Pyrethrin and pyrethroid illnesses in the Pacific northwest: a five-year review.

Objective: Pyrethrin and pyrethroid insecticides are commonly applied in homes and businesses and on some agricultural crops. This research used a two-state regional approach to analyze reports of acute pesticide poisonings due to pyrethrin and pyrethroid insecticides.

Methods: The Washington State Department of Health and the Oregon Public Health Division collected pesticide poisoning surveillance data from 2001 through 2005.

Incidence of work-related asthma in members of a health maintenance organization.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate work-related asthma among health maintenance organization (HMO) members. Recent reports suggest that the incidence of work-related asthma may be much higher than Sentinel Event Notification Systems for Occupational Risks (SENSOR) data estimate.

Methods: Using the HMO's electronic medical record, we identified 1,747 persons with evidence of new or recurrent asthma.