Malathion is an insecticide that can poison someone upon swallowing, or through skin absorption. Always wear gloves and wash carefully when handling the product. It is used to control crop and garden insects, to kill mosquitoes, and to kill head lice in some products.
Symptoms
There are several signs of a malathion poisoning. These symptoms include chest tightness, difficulty breathing, increased tearing, increased urination, increased salivation, small or dilated pupils, weakness, slow/rapid heart rate, low/high blood pressure, agitation, coma, anxiety, confusion, convulsions, dizziness, headache, blue skin and fingernails, sweating, diarrhea, loss of appetite, abdominal cramps, nausea, and vomiting.
Treatment
If on skin, wash the area for at least fifteen minutes. Ingesting the chemical should have emergency treatment and a call to the National Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222. While at the ER, vital signs will be monitored. There may be breathing help, IV fluids, medicines, gastric lavage, and irrigation of the skin and eyes.
Malathion Names
Other names for malathion include mercaptothion, maldison, and carbophos. Brand names include Exathion, Karbofos, Maltox, Cythion, and Celthion. It can also be include in other combinations of chemicals. Check the label to see if the insecticide you are using contains this chemical.
Those improving in the first four to six hours will typically recover, but prolonged therapy is needed. It is a serious poisoning with long range results from it. There can be long-term therapy and intensive care needed. There may be very long toxicity in the patient.
Source: A.D.A.M., Extoxnet