Studies in farmers suggest a possible role of pesticides in the occurrence of Central Nervous System (CNS) tumors but scientific evidence is still insufficient. Using data from the French prospective ...agricultural cohort AGRICAN (Agriculture & Cancer), we investigated the associations between exposure of farmers and pesticide users to various kinds of crops and animal farming and the incidence of CNS tumors, overall and by subtypes. Over the 2005–2007, 181,842 participants completed the enrollment questionnaire that collected a complete job calendar with lifetime history of farming types. Associations were estimated using proportional hazards models with age as underlying timescale. During a 5.2 years average follow‐up, 273 incident cases of CNS tumors occurred, including 126 gliomas and 87 meningiomas. Analyses showed several increased risks of CNS tumors in farmers, especially in pesticide users (hazard ratio = 1.96; 95% confidence interval: 1.11–3.47). Associations varied with tumor subtypes and kinds of crop and animal farming. The main increases in risk were observed for meningiomas in pig farmers and in farmers growing sunflowers, beets and potatoes and for gliomas in farmers growing grasslands. In most cases, more pronounced risk excesses were observed among pesticide applicators. Even if we cannot completely rule out the contribution of other factors, pesticide exposures could be of primary concern to explain these findings.
What's new?
Pesticide exposure could up the risk of brain tumors, according to a new study out of France. Seeking an explanation for rising CNS tumor rates, these authors looked to agricultural practices. Using data from the AGRICAN study, they compared pesticide exposure and different kinds of crops and animal farming with incidence of CNS tumors. They found an increased risk of meningioma among pig farmers and those growing sunflowers, beets or potatoes; farmers growing grasses boosted their risk for gliomas. While other agricultural factors could play a role, pesticide applicators carried the strongest associations.
During the harvest period, tobacco workers are exposed to nicotine and it is known that absorption of the alkaloid via the leaves causes green tobacco sickness (GST). We investigated if GST and its ...symptoms are associated with DNA damage and alterations of the redox status. DNA damage was measured in lymphocytes of tobacco workers and controls (n = 40/group) in single cell gel electrophoresis assays. Exposure to nicotine was determined by plasma cotinine measurements, alterations of the redox status by quantification of the total antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). The symptoms of GTS included nausea, abdominal cramps, headache, vomiting and dizziness, and 50% of the workers had more than one symptom. Cotinine levels were enhanced in the workers (111 ng/mL); furthermore, the extent of DNA damage was ca. 3-fold higher than in the controls. This effect was more pronounced in participants with GST compared to healthy nicotine exposed workers and increased in individuals with specific symptoms (range 22–36%). TBARS levels did not differ between workers and unexposed controls, while TEAC values were even increased (by 14.3%). Contact with nicotine present in tobacco leaves causes GTS and leads to damage of the DNA; this effect is more pronounced in workers with GTS symptoms and is associated with alterations of the redox status. Damage of the genetic material which was found in the workers may lead to adverse long-term effects that are caused by genomic instability such as cancer and accelerated ageing.
•Genotoxicity in tobacco farmers exposed to nicotine.•Symptoms of green tobacco sickness and relation with DNA damage.•Nicotine in the tobacco leaves have induced alterations of redox status.
Dairy farming is associated with an excess of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The dairy industry has been changing for the past three decades with larger, more efficient farms and ...potentially less exposure to agents involved in COPD development. However, the impact of farm modernisation on COPD prevalence is unknown. We studied respiratory symptoms, respiratory function by spirometry and tobacco smoking in 575 male dairy farmers working either in traditional or in modern farms in the French Doubs region. COPD was defined by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) criterion (forced expiratory volume in 1 s/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) <0.70) and by the Quanjer reference equation (FEV1/FVC<lower limit of normal (LLN)). Modern farms were defined either as having a separation between the house and the cowshed (model 1) or as having a loose housing system for the animals (model 2). The prevalence of COPD in dairy farmers was 12.0±2.7% (GOLD), and 5.6±4.1% (LLN definition). By multivariate analysis using the LLN definition, tobacco smoking (OR (95% CI) 3.96 (1.53 to 10.3) and 3.42 (1.32 to 8.84) for models 1 and 2, respectively) and characteristics of traditional farms (1.97 (1.02 to 4.47) and 5.20 (1.73 to 15.64) for models 1 and 2, respectively) were associated with higher COPD prevalence. Working in a traditional farm plus current smoking had an additive effect on COPD prevalence in model 1 and a synergistic effect in model 2. These findings support a positive impact of farm modernity on COPD prevalence in dairy farmers. Occupational and smoking-related risk factors are of nearly the same magnitude.
