Agricultural Exposure Research Articles

The Association between Lifestyle, Occupational, and Reproductive Factors and Colorectal Cancer Risk

Objective:Association of lifestyle, reproductive and environmental factors has been investigated with increased risk of colorectal cancer in different studies. We explored evidence and investigated association between various risk factors and colorectal cancer.Methods:This case- control study was conducted 155 colorectal cancer patients and 150 hospital-controls. We obtained detailed lifestyle, occupational, reproductive information from both groups. Chi-Square test and Logistic regression model were used to evaluate the risk factors of colorectal cancer.Results:The results showed that frequent intake of fruits, chicken, fish and alcohol drinking were associated with risk for colorectal cancer. Agricultural occupation (OR=7.003, 95% CI=2.19-22.38) and industrial exposure (OR=1.97, 95% CI=0.91-4.22) were associated significantly with risk for colorectal cancer. Regarding reproductive factors, women who reported less than 3 pregnancies was associated with an increased risk of colorectal carcinoma (OR=2.88, 95% CI=1.15-7.17). We did not find significant association between other reproductive factors and colorectal cancer risk in women after adjusting for demographic factors.Conclusion:In this case-control study we observed that agricultural occupation, industrial exposure and high consumption of fish and less than 3 pregnancies in women were associated with an increased risk of colorectal carcinoma.

The Ecological Situation in Regions of Russia in 2016: the Rating Evaluation Method

The article is devoted to the peculiarities of the human impact complex index construction to assess the environmental situation in the regions of Russia to build ecological rating of regions. There was founded the system of indicators of human impact for environmental monitoring. This index accurately reflects how the structure of human impact (on the air basin, water, land, forests, agricultural and radiation exposure) at the 2016. Ecological rating of the region based on integrated index is an effective method of determining the priorities of environmental policy.

Biogeochemical characterization of municipal compost to support urban agriculture and limit childhood lead exposure from resuspended urban soils

Chronic low-level lead exposure among low-income minority children is an urgent environmental justice issue. Addressing this ubiquitous urban public health crisis requires a new transdisciplinary paradigm. The primary goals of this work are to inform best practices for urban gardeners working in lead contaminated soils and to reimagine urban organic waste management schemes to produce compost, which when covering or mixed with urban soil, could minimize lead exposure. We investigate bulk and bioaccessible lead from five types of compost used in urban gardens in Boston, MA. We categorized them by feedstock and measured bulk elemental concentrations and physical characteristics. Our results show that different feedstocks exhibit unique geochemical fingerprints. While bulk lead concentrations in compost are a fraction of what is typical for urban soils, the bioaccessible lead fraction in compost is greater than the default parameters for the Integrated Exposure Uptake Biokinetic (IEUBK) model. The lack of geochemical differences across feedstocks for lead sorption to carbon indicates a similar sorption mechanism for all compost. This suggests that municipal compost would be suitable for capping lead contaminated urban soils. Risk assessment models should consider lead bioaccessibility, to prevent the underprediction of exposure risk, and should include compost along with soils as urban matrices. Based on the observed bioaccessibility in our compost samples, 170 mg/kg total lead in compost will yield the same bioaccessible lead as the IEUBK model predicts for the 400 mg/kg EPA soil lead benchmark. Local logistical challenges remain for interdisciplinary teams of city planners, exposure scientists, and urban agricultural communities to design organic waste collection practices to produce compost that will support urban agriculture and primary lead exposure prevention.

Attending to Researcher Positionality in Geographic Fieldwork on Health in Latin America: Lessons from La Costa Ecuatoriana

