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Antonangeli LM, Kenzhebekova S, Colosio C. Neurobehavioral Effects of Low-Dose Chronic Exposure to Insecticides: A Review. TOXICS 2023; 11:192. [PMID: 36851066 PMCID: PMC9963921 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11020192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The modes of action of insecticides frequently involve a neurotoxic effect; therefore, the study of neurotoxic effects caused by long-term and low-dose insecticide exposure is of particular interest. This study looks at whether or not new studies conducted after 2009 and up to 2021 have provided new evidence for a better understanding of the actual neurobehavioral risk associated with long-term insecticide exposure. We selected and reviewed studies carried out on the neurobehavioral effects of neurotoxic insecticides (organophosphates and/or carbamates, pyrethroids, multiple or undefined insecticides, and organochlorines) considering occupational and non-occupational exposures. The articles were also scored and ranked based on seven parameters. Eighty-six studies were chosen for a final review process from among the 950 scientific papers identified. Twenty-six addressed occupational exposure and six environmental exposure. Among the latter group of studies, 17 focused on rural residents, to be assumed exposed because of living in rural areas, and 43 on the general population. Pending doubts have not been resolved in the last ten years due to the presence of contradictory and hardly comparable results and the fact that in most of the studies showing an evident neurobehavioral impairment the frequent presence of a previous episode of poisoning and hospitalization, with severe brain hypoxia, impaired the possibility of confirming the presence of a causal association with insecticide exposure. Interestingly, the most severely exposed groups, such as applicators who did not wear personal protective equipment, performed worse on neurobehavioral tests. As for residential exposure, there is sufficient evidence to suggest that prenatal OP exposure may increase the risk of ADHD in children.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Saniya Kenzhebekova
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, International Centre for Rural Health of the Santi Paolo e Carlo ASST of Milan, 20142 Milano, Italy
| | - Claudio Colosio
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, International Centre for Rural Health of the Santi Paolo e Carlo ASST of Milan, 20142 Milano, Italy
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Jia Y, Zhang H, Hu W, Wang L, Kang Q, Liu J, Nakanishi T, Hiromori Y, Kimura T, Tao S, Hu J. Discovery of contaminants with antagonistic activity against retinoic acid receptor in house dust. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 426:127847. [PMID: 34836686 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Retinoic acid receptors (RARs) control reproduction and development in vertebrates, but little attention has been paid to anthropogenic chemicals exhibiting RAR agoniztic/antagonistic activity. Here we applied a His-RARα pull-down assay combined with high-resolution mass spectrometry to identify chemicals with RARα activity in house dust. After screening, a total of 540 peaks were retained as potential RARα ligands. The mass spectra of 14 chemicals matched with those in the database, of which triphenyl phosphate, galaxolidone, di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), tris(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (TEHP), and tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate were confirmed by their standards. While one chemical in the sample matched with monophenyl phosphate in the MS/MS database, its retention time was much higher than that of monophenyl phosphate standard, suggesting that it may be an in-source fragment. Its parent ion was finally identified to be m/z 399.2663 using a similarity analysis among chromatographic peaks of hundreds of ions at the same retention time in MS1 spectrum, and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phenyl phosphate (BEHPP) was identified. BEHPP, DEHP, and TEHP were for the first time identified to be RARα antagonists with IC50 values of 6556, 6600, and 2538 nM, respectively. This study improved structural annotation and filled the knowledge gap regarding widespread environmental contaminants with RAR antagonistic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingting Jia
- Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, China
| | - Hong Zhang
- Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, China
| | - Wenxin Hu
- Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, China
| | - Qiyue Kang
- Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, China
| | - Jiaying Liu
- Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, China
| | - Tsuyoshi Nakanishi
- Laboratory of Hygienic Chemistry and Molecular Toxicology, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, Japan
| | - Youhei Hiromori
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Suzuka University of Medical Science, Japan
| | - Tomoki Kimura
- Department of Life Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Setsunan University, Japan
| | - Shu Tao
- Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, China
| | - Jianying Hu
- Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, China.
