OEC 6th Edition Chapter 27

You are teaching a basic OEC class and need to explain toxins. Which of the following statements is the best description of a toxin?

A) It is a poison made by a living creature, including plants and animals.

B) It is a poison that comes from a chemical.

C) It is usually transmitted by a bite or a sting.

D) It is anything ingested that causes an anaphylactic reaction.

A) It is a poison made by a living creature, including plants and animals.

A specific toxin or poisonous secretion of an animal that is usually transmitted by a bite or sting is known as:

A) venom.

B) antigen.

C) bullae.

D) nettle.

A) venom.

Plants most commonly cause toxic reactions through which of the following routes?

A) Ingestion and inhalation

B) Topical contact and injection

C) Ingestion and topical contact

D) Inhalation and injection

C) Ingestion and topical contact

On a camping trip with your family, your children ask if they can pick some plants for part of their wilderness dinner. Based on your OEC training, you explain to your children that they need to be careful picking wild plants and flowers, and that:

A) plants that do not cause any local reaction when they are picked are safe to eat.

B) the worst that can happen from eating a bad plant is you will get sick to your stomach.

C) leaves may be poisonous, but most berries found in the woods are safe to eat.

D) some plants can be very toxic, so it is best not to eat anything unless you are sure what it is.

D) some plants can be very toxic, so it is best not to eat anything unless you are sure what it is.

Which one of the following groups is not included in the three main groups of mushrooms that are dangerous to humans?

A) False morels

B) Little brown mushrooms

C) Amanitas

D) Big white mushrooms

D) Big white mushrooms

It's early fall, and you have been backpacking on part of the Appalachian Trail with some friends. One member of the group comes up to you, holding some bright orange mushrooms that resemble pumpkins and asks if you think they are safe to eat. Based on your training, you would respond with which of the following statements?

A) "Those are very toxic and would definitely kill you if you ate them."

B) "Those mushrooms can cause some pretty severe vomiting, diarrhea, cramps, and loss of coordination."

C) "If you just eat the mushroom cap, you should be OK."

D) "Most toxic mushrooms are brown, so those are probably all right to eat."

B) "Those mushrooms can cause some pretty severe vomiting, diarrhea, cramps, and loss of coordination."

You will be taking a group of scouts on a weekend camping trip. You recognize that ticks are typically active at this time of year, so you want to teach the scouts about them. Which of the following statements about ticks is false?

A) Campers should check their skin regularly, especially in the evening before going to bed.

B) A red circle with a blanched white center is characteristic of the rash caused by a tick bite.

C) The typical disease transmitted by ticks is Lyme disease.

D) Tick bites are painful, so you will know when you have been bitten.

D) Tick bites are painful, so you will know when you have been bitten.

Which of the following signs and symptoms is not a characteristic of a bee, wasp, or hornet sting?

A) Nausea and vomiting

B) Joint aching

C) Pain

D) Swelling

A) Nausea and vomiting

Most reptile-related injuries are caused by:

A) alligators.

B) snakes.

C) sharks.

D) crocodiles.

B) snakes.

Marine life can cause varying degrees of injury and illness. Which of the following marine creatures can cause respiratory failure and cardiovascular collapse in humans?

A) Jellyfish

B) Spiny fish

C) Biting fish

D) Moray eels

A) Jellyfish

Attacks by which of the following creatures do not cause both soft-tissue injuries and fractures?

A) Alligators

B) Sharks

C) Swordfish

D) Crocodile

C) Swordfish

You are working at the first-aid station at the local scout camp. A counselor brings in two young boys that he thinks were playing in an area where poison oak was found. Which of the following actions would not be a part of your treatment for the possible exposure to poison oak?

A) Putting on non-latex gloves before examining the boys

B) Washing the boys' hands and arms with cool water and soap

C) Applying a topical cream such as bacitracin to the boys' hands and arms

D) Using a commercial cleanser such as Oak-N-Ivy to wash the boys' hands and arms

C) Applying a topical cream such as bacitracin to the boys' hands and arms

Your neighbor has been cleaning up the wooded area around his yard and burning brush and weeds. He tells you that he is trying to rid the area of poison ivy. You recognize that his actions could:

A) cause significant respiratory problems for anyone exposed to the smoke.

B) encourage the poison ivy to grow into any area where the smoke travels.

C) temporarily solve his problem but will not permanently kill the poison ivy.

D) be a great solution that you should use around your house.

A) cause significant respiratory problems for anyone exposed to the smoke.

When a young child at a neighborhood cookout cries out that he was stung by a bee on his forearm, you should:

A) ask if anyone has an epinephrine auto-injector and assist in giving the injection.

B) scrape the stinger off the skin with a firm, flat object such as a credit card and then apply ice to reduce the swelling and pain.

C) immobilize the arm and place it at the level of the child's heart to prevent spread of the venom.

D) scrub the area with soap and water to remove the stinger.

B) scrape the stinger off the skin with a firm, flat object such as a credit card and then apply ice to reduce the swelling and pain.

While hiking in the Rockies, your friend is bitten on the arm by a rattlesnake. You should quickly:

A) cut the wound and suck out the poison.

B) lead your friend on a hike for help.

C) provide aspirin.

D) immobilize the arm and place it lower than your friend's heart.

D) immobilize the arm and place it lower than your friend's heart.

Which of the following actions is not an appropriate treatment measure for a sting by a marine creature?

A) Applying a tourniquet if required for controlling life-threatening hemorrhaging

B) Irrigating the affected area with fresh water

C) Rubbing the affected area to remove any spines

D) Rinsing the affected area with a vinegar solution

C) Rubbing the affected area to remove any spines

When caring for someone who has been attacked by a large animal such as a moose or bear, you should assume that:

A) the potential for spinal injury exists.

B) the animal probably has rabies, or it would not have attacked.

C) unless there is a bite, there is no potential for infection.

D) bleeding from claw injuries is the most dangerous injury.

A) the potential for spinal injury exists.

Poisons

enter through ingestion, inhalation, absorption, injection

Toxins

is a poison from living organism

Venom

is toxin from an animal, most common is snake, scorpion, or spider

Plants/fungi toxic by ingestion

Caused by ingestion of plants and fruits that are toxic, symptoms are nausea and vomiting. Some plants may cause cardiac effects like rhythm disturbances or neurologic effects like hallucinations

Insect bites and stings

 bites from spiders can cause localized necrosis or infection, ticks are vectors for other disease, bee stings cause anaphylaxis for some patients

Reptile bites

Reptiles produce venom for defense and hunting pray, two families of venomous snakes are coral snakes and pit vipers

Pit viper

destroy tissue near bite wound, severe bleeding can occur as this venom disrupts normal blood clotting mechanism, can be fatal

Coral snake 

venom is a potent neurotoxin that can lead to paralysis and respiratory failure

Treatment of topical poisons

Protect with PPE, wash affected area with cool water and soap, pay attention to under fingernails, if burning toxic plant caused emergency, transport the patient to further medical care, can remove spines from plant with tweezers

Treatment for ingestion of poison

• Call 911 or poison control if you can identify plant or mushroom that was ingested

• If person is ill, rapid EMS transport needed

• Use PPE to collect plant and send with EMS

Treatment of bites and stings from insects

• Establish scene safety and ABCDs

• Scrape stinger, clean area

• Splint to slow spread of venom

• Assist with epinephrine if indicated

Treating snake bite

• Ensure scene safety

• Place limb below the level of the heart

• Remove any clothing or jewelry that could be constricting

• Cover the wound with loose sterile bandage and apply splint to avoid motion of extremity