Characterizing Environmental and Occupational Exposures Associated to Kidney Function among Migrant Farm workers in Mexico

Abstract

TPS 791: Occupational health 1, Exhibition Hall, Ground floor, August 26, 2019, 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM Chronic kidney disease of undetermined cause (CKDu) is an epidemic that is disproportionately affecting young workers in warm regions throughout the world. Even though the risk factors of CKDu are not fully understood, several factors, such as pesticides and heat exposure, have been proposed to explain the pattern of this disease. However, little is known about the impact of short-term physiological changes in intense work-environmental conditions on kidney functioning. In addition, no studies have evaluated kidney functioning in migrant farm workers in Northern Mexico, who are subject to strenuous working conditions in extreme heat environments when they migrate from Southern Mexico to semi-arid regions of Northern Mexico. Our objective is to characterize the renal function in migrant farm workers in relation to the environmental conditions in the semi-arid region of Sonora, Mexico. A longitudinal study of six-months (harvest season) duration will be conducted. One hundred and fifty participants will be recruited and followed for six months. Approximately 100 farm workers at a large-scale commercial grape farm will be randomly divided into 50 working in an organic area and 50 working in a conventional area. The two farm worker groups will be compared with 50 non-farmworkers (reference group). To determine kidney functioning at multiple points during the harvest season, urine and serum will be collected and analyzed for several biomarkers. The association between heat stress, measured using a Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) instrument and the Physiological Strain Index (PSI), and kidney functioning will be examined. Similarly, several urinary pesticide biomarkers, including those for organophosphates and pyrethroids, will be analyzed during the harvest season to evaluate a possible association between pesticides and kidney function. At completion of this study, we expect to have a better understanding of the association between environmental risk factors and kidney functioning in migrant farm workers.