Experts have explained how methanol poisoning affects your body and can lead to death after five tourists died and many others fell ill who were staying at the tourist town of Vang Vieng in Laos
Five tourists, including a British woman, have died in a suspected mass poisoning in Laos and here is how methanol affects the body and can kill.
Simone White, a lawyer from Orpington, Kent, who became seriously unwell after consuming what is thought to have been a methanol-spiked drink is the latest to have died. The family of Australian Bianca Jones, 19, today confirmed she had died and it followed the death of an American and two Danes all in Vang Vieng, a town popular for backpackers. There are reportedly more than 10 other tourists who are ill.
The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office confirmed they were providing consular assistance to British nationals and their families following the incident. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Ms Jones had died after being evacuated from Vang Vieng, Laos for treatment in a Thai hospital. Her friend, also 19, remains hospitalised in neighbouring Thailand.
“This is every parent’s very worst fear and a nightmare that no one should have to endure,” Mr Albanese said. “We also take this moment to say that we’re thinking of Bianca’s friend Holly Bowles who is fighting for her life.”
They are all believed to have consumed drinks tainted with methanol, which is sometimes added to mixed-drinks at disreputable bars as a cheaper alternative to ethanol, but can cause severe poisoning or death. Professor Alastair Hay, professor of environmental toxicology at Leeds University explained how methanol can affect the body in two ways – as an acid and by attacking nerves.
“The risk from methanol is twofold. Methanol breaks down in the body to formaldehyde and then formic acid. The formic acid upsets the acid/base balance in blood and the major consequence is initially the effect on someone’s breathing,” he said. “There are effects on many other organs the kidney being one. The disturbance of acid/base balance and disrupted breathing will eventually affect the heart and it will stop functioning. Formaldehyde attacks nerves, particularly the optic nerve and blindness is a potential risk.”
Professor Hay said ethanol is a treatment for the poisoning as it delays the methanol metabolism. He continued: “Depending on the severity of poisoning, treatment may require dialysis to remove methanol from blood whilst at the same time keeping someone mildly drunk by administering ethanol. If the poisoning is not too severe, and only blood tests will determine this, ethanol alone may suffice.
“The principle behind administering ethanol is quite simple; it delays methanol metabolism. Both alcohols are broken down by the same liver enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase. But the enzyme prefers ethanol. So ethanol acts as a competitive inhibitor largely preventing methanol breakdown, but markedly slowing it down, allowing the body to vent methanol from the lungs and some through the kidneys, and a little through sweat. Avoiding the formation of toxic levels of formaldehyde is key.”
Similarly Professor Oliver Jones, professor of chemistry at RMIT University, explained how methanol is a type of alcohol which is similar in structure to ethanol but far more toxic. He said: “While thankfully rare, methanol poisoning is very serious, and treatment should be given at a hospital. Methanol poisoning is treated by stopping the alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme from creating toxic by-products.
“This can be accomplished by either using a drug to inhibit the enzyme directly or by giving the patient ethanol. In the latter case, the alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme is essentially too busy processing the ethanol to process the methanol into the dangerous byproducts. Dialysis of the blood to remove both the methanol and toxic breakdown products can also be an option.”
Landlocked Laos is one of Southeast Asia’s poorest nations and a popular tourist destination. Vang Vieng is particularly popular among backpackers seeking partying and adventure sports.
Details on the alcohol poisoning began trickling out about a week after people fell ill on November 13 following a night out drinking including Ms Jones. Thai authorities confirmed that Ms Jones had died by “brain swelling due to high levels of methanol found in her system.”
And Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said: “Drink spiking and methanol poisoning are far too common in many parts of the world. At this time I would say to parents, to young people, please have a conversation about risks, please inform yourselves, please let’s work together to ensure this tragedy doesn’t happen again.”
New Zealand’s foreign ministry said today that one of its citizens was also unwell in Laos and could be a victim of methanol poisoning. “We have updated our travel advisory for Laos to note that there have been several cases of suspected methanol poisoning after consuming alcoholic drinks,” it stated. “Travellers are advised to be cautious about consuming alcoholic beverages, particularly cocktails and drinks made with spirits that may have been adulterated with harmful substances.”
