Toxicology: amitraz poisoning: practice question

A Forensic Medicine question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Forensic Medicine · Toxicology: amitraz poisoning

Sample item

A child who drank a livestock tick wash is drowsy, with bradycardia, hypotension, miosis, hypothermia and a high blood glucose. Which poison is the most likely?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

D. Amitraz

Amitraz is an alpha-2 agonist acaricide, so it causes sedation, bradycardia, hypotension, miosis, hypothermia and hyperglycaemia. Organophosphates cause secretions and fasciculations, pyrethroids cause paraesthesia and organochlorines cause seizures.

Option by option

  • A. Chlorpyrifos

    Chlorpyrifos produces cholinergic secretions, sweating and fasciculations.

  • B. Endosulfan

    Endosulfan causes seizures and not sedation with bradycardia.

  • C. Cypermethrin

    Cypermethrin causes local paraesthesia and mild neurological symptoms.

  • D. Amitraz (correct)

    Correct. A clonidine-like picture with hyperglycaemia suggests amitraz.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is D, Amitraz. Amitraz is an alpha-2 agonist acaricide, so it causes sedation, bradycardia, hypotension, miosis, hypothermia and hyperglycaemia.

Why is "Chlorpyrifos" not the answer?

Chlorpyrifos produces cholinergic secretions, sweating and fasciculations.

Why is "Endosulfan" not the answer?

Endosulfan causes seizures and not sedation with bradycardia.

Why is "Cypermethrin" not the answer?

Cypermethrin causes local paraesthesia and mild neurological symptoms.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Toxicology: amitraz poisoning in Forensic Medicine. Organophosphates cause secretions and fasciculations, pyrethroids cause paraesthesia and organochlorines cause seizures.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Toxicology: amitraz poisoning?

Learn postmortem changes with their timelines, and toxicology as poison, sign, test and antidote. Then use the flashcards and the other Forensic Medicine questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.