Fatal iatrogenic iodine toxicity in a nine-week-old infant

Background: Povidone-iodine has been used since the 1950s for various labelled uses as a topical antiseptic. The toxicity of an excessive dose in internal use is described in this case report. Case Report: A 9-week-old infant was treated for colic by a pediatric gastroenterologist with loperamide and the elimination of nonhuman milk. Without improvement he was hospitalized and given an enema of 50 mt of povidone-iodine diluted in 250 mt of a bowel irrigant. The enema was promptly expelled and 50 mt of the described solution was given hourly for three doses by nasogastric tube. The infant was found lifeless three hours after the last dose and resuscitation was unsuccessful. Autopsy showed a corroded and necrotic intestinal tract, serous fluid in body cavities, a blood total iodine of 14,600 mu g/dL, protein-bound iodine of 3,400 mu g/dL and inorganic iodine of 11,700 mu g/dL.