Which of the following is a common symptom of organophosphate insecticide poisoning?

• A. Dry mouth and tachycardia
• B. Fluids leaking from body due to secretions
• C. Excessive bleeding
• D. Ringing in ears

Answer: (B)

Organophosphate poisoning causes a cholinergic crisis by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase, so acetylcholine piles up at muscarinic receptors. The hallmark is overproduction of secretions, including saliva, tears, sweat, bronchial secretions, and GI/urinary secretions. Seeing fluids appear to leak from the mouth, nose, eyes, or lungs fits this pattern and is the best match for the described symptom. The other options don’t align with the cholinergic excess: dry mouth with tachycardia would not reflect the profuse secretions typical of this poisoning (heart rate is often slowed, not consistently fast), excessive bleeding isn’t driven by acetylcholine buildup, and ringing in the ears isn’t a characteristic sign. In practice, treatment focuses on blocking muscarinic effects with atropine and reactivating acetylcholinesterase with pralidoxime.