ANSES warns of the increase in poisoning linked to an insecticide against bedbugs which is nevertheless banned

According to an ANSES study published on Tuesday, it turns out that nearly eight out of ten people exposed to the insecticide Sniper 1000 EC DDVP present symptoms. This product, used against bedbugs, has been banned for sale since 2013.

ANSES (National Agency for Health and Food Safety) warns, in a toxicovigilance report published Tuesday, December 5, of the increase in poisonings linked to an insecticide against bedbugs or cockroaches although banned in France since 2013, the Sniper 1000 EC DDVP.

Between January 2018 and June 2023, poison control centers recorded 206 cases of people exposed to this insecticide. Anses says it observes a “increase in the number of cases of poisoning” because just between January 2022 and June 2023, 104 cases were reported.

According to this report, “this increase is due to the increase in bedbug infestations in recent years”. ANSES estimates “that 11 % of French households were infested between 2017 and 2022″. If most of the poisonings reported were “benign, almost 10 % were of medium severity and 5.5 % of high severity including three deaths, accidental or due to ingestion with suicidal intent”we read in the ANSES toxicovigilance report on the Sniper 1000 EC DDVP.

Respiratory symptoms and neurological disorders

This active substance from the organophosphate family is classified as fatal by inhalation and toxic, by contact with the skin or by ingestion, it can in particular cause asthmatic respiratory symptoms, ocular symptoms and neurological disorders which can lead to loss of consciousness, cause a skin allergy. ANSES warns consumers who can obtain it despite its ban “via illegal circuits (in markets, bazaars)” or “on e-commerce platforms, via social media ads”.

In this study, 79.5% of people exposed to Sniper 1000 EC DDVP (163/206) had symptoms. The latter were mainly respiratory, 54.4% of them (112 patients) presented a cough or irritation of the upper airways. Digestive signs were also observed in 23.8% (49 patients), namely vomiting, epigastric pain, as well as neurological signs for 21.4% (44 patients) such as headache, dizziness, coma. Finally, 6.3% of patients presented cardiovascular signs such as palpitations (13 cases).