Organophosphate Pesticide Exposure in Humans – Is Prevention Possible?

Abstract

In the current context of economic development and population expansion the use of some form of pest control is essential for the maintenance of a high agricultural productivity, of a strict control over the potential vectors of disease and of efficient methods of intervention with least impact on the health of the humans and the environment. However, the current reality shows an alarming number of adverse events in connection with pesticide usage, some of them implicating humans, other affecting other living creatures and the ecosystem. Many of the adverse events are reported in rural situations and in developing countries, raising the question of information dissemination and education about the effects of pesticides on human health and also of the existence and implementation of safety methods and techniques. Also, at the local level, we can raise the issue of educating the public about the methods and behaviors that can reduce contact with environmental pollutants, promote health in the context of pesticide exposure and mitigate health effects of intoxication. The context of organophosphate pesticides use is a complex one, covering agricultural applications, pest management and medical uses, and the possibility of intervention in the direction of reduction and prevention of adverse health effects appears at every level of implementation and management of pesticide usage.