Attending to Researcher Positionality in Geographic Fieldwork on Health in Latin America: Lessons from La Costa Ecuatoriana Ben W. Brisbois and Patricia Polo Almeida Introduction Geographers have comprehensively argued that the process of generating knowledge through fieldwork is inevitably affected by the social location of the researcher in question: his or her gender, age, ability, discipline, profession, class, race, and national identity (Faria and Mollett 2016; Hunter 2009; Jackson and Neely 2015; Sundberg 2005). As Sundberg (2003) demonstrates using the example of her fieldwork in Guatemala, scholarship that ignores its own situated nature perpetuates “masculinist” epistemologies that obscure imperialist power relations allowing the generation of knowledge about Latin America. In this commentary we draw on our experiences carrying out fieldwork in Ecuador’s coastal region (la Costa) to extend such arguments to the context of geographic research on health in Latin America. Such an extension is timely for multiple reasons. As health geography attempts to engage with the field of global health (Herrick 2016), geographers will be increasingly drawn into global health projects in Latin America. Geographers in global health projects will likely experience the field’s sense of urgency to forego inconvenient critical reflection and simply ‘do something’ about pressing global health issues (cf. Pigg 2013). This dismissal of critical scholarship is consistent with imaginative geographies of global health – a field defined and largely controlled by the global North – that elide histories of colonialism and present Latin America and other global South regions as inexplicably or constitutionally disadvantaged (Brisbois 2014; Sparke 2009). Furthermore, in addition to such North-South concerns, geographical fieldwork on health in rural Latin America frequently involves researchers and theories originating in Latin American metropolitan centres, suggesting a need to examine how those researchers and theories are themselves situated. Indeed, analyses of Eurocentric and North American footprints in Latin American scholarship, and of the relationships between knowledge production and regional inequities, make such reflexivity particularly pressing (Castro-Gómez 2003; De la Cadena 2007; Lander 2000; Porto-Gonçalves 2006). We are two early-career researchers – one Ecuadorian, one Canadian – who have carried out qualitative fieldwork on health implications of banana production in Ecuador. We have in common critical geographic approaches and a desire for engaged scholarship. [End Page 194] We begin by describing our fieldwork experiences, using first-person voice to characterize our respective social locations, which we interpret as including our different institutional and theoretical homes. We then discuss these experiences in light of scholarship on imaginative geographies and their relationship to political economic inequities, and reflect on implications for geographical fieldwork on health in Latin America. Fieldwork experiences El Oro: A gringo “doctor” in the banana capital of the world My (Ben Brisbois) doctoral research examined narratives of pesticide risk among banana farmers and workers in the coastal Ecuadorian province of El Oro, whose capital Machala is the self-described ‘banana capital of the world’ (Brisbois 2016). I worked within a global health research program at a Canadian university, using social scientific theories – especially human geographic work on scale and political ecology – to challenge global health’s apolitical, biomedical framing of problems such as agricultural pesticide exposure (cf. Brisbois 2014). I employed an ethnographic approach to investigate how Orenses (residents of El Oro) understand the causes and health effects of pesticide exposure in banana production. I was especially interested in their preferred solutions to this challenge, and harboured ambitions of engaged scholarship. I am white, male, university-educated, and Canadian (a gringo, in Ecuador). In the field, these factors affected my reception and therefore the data I collected. Responding to my home in a school of public health, for example, both a physician and a high school teacher in the provincial capital of Machala facilitated my access to rural communities where they thought I should “educate” banana farm workers in pesticide safety and nutrition. When speaking with the farm workers in question, I was mistakenly identified as a physician – I am not – and was subsequently asked to help provide healthcare to the community. Both my sampling strategy and responses to my interview questions were therefore conditioned by my perceived profession. In addition, my presence in El Oro evoked geographic imaginaries involving the global...

Comparative Estimation of Exposure Level and Health Risk Assessment of Highly Produced Pesticides to Agriculture Operators by Using Default Dermal Absorption Rate or Actual Measurement Values

Pesticides are widely used to prevent loss of agricultural production but extensive exposure can induce health problems to pesticide operators. This study was performed to evaluate the health risk of highly produced pesticides used in fruit growing farm land by comparison of estimated exposure level with AOEL using KO-POEM program. AOEL was driven based on NOAEL of each pesticide evaluated by JMPR, EFSA or KRDA. In calculation of exposure level, types of formulation, dilution factors, spraying duration and motor type and exposure protection device were allocated according to actual condition of use. Dermal absorption rate was differently applied among EFSA default values (25% or 75%), general default value (10%) or real test result values to know the plausibility of default values and safety of pesticide to operators in outline. Twenty pesticide ingredients (fungicides and insecticides) were produced more than 30 tons per year, which were mancozeb, chlorothalonil, imidaclopirid and etc in order. Dermal absorption rates obtained from studies were various from 0.07 to 81% but mostly under 10%. The estimated exposure levels showed big differences more than 10 times higher when using EFSA default rate and up to 5 times higher when using general rate of 10% comparing using rates of test results. Mancozeb, chlorthalonil, diazinon and chlorpyrifos presented still higher exposure level than AOEL even when using test absorption rate from study, which suggests that re-evaluation of AOEL or dermal exposure absorption rate or strict management are required for health protection of operators who use those four pesticides in farm land.

