Characterizing Exposures to Methanol-based Hand Sanitizers During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Use of the National Poison Data System (NPDS) to Conduct Enhanced Surveillance During Response

TY - JOUR

T1 - Characterizing Exposures to Methanol-based Hand Sanitizers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

T2 - Use of the National Poison Data System (NPDS) to Conduct Enhanced Surveillance During Response

AU - Hanchey, Arianna

AU - Schnall, Amy Helene

AU - Therriault, Colin

AU - Bronstein, Al

AU - Borys, Doug

AU - Funk, Alexandra

AU - Spiller, Henry A.

AU - Calello, Diane P.

AU - Marraffa, Jeanna M.

AU - Mercurio-Zappala, Maria

AU - Aleguas, Alfred

AU - Chang, Arthur

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Author(s), 2025.

PY - 2025/9/22

Y1 - 2025/9/22

N2 - Objectives The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released an official health advisory after receiving reports of patients in New Mexico and Arizona who experienced serious adverse health effects after swallowing methanol-based hand sanitizer (MBHS). CDC and America's Poison Centers conducted enhanced surveillance using the National Poison Data System (NPDS) for all calls to poison centers (PCs) that reported exposure to MBHS. Methods We queried NPDS for human exposure cases to MBHS between June 22, 2020 and September 14, 2020. We conducted descriptive statistics to analyze by daily case volume, age group, sex, caller site, management site, exposure route, medical outcome, reason for exposure, clinical effects, and treatment. Results Forty-nine states, Washington, DC, and the US Virgin Islands reported at least 1 exposure, with a total of 2164 cases. Adults aged 20-59 represented the largest proportion of cases (44.8%). Most calls (94.2%) were from a non-health care facility and were managed on site (82.4%). The exposure route was primarily dermal (88.8%) followed by ingestion (12.0%). Conclusions Quick response and action for exposures to MBHS containing products is essential to ensure public health safety. PCs remain a valuable resource for providing guidance and advice for toxic exposures.

AB - Objectives The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released an official health advisory after receiving reports of patients in New Mexico and Arizona who experienced serious adverse health effects after swallowing methanol-based hand sanitizer (MBHS). CDC and America's Poison Centers conducted enhanced surveillance using the National Poison Data System (NPDS) for all calls to poison centers (PCs) that reported exposure to MBHS. Methods We queried NPDS for human exposure cases to MBHS between June 22, 2020 and September 14, 2020. We conducted descriptive statistics to analyze by daily case volume, age group, sex, caller site, management site, exposure route, medical outcome, reason for exposure, clinical effects, and treatment. Results Forty-nine states, Washington, DC, and the US Virgin Islands reported at least 1 exposure, with a total of 2164 cases. Adults aged 20-59 represented the largest proportion of cases (44.8%). Most calls (94.2%) were from a non-health care facility and were managed on site (82.4%). The exposure route was primarily dermal (88.8%) followed by ingestion (12.0%). Conclusions Quick response and action for exposures to MBHS containing products is essential to ensure public health safety. PCs remain a valuable resource for providing guidance and advice for toxic exposures.

KW - COVID-19

KW - disaster epidemiology

KW - hand sanitizer

KW - poison centers

KW - public health surveillance

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105016768710

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105016768710#tab=citedBy

U2 - 10.1017/dmp.2024.346

DO - 10.1017/dmp.2024.346

M3 - Article

C2 - 40977269

SN - 1935-7893

VL - 19

JO - Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness

JF - Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness

M1 - e267

ER -