to preventing occupational CO poisonings. We described occupational CO poisonings in Wisconsin from July 1, 2018, through July 1, 2021, using surveillance data from the Wisconsin Electronic Disease Surveillance System and Wisconsin Poison Center.

Methods: We identified cases of CO poisoning from the Wisconsin Electronic Disease Surveillance System and Wisconsin Poison Center. Occupational CO poisonings were records where "workplace" was recorded as the location of exposure. We excluded records classified as suspect/not a case, those missing laboratory results or information on exposure source/location, and intentional poisonings. We compared characteristics between occupational and nonoccupational settings using odds ratios (ORs), and we estimated crude incidence rates of occupational exposures by occupation.

Results: We identified 614 cases of CO poisoning, of which 168 (27.4%) were occupational exposures. When compared with patients with nonoccupational exposures, patients with occupational exposures were more likely to be male (OR = 3.8; 95% CI, 2.4-6.1), Hispanic (OR = 2.4; 95% CI, 1.4-4.2), and younger (mean difference [SD] = 6.6 [20.9]). Several CO sources were significantly associated with occupational poisonings: forklifts (OR = 58.4; 95% CI, 13.9-246.1; P < .001), pressure sprayers (OR = 2.4; 95% CI, 1.3-4.4; P = .003), and other gasoline-powered tools (OR = 3.8; 95% CI, 2.3-6.3; P < .001). The natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupation group had the highest crude incidence rate-45.0 poisonings per 100 000 full-time equivalent employees.

Conclusions: Incorporating data from the Wisconsin Poison Center improved data quality, but surveillance is limited by underreporting. Creating strategies to increase reporting would allow for a more comprehensive understanding of occupational CO poisoning.

Keywords: carbon monoxide; environmental exposures; occupational health; poison centers; surveillance.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure.
Figure.
Case identification and exclusion flowchart for cases of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning in Wisconsin, July 1, 2018, through July 1, 2021. The sum of excluded records is >2192 because records could be excluded for multiple reasons. Data source: Wisconsin Electronic Disease Surveillance System and Wisconsin Poison Center. Abbreviations: COHb, blood carboxyhemoglobin; WEDSS, Wisconsin Electronic Disease Surveillance System; WPC, Wisconsin Poison Center.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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