Prevention and management of human toxicosis resulting from pesticide use — a survey

Abstract

Pesticides are needed to maximize food production and control insect vectors. Pesticides, however, present inherent hazards to man from food and environmental contamination. The organochlorines pose serious tissue and ecological accumulation problems. The organophosphates and carbamates are less persistent in nature but provoke acute episodes of human toxicity. Adequate symptomatic and antidotal therapy should be provided for accidental pesticide intoxication. Adequate precautionary measures and wide dissemination of information about pesticides toxicity would limit human occupational and dietary exposures.