Nongenetic Cause of Epileptic Seizures in 2 Otherwise Healthy Chinese Families

Tetramine, a banned rodenticide, is repeatedly reported to induce epileptic seizures in healthy people. Because both doctors and patients are often not aware of earlier tetramine contact, the occurrence of seizures is easily misdiagnosed as primary epilepsy. In this study, 8 cases in 2 families with generalized tonic-clonic seizures, most probably induced by tetramine, are presented. The clinical manifestation, electroencephalogram characteristics, and treatment measures of tetramine poisoning are summarized. There is the possibility of tetramine toxicity as a cause of epidemic epileptic seizures.