Methanol poisoning: the silent killer

MSF statement

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Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) issued a statement on the prevalence of widespread cases of methanol poisoning in Southeast Asia.

Laos

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In November 2024, a group of American, European, and Australian tourists consumed alcohol at their local hostel, while others were provided “free shots” from a local bar in the famous backpacker location of Vang Vieng in Laos.

Deaths

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Despite treatment in neighboring Thai hospitals, six travelers succumbed to the poisoning, leading to their deaths.

Travel warnings

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UK and Australian authorities have issued travel warnings regarding potential methanol poisonings for those visiting Laos.

Worldwide issue

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Similar cases in the Dominican Republic, Indonesia, Iran, Turkey, Czech Republic, and Poland, among other nations, have witnessed outbreaks of methanol-provoked deaths. Pictured are covered shelves in a Czech bar following police raids after a wave of methanol-provoked deaths.

Cheap method

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While methanol can be added to any alcoholic beverage, it is often done so in those that include liquor or homemade concoctions, as it’s a cheap way to add alcohol content to a beverage.

Home brewing

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Home brewing can also result in generating methanol accidentally, depending on what is used in the fermentation process.

Methanol

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Methanol is an alcohol, similar to ethanol, the compound we consume in alcoholic beverages. It is a clear, flammable liquid, that smells nearly identical to ethanol.

Not safe for human consumption

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Methanol is not safe for human consumption at any level. It is used in a variety of products like fuel, solvents, antifreeze, among other chemical solutions.

Formaldehyde

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When we consume methanol, however, it is turned into formaldehyde, which many of us know as a preserving agent. It then converts to formic acid, which is the chemical used in cleaning products to decalcify.

Central nervous system

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This attack on the cells can cause a sudden, significant buildup of acid in the body, causing the central nervous system to deteriorate.

Severe consequences

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The consequences of methanol poisoning are much more severe, causing people to become comatose, provoking permanent vision loss or other disabilities, and can even lead to death.

Fomepizole

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Medication such as fomepizole, which halts the generation of formic acid, can be administered to poisoned individuals.

Dialysis

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Medical treatments can also include the use of dialysis, which can be used to eliminate methanol from the body.

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