Adverse impact of insecticides on the health of Palestinian farm workers in the Gaza Strip: a hematologic biomarker study.

To evaluate the health impact of insecticides on Palestinian farm workers in the Gaza Strip, the study assessed biomarkers in farm workers who used organophosphorus insecticides. Serum cholinesterase and complete blood count were determined before and after spraying of organophosphorus insecticides. Burning sensations in eyes/face (62.5%), itching/skin irritation (37.5%), and chest symptoms (29.2%) were reported. Serum butyrylcholinesterase (SBuChE) was significantly decreased at the end of the work day. Burning sensations in eyes/face and skin rash were significantly associated with inhibition of SBuChE activity (p < 0.05). Younger workers were more affected. Leukocyte and platelet counts were increased and hemoglobin decreased significantly, reflecting acute poisoning. Monitoring of SBuChE and hematologic parameters of farm workers could be useful to predict and prevent health hazards of pesticides.

[1]  J. Safi.  Association between chronic exposure to pesticides and recorded cases of human malignancy in Gaza Governorates (1990-1999). , 2002, The Science of the total environment.

[2]  T. Partanen,et al.  Assessment of the ability of health care providers to treat and prevent adverse health effects of pesticides in agricultural areas of Tanzania. , 2001, International journal of occupational medicine and environmental health.

[3]  L G Sultatos,et al.  Common mechanism of toxicity: a case study of organophosphorus pesticides. , 1998, Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology.

[4]  A Spurgeon,et al.  The problems associated with pesticide use by irrigation workers in Ghana. , 1997, Occupational medicine.

[5]  Antonio F. Hernández,et al.  Clinical and biochemical changes in greenhouse sprayers chronically exposed to pesticides , 1996, Human & experimental toxicology.

[6]  H. Checkoway,et al.  Symptoms and cholinesterase activity among rural residents living near cotton fields in Nicaragua. , 1996, Occupational and environmental medicine.

[7]  F. Violante,et al.  Assessment of human exposure to pesticides in greenhouses and effectiveness of personal protective devices. , 1996, Arhiv za higijenu rada i toksikologiju.

[8]  S. Padilla.  Regulatory and research issues related to cholinesterase inhibition. , 1995, Toxicology.

[9]  D. Loomis,et al.  Pesticide exposures, cholinesterase depression, and symptoms among North Carolina migrant farmworkers. , 1994, American journal of public health.

[10]  M. López-Cervantes,et al.  Effect of exposure to organophosphate pesticides on serum cholinesterase levels. , 1993, Archives of environmental health.

[11]  Y. El-Nahhal,et al.  Mutagenic and carcinogenic pesticides used in the agricultural environment of Gaza Strip. , 1993, The Science of the total environment.

[12]  M. Allaby.  The Concise Oxford dictionary of zoology , 1994 .

[13]  L. Brown,et al.  Pesticide exposures and other agricultural risk factors for leukemia among men in Iowa and Minnesota. , 1990, Cancer research.

[14]  R. Jackson,et al.  Protecting agricultural applicators from over-exposure to cholinesterase-inhibiting pesticides: perspectives from the California programme. , 1989, The Journal of the Society of Occupational Medicine.

[15]  M. Lugumerski,et al.  [Butyrylcholinesterase activity in agricultural workers in seasons when pesticides are not used]. , 1989, Arhiv za higijenu rada i toksikologiju.

[16]  G. Forget.  Pesticides and the Third World. , 1979, Tropical doctor.

[17]  K. Courtney,et al.  A new and rapid colorimetric determination of acetylcholinesterase activity. , 1961, Biochemical pharmacology.