Acute kidney injury (AKI) occurs at high rates among agricultural workers (12-33%) in tropical environments. Because of the remote locations affected, traditional laboratory services are often ...unavailable. In this study we compare point of care (POC) creatinine values to standardized laboratory values, and examine the effect of POC testing on the interpretation of AKI rates under tropical field conditions.
Blood samples were collected from 104 sugarcane workers from two time points in January 2018 as a derivation cohort, and from 105 workers from February to April 2017 as a validation cohort. Finger stick and venipuncture samples were drawn at the end of a worker's shift to measure creatinine. Laboratory samples were tested in Guatemala City, Guatemala, in duplicate using the Jaffe Generation 2 method. An adjustment factor to improve agreement with serum creatinine was statistically derived and validated, and then used to determine impact on observed rates of acute kidney injury based on across shift changes in creatinine.
POC creatinine and serum creatinine measures showed that POC consistently overestimated the creatinine by an average of 22% (95% CI: 19.8%, 24.7%) and the disagreement appeared greater at higher values of serum creatinine. An adjustment factor of 0.7775 was applied, which led to significantly greater agreement between the two measures. Rates of AKI in the two combined groups fell from 72% before adjustment to 57% afterwards.
POC testing under tropical field conditions routinely overestimates creatinine compared to laboratory testing, which leads to overestimation of rates of acute kidney injury. The application of an adjustment factor significantly improved the accuracy of the POC value.
Background
Lettuce‐associated respiratory allergy has never been reported before. The aim of this study was to clarify the clinical condition of lettuce‐associated respiratory allergy and to identify ...the lettuce antigen which induces allergic symptoms.
Methods
We distributed questionnaires to 1168 lettuce farmers and performed medical examinations in those who exhibited respiratory symptoms related to occupational exposure to lettuce. We analysed specific IgE‐binding proteins in the sera of patients through immunoblotting analysis and determined molecular characterization of the IgE‐binding bands using liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry.
Results
A total of 932 farmers (80%) responded to the questionnaire. Of those, 7% exhibited lettuce‐associated respiratory symptoms, during harvesting and packaging. Thirteen patients were diagnosed with allergy to lettuce and agreed to undergo further examinations. The percentage of activated basophils in these patients was significantly higher compared with that reported in negative controls (P < .05). Lettuce‐specific IgE (ImmunoCAP®) and skin prick testing was positive in 46% and 62% of patients, respectively. Notably, occupational lettuce‐allergic asthma was detected in one patient through specific bronchial provocation testing. The IgE‐binding bands recognized in the sera of >50% of patients were identified as epidermis‐specific secreted glycoprotein EP1‐like (51 kDa).
Conclusion
The present analysis identified a novel lettuce allergen. This allergen may have clinically useful applications, such as specific IgE testing and allergen‐specific immunotherapy.
Though evidence suggests that some pesticides may have thyroid-disrupting properties, prospective studies of associations between specific pesticides and incident thyroid disease are limited.
We ...evaluated associations between use of specific pesticides and incident hypothyroidism in private pesticide applicators in the Agricultural Health Study (AHS).
Self-reported incident hypothyroidism (Formula: see text cases) was studied in relation to ever-use and intensity-weighted cumulative days of pesticide use at study enrollment. We estimated adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) using Cox proportional hazards models applied to 35,150 male and female applicators followed over 20 y. All models were stratified by state and education to meet proportional hazards assumptions (Formula: see text for age x covariate interactions). Models of pesticides that did not meet proportional hazards assumptions were stratified by median attained age (62 y).
