OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE TO PESTICIDES AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT RELATED POLICIES IN URBAN PEST CONTROL OPERATORS FROM SOUTHEAST MEXICO

Abstract

Pesticides, widely used in tropical areas for controlling disease vectors, require urban pest control operator (fumigator) services. Pesticide-use and handling policies and regulations mostly relate with agricultural use according to their application in urban pest control. Our objectives included investigating use pattern, pesticide management practices, and knowledge on related policies in urban pest control of southeastern Mexico and comparing Butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) activity in these compared with a group of individuals not occupationally exposed to pesticides. We conducted cross-sectional study where all participants were male. The exposed group was integrated by 27 urban pest control operator, the non-exposed group, 26 non-sprayer subjects. A structured questionnaire was applied to participants and BuChE activity in serum was determined. Urban pest control operator had been working with pesticides for 1–17 years, mostly during summer; 67 % did not use personal protection equipment. Eighteen active ingredients were employed as pesticides; chemical groups included pyrethroids (PYR), organophosphates (OP), coumarins, phenylpyrazoles, carbamates (CAR), chloronicotinyls, and amides. Policy knowledge and application were reported for only 30 % of fumigator. BuChE activities (U/L) were similar between groups: 9,837.95 ± 1,844.46 U/L in urban pest control vs. 10,414.81 ± 1,558.42 U/L for the non-sprayer group. We suggest inclusion of additional biological markers in the evaluation of occupational exposure to pesticides, because currently, only OP and CAR are considered, while fumigators are exposed to many other pesticides. Urban pest control lacked knowledge about pesticide management and policy application requiring, hence the need for educational courses for workers and a regulations update