Agricultural exposure and risk of bladder cancer in the AGRIculture and CANcer cohort.

Literature on agricultural activities and bladder cancer risk is scarce. However, farmers can be subjected to carcinogenic exposure (e.g. arsenic, previously used as a pesticide in France). This study aimed at assessing the role of a large range of agricultural activities and tasks on bladder cancer risk. The study population was the AGRIculture and CANcer cohort, a large prospective cohort of individuals affiliated to the agricultural health insurance scheme (MSA) in France. Incident bladder cancers were identified by cancer registries from enrolment (2005-2007) to 2009. Data on agricultural exposure during professional lifetime (5 animals, 13 crops, specific tasks) were obtained from the enrolment questionnaire. Associations between bladder cancer and agricultural exposure were analysed using a Cox model, adjusted for gender and smoking history. Among the 148,051 farm owners and workers included in this analysis, 179 incident bladder cancers were identified. We observed an elevated risk among field-grown vegetable workers [HR 1.89, 95% CI (1.20-2.99)], with an exposure-response relationship with duration of work [≥30years: HR 2.54, 95% CI (1.11-5.83), p-trend=0.02], and higher risk among women [HR 3.82, 95% CI (1.58-9.25), p-interaction=0.05]. Non-significantly increased risks were also observed in greenhouse farmers (HR=1.95), pea sowing (HR=1.84), rape sowing (HR=1.64); several tasks involving pesticide use, especially seed treatment (HR=1.24); and in activities and tasks potentially exposing to arsenic compounds via pesticide use (HR=1.49) or re-entry tasks (HR=1.63). Our analyses raise the question of a possible link between agricultural activity, especially field-grown vegetables, and greenhouse cultivation and bladder cancer.

New tools for pesticide risk assessment through biological monitoring and exposure modelling in diverse agricultural exposure scenarios