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Fuhrimann S, Wan C, Blouzard E, Veludo A, Holtman Z, Chetty-Mhlanga S, Dalvie MA, Atuhaire A, Kromhout H, Röösli M, Rother HA. Pesticide Research on Environmental and Human Exposure and Risks in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Literature Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 19:259. [PMID: 35010520 PMCID: PMC8750985 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19010259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
On the African continent, ongoing agriculture intensification is accompanied by the increasing use of pesticides, associated with environmental and public health concerns. Using a systematic literature review, we aimed to map current geographical research hotspots and gaps around environmental and public health risks research of agriculture pesticides in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Studies were included that collected primary data on past and current-used agricultural pesticides and assessed their environmental occurrence, related knowledge, attitude and practice, human exposure, and environmental or public health risks between 2006 and 2021. We identified 391 articles covering 469 study sites in 37 countries in SSA. Five geographical research hotspots were identified: two in South Africa, two in East Africa, and one in West Africa. Despite its ban for agricultural use, organochlorine was the most studied pesticide group (60%; 86% of studies included DDT). Current-used pesticides in agriculture were studied in 54% of the study sites (including insecticides (92%), herbicides (44%), and fungicides (35%)). Environmental samples were collected in 67% of the studies (e.g., water, aquatic species, sediment, agricultural produce, and air). In 38% of the studies, human subjects were investigated. Only few studies had a longitudinal design or assessed pesticide's environmental risks; human biomarkers; dose-response in human subjects, including children and women; and interventions to reduce pesticide exposure. We established a research database that can help stakeholders to address research gaps, foster research collaboration between environmental and health dimensions, and work towards sustainable and safe agriculture systems in SSA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Fuhrimann
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), 4002 Basel, Switzerland; (A.V.); (S.C.-M.); (M.R.)
- Faculty of Science, University of Basel, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands; (E.B.); (H.K.)
| | - Chenjie Wan
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland;
| | - Elodie Blouzard
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands; (E.B.); (H.K.)
| | - Adriana Veludo
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), 4002 Basel, Switzerland; (A.V.); (S.C.-M.); (M.R.)
- Faculty of Science, University of Basel, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Zelda Holtman
- Centre for Environmental and Occupational Health Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7729, South Africa; (Z.H.); (M.A.D.); (H.-A.R.)
- Division of Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7729, South Africa
| | - Shala Chetty-Mhlanga
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), 4002 Basel, Switzerland; (A.V.); (S.C.-M.); (M.R.)
- Faculty of Science, University of Basel, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Mohamed Aqiel Dalvie
- Centre for Environmental and Occupational Health Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7729, South Africa; (Z.H.); (M.A.D.); (H.-A.R.)
| | - Aggrey Atuhaire
- Uganda National Association of Community and Occupational Health (UNACOH), Kampala 12590, Uganda;
| | - Hans Kromhout
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands; (E.B.); (H.K.)
| | - Martin Röösli
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), 4002 Basel, Switzerland; (A.V.); (S.C.-M.); (M.R.)
- Faculty of Science, University of Basel, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Hanna-Andrea Rother
- Centre for Environmental and Occupational Health Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7729, South Africa; (Z.H.); (M.A.D.); (H.-A.R.)
- Division of Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7729, South Africa
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Huq F, Obida M, Bornman R, Di Lenardo T, Chevrier J. Associations between prenatal exposure to DDT and DDE and allergy symptoms and diagnoses in the Venda Health Examination of Mothers, Babies and their Environment (VHEMBE), South Africa. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 185:109366. [PMID: 32299029 PMCID: PMC7336873 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Revised: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane (DDT) is an organochlorine insecticide that is banned internationally except for use as part of Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) programs to control malaria. Although animal studies show that DDT and its breakdown product dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethylene (DDE) affect the immune system and may cause allergies, no studies have examined this question in populations where IRS is conducted. The aim of our study was to investigate whether prenatal exposure to DDT and DDE is associated with allergy symptoms and diagnose among South African children living in an area where IRS is conducted. To accomplish this aim, we used data from the Venda Health Examination of Mothers, Babies and their Environment (VHEMBE), an ongoing birth cohort study of 752 children born between 2012 and 2013 in the rural Vhembe district of Limpopo, South Africa. We measured maternal peripartum serum concentrations of DDT and DDE, and administered a questionnaire to the caregivers of 658 children aged 3.5 years to collect information on allergy symptoms and diagnoses as well as potential confounders using validated instruments. Using multiple logistic regression models, we found positive associations between DDT and DDE serum concentrations and most of the allergy symptoms and diagnoses. Maternal DDT (Odds Ratio [OR] = 1.5 per 10-fold increase, 95% Confidence interval, CI = 1.0, 2.3) and DDE (OR = 1.4, 95% CI = 0.8, 2.4) serum concentrations were most strongly associated with caregiver report of wheezing or whistling in the chest. Concentrations of DDT and/or DDE were also associated with increased odds of children's chests sounding wheezy during or after exercise, itchy rashes coming and going for at least six months, diagnosis of food allergy, and diagnosis of dust or dust mites allergy but confidence intervals crossed the null. Results suggest that prenatal exposure to DDT, and possibly DDE, is associated with elevated odds of wheezing among children from an IRS area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fahmida Huq
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Muvhulawa Obida
- University of Pretoria School of Health Systems and Public Health, and Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Riana Bornman
- University of Pretoria School of Health Systems and Public Health, and Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Thomas Di Lenardo
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Jonathan Chevrier
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.
