Abstract
BackgroundThere is increasing evidence that reproductive abnormalities are increasing in frequency in both human population and among wild fauna. This increase is probably related to exposure to toxic contaminants in the environment. The use of sentinel species to raise alarms relating to human reproductive health has been strongly recommended. However, no simultaneous studies at the same site have been carried out in recent decades to evaluate the utility of wild animals for monitoring human reproductive disorders. We carried out a joint study in Guadeloupe assessing the reproductive function of workers exposed to pesticides in banana plantations and of male wild rats living in these plantations.MethodsA cross-sectional study was performed to assess semen quality and reproductive hormones in banana workers and in men working in non-agricultural sectors. These reproductive parameters were also assessed in wild rats captured in the plantations and were compared with those in rats from areas not directly polluted by humans.ResultsNo significant difference in sperm characteristics and/or hormones was found between workers exposed and not exposed to pesticide. By contrast, rats captured in the banana plantations had lower testosterone levels and gonadosomatic indices than control rats.ConclusionWild rats seem to be more sensitive than humans to the effects of pesticide exposure on reproductive health. We conclude that the concept of sentinel species must be carefully validated as the actual nature of exposure may varies between human and wild species as well as the vulnerable time period of exposure and various ecological factors.
Highlights
There is increasing evidence that reproductive abnormalities are increasing in frequency in both human population and among wild fauna
We studied male employees working in banana plantations and male rats living in the banana fields
Fortytwo were employed as banana plantation workers and regularly used pesticides as part of their job
Summary
There is increasing evidence that reproductive abnormalities are increasing in frequency in both human population and among wild fauna This increase is probably related to exposure to toxic contaminants in the environment. Increases in the frequency of several modifications to male reproductive function have been reported in humans [1,2,3,4] These include an apparent decline in semen quality and an increase in the incidence of both testicular cancer and congenital abnormalities, such as cryptorchidism and hypospadia. The short time period over which they have occurred suggests a role for environmental rather than genetic factors In recent decades, both animals and humans have been subjected to considerable changes in physical, chemical and biological aspects of the environment. The similarities and differences in reproductive abnormalities observed in humans and wildlife have stimulated fruitful interactions between toxicologists, epidemiologists, clinicians, ecotoxicologists and zoologists [4,9]
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