Despite of increasing the food production by application of pesticides, the wide use of them can lead to environmental pollution and their residues in food. Due to the increasing application of pesticides, reliable and accurate analytical methods are necessary to analyze different occupational and environmental samples like air, water, soil, as well as also food containing these compounds. There are some traditional techniques to determine the pesticides such as liquid chromatography and gas chromatography with electron capture detection. The mentioned techniques are very expensive and a well-equipped laboratory and well-trained analysis operators are required. A sample pre-treatment step is needed to determine the analytes at ppb levels. Therefore, in the last few years many sensitive, selective, and accurate methods have been developed to determine the trace toxic species like pesticides. Electrochemical sensors are the appropriate and interested devices to monitor the trace and even ultra-trace pesticides. Molecular imprinted polymers (MIPs) can be used as recognition elements or modifying agents in sensors structure to increase their selectivity and improve their response. Recently, modified electrode by different modifying agents like MIPs and various nano structures are being used for quantification of analytes because of their interesting advantages. Modified electrodes may be used in combination with different electrochemical techniques. The aim of this study was to synthesize a molecularly imprinted polymer for dicloran for first time and then to apply it as a recognition element in the nano-composite carbon paste electrode for selective and sensitive electrochemical determining the dicloran pesticide in environmental and biological samples.Multi-walls carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) were used as the modifiers in senor composition. A dicloran selective MIP and a non-imprinted polymer (NIP) were synthesized and applied in the carbon paste electrode. To prepare the bare carbon paste electrode (CP), graphite, MWCNT and paraffin oil were mixed. The MIP-CP and NIP-CP were prepared by mixing different percentages of graphite, MWCNT, paraffin oil, and MIP or NIP. This mixture was homogenized and final paste was packed into the end of an electrode body. After the optimization of electrode composition, it was used to extract the analyte in the sample and then was inserted in the electrochemical cell to determine the concentration of extracted analyte. Some parameters affecting the sensor response were optimized in the extraction and analysis steps, such as sample pH, electrolyte concentration and pH, stirring rate of analyte solution, as well as the instrumental parameters of square wave voltammetry (square wave amplitude and frequency, deposition potential and its exertion time, and electrolyte concentration).The MIP-CP electrode showed very high recognition ability in comparison to NIP-CP. The CP containing 22% MIP and 3% MWCNTs had the highest efficiency to adsorb the analyte and it was selected for later experiments. The electrode with MIP was very selective for dicloran, so that, other pesticides indicated no significant impact on its responses. Findings demonstrated the ability of MIP-CP electrode to interact strongly with the target compound due to specific cavities for molecules of interest in the MIP structure. The optimum conditions to extract the analyte on the electrode surface included the extraction pH of 6, the solution stirring rate of 700 rpm, and the extraction time of 20 min. In addition, the optimum analysis conditions were obtained as follow: the square wave amplitude 0.15 V, frequency 150 Hz, deposition potential of -0.5 V, its exertion time of 15s, analysis pH of 8, and electrolyte (KCl) concentration of 0.04 mol L-1. After optimization of all effective parameters on electrochemical determination of dicloran, the difference between responses of prepared MIP and NIP was studied. There was significant difference (P< 0.05) between these polymers to adsorb dicloran molecules, proving the formation of selective adsorption sites in the MIP structure. Figure 1 indicates the square wave voltammograms related to determination of defined concentration of dicloran by MIP-CP, NIP-CP, and bare CP. Finally in method validation, the obtained linear range in calibration curve was 1×10-6 to 1×10-9 molL-1 (R2: 0.987), The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 4.8×10-10 and 9.4×10-10 mol L-1, respectively.In this work, a high selective square wave voltammetric sensor for the rapid detection of trace amounts of dicloran in environmental and biological samples has been designed and applied. The modification of electrode can considerably enhance the selective response of electrode to determine the analyte of interest. The designed sensor was successfully used for determination of dicloran in different real samples (tap water, river water, and urine) with no special sample preparation procedure. The ability of MIP-CP electrode to interact strongly with the target compound due to specific cavities lead to high selectivity.

Remote Sensing of Pesticide Drift: a Tool for Estimating and Reducing Pesticide Exposure in Agriculture

Introduction Pesticides are important to ensure food security around the world. Unfortunately, acute and chronic exposures to pesticides may result in adverse health effects. Inhalation of airborne...

β2-Adrenergic agonists attenuate organic dust-induced lung inflammation.

Agricultural dust exposure results in significant lung inflammation, and individuals working in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) are at risk for chronic airway inflammatory diseases. Exposure of bronchial epithelial cells to aqueous extracts of hog CAFO dusts (HDE) leads to inflammatory cytokine production that is driven by protein kinase C (PKC) activation. cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA)-activating agents can inhibit PKC activation in epithelial cells, leading to reduced inflammatory cytokine production following HDE exposure. β2-Adrenergic receptor agonists (β2-agonists) activate PKA, and we hypothesized that β2-agonists would beneficially impact HDE-induced adverse airway inflammatory consequences. Bronchial epithelial cells were cultured with the short-acting β2-agonist salbutamol or the long-acting β2-agonist salmeterol prior to stimulation with HDE. β2-Agonist treatment significantly increased PKA activation and significantly decreased HDE-stimulated IL-6 and IL-8 production in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Salbutamol treatment significantly reduced HDE-induced intracellular adhesion molecule-1 expression and neutrophil adhesion to epithelial cells. Using an established intranasal inhalation exposure model, we found that salbutamol pretreatment reduced airway neutrophil influx and IL-6, TNF-α, CXCL1, and CXCL2 release in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid following a one-time exposure to HDE. Likewise, when mice were pretreated daily with salbutamol prior to HDE exposure for 3 wk, HDE-induced neutrophil influx and inflammatory mediator production were also reduced. The severity of HDE-induced lung pathology in mice repetitively exposed to HDE for 3 wk was also decreased with daily salbutamol pretreatment. Together, these results support the need for future clinical investigations to evaluate the utility of β2-agonist therapies in the treatment of airway inflammation associated with CAFO dust exposure.

