Child Abuse Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Child Abuse, including details on family violence, examinations, long-term effects, psychiatrics disorders.

Criminal poisoning: Munchausen by proxy.

Holstege CP, Dobmeier SG

Division of Medical Toxicology, University of Virginia, P.O. Box 800774, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA. ch2xf@virginia.edu

The diagnosis and subsequent prosecution of Munchausen by proxy (MBP) cases require the collaborative teamwork of health care teams, laboratory personnel, law enforcement, and social services. Poisoning occurs in a significant number of the MBP cases with a diverse variety of agents used. To aid laboratory professionals in determining the appropriate toxicology tests to perform in such criminal cases, health care professionals must focus their testing requests on substances that correspond to the victim's signs, symptoms, and ancillary test values. This article reviews MBP, with particular focus on poisoning agents that have been used in past reported cases.

Published 28 March 2006 in Clin Lab Med, 26(1): 243-53, x.
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