发生率依赖于使用程度和获得的难易程度。在美国和其他发达国家,从事农业活动的人相对较少,且往往会落实职业卫生与安全标准,使得严重或致命性的中毒较罕见。[1]Gunnell D, Eddleston M, Phillips MR, et al. The global distribution of fatal pesticide self-poisoning: systematic review. BMC Public Health. 2007;7:357.http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pubmed&pubmedid=18154668http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18154668?tool=bestpractice.com然而,向毒物信息中心咨询有关毒物接触的信息或报告微量毒物接触的频率却惊人的频繁。[2]Lai MW, Klein-Schwartz W, Rodgers GC, et al. 2005 Annual report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers' national poisoning and exposure database. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2006;44:803-932.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17015284?tool=bestpractice.com