Pesticide exposures and the risk of multiple myeloma in men: An analysis of the North American Pooled Project.

Multiple myeloma (MM) has been consistently linked with agricultural activities, including farming and pesticide exposures. Three case-control studies in the United States and Canada were pooled to create the North American Pooled Project (NAPP) to investigate associations between pesticide use and haematological cancer risk. This analysis used data from 547 MM cases and 2700 controls. Pesticide use was evaluated as follows: ever/never use; duration of use (years); and cumulative lifetime-days (LD) (days/year handled × years of use). Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using logistic regression adjusted for age, province/state of residence, use of proxy respondents and selected medical conditions. Increased MM risk was observed for ever use of carbaryl (OR = 2.02, 95% CI = 1.28-3.21), captan (OR = 1.98, 95% CI = 1.04-3.77) and DDT (OR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.05-1.97). Using the Canadian subset of NAPP data, we observed a more than threefold increase in MM risk (OR = 3.18, 95% CI = 1.40-7.23) for ≤10 cumulative LD of carbaryl use. The association was attenuated but remained significant for >10 LD of carbaryl use (OR = 2.44; 95% CI = 1.05-5.64; ptrend = 0.01). For captan, ≤17.5 LD of exposure was also associated with a more than threefold increase in risk (OR = 3.52, 95% CI = 1.32-9.34), but this association was attenuated in the highest exposure category of >17.5 LD (OR = 2.29, 95% CI = 0.81-6.43; ptrend = 0.01). An increasing trend (ptrend = 0.04) was observed for LD of DDT use (LD > 22; OR = 1.92, 95% CI = 0.95-3.88). In this large North American study of MM and pesticide use, we observed significant increases in MM risk for use of carbaryl, captan and DDT.

Agricultural crop exposure and risk of childhood cancer: new findings from a case-control study in Spain.

BackgroundChildhood cancer is the main cause of disease-related death in children in Spain. Although little is known about the etiology, environmental factors are potential explanations for a fraction of the cases. Previous studies have shown pesticides to be associated with childhood cancer. The difficulty of collecting personal environmental exposure data is an important limitation; this lack of information about pesticides motivates the development of new methods to subrogate this exposure. We developed a crop exposure index based on geographic information to study the relationship between exposure to different types of crops and risk of childhood tumors.MethodsWe conducted a population-based case–control study of childhood cancer covering 3350 cases and 20,365 controls in two Spanish regions. We used CORINE Land Cover to obtain data about agricultural land use. We created a 1 km buffer around every child and calculated the percentage of crop surface within the buffer (Global Crop Index) for total crops and for individual types of crops. We fitted mixed multiple unconditional logistic regression models by diagnostic group.ResultsWe found excess of risk among children living in the proximity of crops. For total crops our results showed excesses of risk for almost all diagnostic groups and increasing risk with increasing crop index value. Analyses by region and individual type of crop also showed excess of risk.ConclusionThe results suggest that living in the proximity of cultivated land could be a risk factor for several types of cancer in children.

A system’s approach to assess the exposure of agricultural production to climate change and variability