Hypothyroidism risk was significantly increased with ever- vs. never-use of four organochlorine insecticides (aldrin, heptachlor, and lindane among participants with attained age Formula: see text; chlordane in all participants), four organophosphate insecticides (coumaphos in those Formula: see text; diazinon, dichlorvos, and malathion in all participants) and three herbicides (dicamba, glyphosate, and 2,4-D in all participants). HRs ranged from 1.21; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.41 (chlordane) to 1.54; 95% CI: 1.23, 19.4 (lindane in those Formula: see text). Hypothyroidism risk was greatest among those with higher intensity-weighted lifetime days of using chlordane, lindane, coumaphos (over age 62), diazinon, permethrin, and 2,4-D.
Our findings support associations between exposure to several pesticides and increased hypothyroidism risk. These findings are generally consistent with prior analyses of prevalent hypothyroidism in the AHS. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP3194.
Pesticide exposure is a growing public health concern. Although Brazil is the world's largest consumer of pesticides, only a few studies have addressed the health effects among farmers. This study ...aimed to evaluate whether pesticide exposure is associated with respiratory outcomes among rural workers and relatives in Brazil during the crop and off-seasons. Family farmers (82) were interviewed about occupational history and respiratory symptoms, and cholinesterase tests were conducted in the crop-season. Spirometry was performed during the crop and off-season. Respiratory outcomes were compared between seasons and multiple regressions analysis were conducted to search for associations with exposure indicators. Participants were occupationally and environmentally exposed to multiple pesticides from an early age. During the crop and off-season, respectively, they presented a prevalence of 40% and 30.7% for cough, 30.7% and 24% for nasal allergies, and 24% and 17.3% for chest tightness. Significant associations between spirometry impairments and exposure indicators were found both during the crop and off-season. These findings provide complementary evidence about the association of pesticide exposure with adverse respiratory effects among family farmers in Brazil. This situation requires special attention as it may increase the risk of pulmonary dysfunctions, and the morbidity and mortality burden associated with these diseases.
This paper describes results from a systematic review and a series of meta-analyses of nearly three decades worth of epidemiologic research on the relationship between non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and ...occupational exposure to agricultural pesticide active ingredients and chemical groups. Estimates of associations of NHL with 21 pesticide chemical groups and 80 active ingredients were extracted from 44 papers, all of which reported results from analyses of studies conducted in high-income countries. Random effects meta-analyses showed that phenoxy herbicides, carbamate insecticides, organophosphorus insecticides and the active ingredient lindane, an organochlorine insecticide, were positively associated with NHL. In a handful of papers, associations between pesticides and NHL subtypes were reported; B cell lymphoma was positively associated with phenoxy herbicides and the organophosphorus herbicide glyphosate. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma was positively associated with phenoxy herbicide exposure. Despite compelling evidence that NHL is associated with certain chemicals, this review indicates the need for investigations of a larger variety of pesticides in more geographic areas, especially in low- and middle-income countries, which, despite producing a large portion of the world's agriculture, were missing in the literature that were reviewed.
This study aims to determine the degree of acetylcholinesterase inhibition and neurological symptoms for each of the psychiatric disorders diagnosed in the farm workers of a rural population in the ...state of Baja California, Mexico. We conducted a cross-sectional study on 140 agricultural workers (exposed participants). The study was run using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview Diagnostic Test (MINI), a pre-established questionnaire to diagnose the mental state of each agricultural worker. Analysis of enzymatic activity was carried out using the modified Ellman method. The results showed that, among agricultural workers with slightly inhibited enzymatic activity, 25% met the criteria for the diagnosis of major depression with suicidal attitudes, 23.9% with inhibited enzymatic activity showed generalized anxiety, 23.5% showed combined depression⁻anxiety, and 22% met the criteria for major depression and no psychiatric diagnosis disorder. These results suggest the need for the development of effective public-health strategies to inform farm workers about integrated pesticide management in order to prevent serious health complications.
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