Abstract
Objective: The aim of this study was to identify diseases linked with the pesticide sprayer occupation and explore possible associations with exposure history data. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among pesticide sprayers (n = 80) and the general population (n = 90) in Thessaly (Greece). Medical history, demographic characteristics and detailed exposure history were recorded by conducting personal interviews. Lifetime exposure indicators were calculated for several pesticide chemical subclasses. Moreover, organophosphate metabolite levels were quantified in urine samples of all participants by using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Multinomial analysis was used to determine associations between occupational pesticide exposure and diseases or disorders. Results: In the pesticide sprayers group, significantly higher frequencies for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and allergic rhinitis were observed compared with the control group (p = 0.002 and p = 0.024 respectively). Within the pesticide sprayers group, high lifetime pesticide exposure was associated with increased risk for reporting RA (OR: 43.07 95% CI: 3.09–600.67) and allergic rhinitis (OR: 9.72 95% CI: 2.31–40.89), compared with low pesticide exposure. Exposure to organophsphate, guanidine and quinone pesticides were associated with RA while organophosphates, pyrethroids and paraquat were associated with allergic rhinitis. Despite the higher levels of certain pesticide metabolites observed among participants with rheumatoid arthritis, the differences were not statistically significant. One metabolite (diethylthiophosphate) was found to be significantly increased in allergic rhinitis cases (p = 0.037). Conclusions: The results from the current study suggest a possible association of occupational pesticide exposure with RA and allergic rhinitis that should be further investigated.
Highlights
The use of pesticides in agriculture guarantees the protection of crops from undesirable pests and has beneficial effects on agricultural production
We demonstrated that pesticide sprayers had significantly higher levels of urinary metabolites of organophosphate pesticides and that these biomarkers of exposure are affected by the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and the application of hygiene practices during loading and applying pesticides [9]
The groups differed in education status with 52.2%, of the controls reporting higher education compared with 17.5% of the sprayers
Summary
The use of pesticides in agriculture guarantees the protection of crops from undesirable pests and has beneficial effects on agricultural production. There is a huge body of scientific evidence concerning the adverse health effects of pesticide exposure sometimes findings are conflicting. Exposure to pesticides has been associated with a variety of health effects including neurodegenerative diseases, cancer and neurobehavioral disorders [1,2,3,4]. Immunotoxic [6] effects of pesticides, while numerous active substances used as pesticides are considered endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) [7]. The impact of pesticides on human health has been extensively studied, assessing exposure to pesticides and linking it with health outcomes remains a challenge for the scientific community. Pesticides consist of a wide range of chemicals ranging from inorganic substances to modern synthetic compounds.
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