Estimating the exposure of agriculture to climate variability and change can help us understand key vulnerabilities and improve adaptive capacity, which is vital to secure and increase world food production to feed its growing population. A number of indices to estimate exposure are available in literature. However, testing or validating them is difficult and reveals a considerable variability, and no systematic methodology has been developed to guide users in selecting indices for particular applications. This need is addressed in this paper by developing a flowchart from a conceptual model that uses a system’s approach. Also, we compare five approaches to estimate exposure indices (EIs) to study the exposure of agriculture to climate variability and change: single stressor-mean climate, single stressor-extreme climate, multiple stressor-mean climate, multiple stressor-extreme climate; and combinations of the above approaches. The developed flowchart requires gathering information on the region of study, including its agriculture, stressor(s), climate factor(s) (CF), period of interest and the method of aggregation. The flowchart was applied to a case study in Kansas to better understand the five approaches to estimate EIs and the implications of the choices made in each step on the estimated the exposure. The flowchart provides options that guide EI estimation by selecting the most appropriate stressor(s), associated CF(s), and aggregation methods when a detailed methodological analysis is possible, or proposes a default method when data or resources do not allow a detailed analysis. Climate adaptation involves integration of a multitude of factors across complex systems. A more standardized approach to assessing exposure can promote information sharing across different locations and systems as this rapidly evolving area of study moves forward.

Farmer's Lung Disease. A Review

Farmer's lung disease (FLD) is a form of hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) caused by inhaling microorganisms from hay or grain stored in conditions of high humidity in the agricultural workplace. It is probably underdiagnosed, especially in northern Spain, where climatic conditions favor the development of this disease.According to previous studies, the most common antigens are usually thermophilic actinomycetes and fungi. The epidemiology of the disease is not well known, and is based on studies conducted by Central European and Asian groups.The clinical presentation may vary, differentiating the chronic (exposure to lower concentrations of the antigen over a longer period time) and the acute forms (after exposure to high concentrations of the antigen). In patients with respiratory symptoms and agricultural occupational exposure, radiological, lung function and/or anatomical pathology findings must be compatible with FLD, bronchoalveolar lavage must show lymphocytosis, and tests must find sensitivity to the antigen.The main treatment is avoidance of the antigen, so it is essential to educate patients on preventive measures. To date, no controlled studies have assessed the role of immunosuppressive therapy in this disease. Corticosteroid treatment has only been shown to accelerate resolution of the acute forms, but there is no evidence that it is effective in preventing disease progression in the long-term or reducing mortality.

A principal factor analysis to characterize agricultural exposures among Nebraska veterans

Agricultural workers are at an increased risk of developing chronic respiratory disorders. Accurate estimation of long-term agricultural exposures based on questionnaires has been used to improve the validity of epidemiologic investigations and subsequent evaluation of the association between agricultural exposures and chronic diseases. Our aim was to use principal factor analysis (PFA) to distill exposure data into essential variables characterizing long-term agricultural exposures. This is a cross-sectional study of veterans between the ages of 40 and 80 years and who worked on a farm for ≥2 years. Participant characteristics were: 98.1% were white males with a mean age 65±8 (SD) years and 39.8% had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The final model included four factors and explained 16.6% of the variance in the exposure data. Factor 1 was a heterogeneous factor; however, Factor 2 was exclusively composed of exposure to livestock such as hogs, dairy and poultry. Factor 3 included exposures from jobs on or off the farm such as wood dust, mineral dust, asbestos and spray paint. Crop exposure loaded exclusively in Factor 4 and included lifetime hours of exposure and maximum number of acres farmed in the participants’ lifetime. The factors in the final model were interpretable and consistent with farming practices.

Wind turbines and idiopathic symptoms: The confounding effect of concurrent environmental exposures

Whether or not wind turbines pose a risk to human health is a matter of heated debate. Personal reactions to other environmental exposures occurring in the same settings as wind turbines may be responsible of the reported symptoms. However, these have not been accounted for in previous studies. We investigated whether there is an association between residential proximity to wind turbines and idiopathic symptoms, after controlling for personal reactions to other environmental co-exposures. We assessed wind turbine exposures in 454 residences as the distance to the closest wind turbine (Dw) and number of wind turbines <1000m (Nw1000). Information on symptoms, demographics and personal reactions to exposures was obtained by a blind questionnaire. We identified confounders using confounders' selection criteria and used adjusted logistic regression models to estimate associations. When controlling only for socio-demographic characteristics, log10Dw was associated with “unnatural fatigue” (ORadj=0.38, 95%CI=0.15–1.00) and “difficulty concentrating” (ORadj=0.26, 95%CI=0.08–0.83) and Nw1000 was associated with “unnatural fatigue” (ORadj=1.35, 95%CI=1.07–1.70) and “headache” (ORadj=1.26, 95%CI=1.00–1.58). After controlling for personal reactions to noise from sources different from wind turbines and agricultural odor exposure, we did not observe a significant relationship between residential proximity to wind turbines and symptoms and the parameter estimates were attenuated toward zero. Wind turbines-health associations can be confounded by personal reactions to other environmental co-exposures. Isolated associations reported in the literature may be due to confounding bias.

