Five Queenslanders have been hospitalised after ingesting rat poison, with the health department working to investigate the source.

The patients were all from the Metro South Health region — which encompasses Brisbane south side, Logan, Redlands and Scenic Rim regions — and presented to hospitals in the past week with symptoms consistent with brodifacoum poisoning.

Brodifacoum is the active ingredient in rat poison.

It reduces vitamin K in the body, which is needed for blood to clot. If ingested, brodifacoum can cause bleeding-related complications, which can be deadly.

Symptoms include nosebleeds, gum bleeding, internal bleeding and low blood pressure.

Vitamin K is used as the antidote.

Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Catherine McDougall said investigations are underway to dete

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