Maternal residential exposure to agricultural pesticides and birth defects in a 2003 to 2005 North Carolina birth cohort.

Birth defects are responsible for a large proportion of disability and infant mortality. Exposure to a variety of pesticides have been linked to increased risk of birth defects. We conducted a case-control study to estimate the associations between a residence-based metric of agricultural pesticide exposure and birth defects. We linked singleton live birth records for 2003 to 2005 from the North Carolina (NC) State Center for Health Statistics to data from the NC Birth Defects Monitoring Program. Included women had residence at delivery inside NC and infants with gestational ages from 20 to 44 weeks (n = 304,906). Pesticide exposure was assigned using a previously constructed metric, estimating total chemical exposure (pounds of active ingredient) based on crops within 500 meters of maternal residence, specific dates of pregnancy, and chemical application dates based on the planting/harvesting dates of each crop. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals for four categories of exposure (<10(th) , 10-50(th) , 50-90(th) , and >90(th) percentiles) compared with unexposed. Models were adjusted for maternal race, age at delivery, education, marital status, and smoking status. We observed elevated ORs for congenital heart defects and certain structural defects affecting the gastrointestinal, genitourinary and musculoskeletal systems (e.g., OR [95% confidence interval] [highest exposure vs. unexposed] for tracheal esophageal fistula/esophageal atresia = 1.98 [0.69, 5.66], and OR for atrial septal defects: 1.70 [1.34, 2.14]). Our results provide some evidence of associations between residential exposure to agricultural pesticides and several birth defects phenotypes. Birth Defects Research (Part A) 106:240-249, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Observed and self-reported pesticide protective behaviors of Latino migrant and seasonal farmworkers

Agricultural pesticide exposure has potential adverse health effects for farmworkers that may be reduced by pesticide protective behaviors (PPBs). The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Worker Protection Standard (WPS) requires PPBs be taught to farmworkers prior to field work. Studies to date have not utilized observational methods to evaluate the degree to which PPBs are practiced by Latino migrant and seasonal farmworkers in the United States. The purpose of this study was to describe, compare, and contrast observed and self-reported PPBs used by Latino farmworkers; both PPBs that the WPS requires be taught and other PPBs were included. Observed and self-reported data were collected from 71 Latino farmworkers during the 2014 tobacco growing season in North Carolina. Participants were consistent in reporting and using long pants and closed shoes in the field most of the time. In addition, gloves, hats/bandanas, and water-resistant outerwear were frequently observed, although they are not required to be taught by the WPS. Farmworkers reported more long-sleeve (p=.028) and glove use (p=.000) than what was observed. It was uncommon to observe washing behavior before eating or drinking, even when washing supplies were available. Washing behaviors were significantly overreported for hand (p=.000; p=.000) and face (p=.000; p=.058) washing before eating and drinking in the field. This study documents that protective clothing behaviors that the WPS requires be taught, plus a few others are commonly practiced by Latino migrant and seasonal farmworkers, but washing behaviors in the field are not. Targeted strategies to improve washing behaviors in the field are needed.

Revisión de la enfermedad del pulmón de granjero

Farmer's lung disease (FLD) is a form of hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) caused by inhaling microorganisms from hay or grain stored in conditions of high humidity in the agricultural workplace. It is probably underdiagnosed, especially in northern Spain, where climatic conditions favor the development of this disease.According to previous studies, the most common antigens are usually thermophilic actinomycetes and fungi. The epidemiology of the disease is not well known, and is based on studies conducted by Central European and Asian groups.The clinical presentation may vary, differentiating the chronic (exposure to lower concentrations of the antigen over a longer period time) and the acute forms (after exposure to high concentrations of the antigen). In patients with respiratory symptoms and agricultural occupational exposure, radiological, lung function and/or anatomical pathology findings must be compatible with FLD, bronchoalveolar lavage must show lymphocytosis, and tests must find sensitivity to the antigen.The main treatment is avoidance of the antigen, so it is essential to educate patients on preventive measures. To date, no controlled studies have assessed the role of immunosuppressive therapy in this disease. Corticosteroid treatment has only been shown to accelerate resolution of the acute forms, but there is no evidence that it is effective in preventing disease progression in the long-term or reducing mortality.

Prostate cancer risk among French farmers in the AGRICAN cohort.

Prostate cancer is one of the most frequent cancers among men worldwide. Its etiology is largely unknown, but an increased risk has been repeatedly observed among farmers. Our aim was to identify occupational risk factors for prostate cancer among farmers in the prospective cohort study AGRICAN. Data on lifetime agricultural exposures (type of crops, livestock and tasks including pesticide use, re-entry and harvesting) were collected from the enrolment questionnaire. During the period from enrolment (2005-2007) to 31 December 2009, 1672 incident prostate cancers were identified. Hazard ratios (HR) were estimated using Cox regression analysis. We found an increased risk for cattle breeders using insecticides [HR 1.20, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.01-1.42] with a significant dose-response relationship with number of cattle treated (P for trend 0.01). A dose-response relationship was also observed with the number of hogs (P for trend 0.06). We found an excess of prostate cancer risk among people involved in grassland activities, mainly in haymaking (HR 1.18, 95% CI 1.02-1.36). Pesticide use and harvesting among fruit growers were associated with an elevated prostate cancer risk, with a two-fold increased risk for the largest area. For potato and tobacco producers, an elevated prostate cancer risk was observed for almost all tasks, suggesting a link with pesticide exposure since all of them potentially involved pesticide exposure. Our analysis suggests that the risk of prostate cancer is increased in several farming activities (cattle and hog breeding, grassland and fruit-growing) and for some tasks including pesticide use.

Residential agricultural pesticide exposures and risks of selected birth defects among offspring in the San Joaquin Valley of California.

We examined associations of birth defects with residential proximity to commercial agricultural pesticide applications in California. Subjects included 367 cases representing five types of birth defects and 785 nonmalformed controls born 1997 to 2006. Associations with any versus no exposure to physicochemical groups of pesticides and specific chemicals were assessed using logistic regression adjusted for covariates. Overall, 46% of cases and 38% of controls were classified as exposed to pesticides within a 500 m radius of mother's address during a 3-month periconceptional window. We estimated odds ratios (ORs) for 85 groups and 95 chemicals with five or more exposed cases and control mothers. Ninety-five percent confidence intervals (CI) excluded 1.0 for 11 ORs for groups and 22 ORs for chemicals, ranging from 1.9 to 3.1 for groups and 1.8 to 4.9 for chemicals except for two that were <1 (noted below). For groups, these ORs were for anotia/microtia (n = 95 cases) and dichlorophenoxy acids/esters and neonicotinoids; anorectal atresia/stenosis (n = 77) and alcohol/ethers and organophosphates (these ORs were < 1.0); transverse limb deficiencies (n = 59) and dichlorophenoxy acids/esters, petroleum derivatives, and triazines; and craniosynostosis (n = 79) and alcohol/ethers, avermectins, neonicotinoids, and organophosphates. For chemicals, ORs were: anotia/microtia and five pesticides from the groups dichlorophenoxy acids/esters, copper-containing compounds, neonicotinoids, organophosphates, and triazines; transverse limb deficiency and six pesticides - oxyfluorfen and pesticides from the groups copper-containing compounds, 2,6-dinitroanilines, neonicotinoids, petroleum derivatives and polyalkyloxy compounds; craniosynostosis and 10 pesticides - oxyfluorfen and pesticides from the groups alcohol/ethers, avermectins, n-methyl-carbamates, neonicotinoids, ogranophosphates (two chemicals), polyalkyloxy compounds (two chemicals), and pyrethroids; and congenital diaphragmatic hernia (n = 62) and a copper-containing compound.