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Joubert BR, Mantooth SN, McAllister KA. Environmental Health Research in Africa: Important Progress and Promising Opportunities. Front Genet 2020; 10:1166. [PMID: 32010175 PMCID: PMC6977412 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.01166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The World Health Organization in 2016 estimated that over 20% of the global disease burden and deaths were attributed to modifiable environmental factors. However, data clearly characterizing the impact of environmental exposures and health endpoints in African populations is limited. To describe recent progress and identify important research gaps, we reviewed literature on environmental health research in African populations over the last decade, as well as research incorporating both genomic and environmental factors. We queried PubMed for peer-reviewed research articles, reviews, or books examining environmental exposures and health outcomes in human populations in Africa. Searches utilized medical subheading (MeSH) terms for environmental exposure categories listed in the March 2018 US National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals, which includes chemicals with worldwide distributions. Our search strategy retrieved 540 relevant publications, with studies evaluating health impacts of ambient air pollution (n=105), indoor air pollution (n = 166), heavy metals (n = 130), pesticides (n = 95), dietary mold (n = 61), indoor mold (n = 9), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs, n = 0), electronic waste (n = 9), environmental phenols (n = 4), flame retardants (n = 8), and phthalates (n = 3), where publications could belong to more than one exposure category. Only 23 publications characterized both environmental and genomic risk factors. Cardiovascular and respiratory health endpoints impacted by air pollution were comparable to observations in other countries. Air pollution exposures unique to Africa and some other resource limited settings were dust and specific occupational exposures. Literature describing harmful health effects of metals, pesticides, and dietary mold represented a context unique to Africa. Studies of exposures to phthalates, PFASs, phenols, and flame retardants were very limited. These results underscore the need for further focus on current and emerging environmental and chemical health risks as well as better integration of genomic and environmental factors in African research studies. Environmental exposures with distinct routes of exposure, unique co-exposures and co-morbidities, combined with the extensive genomic diversity in Africa may lead to the identification of novel mechanisms underlying complex disease and promising potential for translation to global public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bonnie R Joubert
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States
| | | | - Kimberly A McAllister
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States
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Di Lenardo TZ, Ward BJ, Pillet S, Mann K, Bornman R, Obida M, Chevrier J. Exposure to lead and vaccine-specific IgG titers in South African children participating in the Venda Health Examination of Mothers, Babies and their Environment (VHEMBE): A longitudinal study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 180:108794. [PMID: 31655331 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.108794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Revised: 10/02/2019] [Accepted: 10/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND While successes have been achieved in reducing global exposure to lead, few studies have investigated the potential health effects of low-level exposure (e.g. blood lead levels [BLLs] below the CDC reference level of 5 μg/dL), particularly among children from low- and middle-income countries. In addition, lead is immunotoxic in animals but human data on immune response to vaccines is limited. Our aim was to determine whether low-level exposure to lead is associated with humoral response to vaccines among rural South African children. METHODS We used data from the Venda Health Examination of Mothers, Babies and their Environment (VHEMBE), a birth cohort study conducted in Limpopo, South Africa. BLLs were measured in whole blood collected at age 1 year and IgG titers for measles, tetanus and Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) were determined at age 3.5 years among 425 fully-vaccinated children. RESULTS BLLs were low (median = 1.90 μg/dL) and 94% of children had a BLL below 5 μg/dL. Overall, BLLs were associated with higher risks of having IgG titers below the protective limit for tetanus (RR = 1.88 per 10-fold increase; 95%CI = 1.08, 3.24) but not measles (RR = 1.02; 95%CI = 0.26, 3.95) or Hib (RR = 0.96; 95%CI = 0.54, 1.71). BLLs were also associated with low Hib IgG titers among children exposed to HIV in utero and with low measles IgG titers among females. In contrast, the association with measles IgG titers was positive among males. CONCLUSION Low-level exposure to lead may compromise the humoral response to vaccines. Children exposed to HIV in utero and females may be particularly susceptible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Z Di Lenardo
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Brian J Ward
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Division of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Stéphane Pillet
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Koren Mann
- Division of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Gerald Bronfman Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Riana Bornman
- University of Pretoria Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control and School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Muvhulawa Obida
- University of Pretoria Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control and School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Jonathan Chevrier
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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Zhou Y, Wu S, Zhou H, Huang H, Zhao J, Deng Y, Wang H, Yang Y, Yang J, Luo L. Chiral pharmaceuticals: Environment sources, potential human health impacts, remediation technologies and future perspective. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2018; 121:523-537. [PMID: 30292145 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2018.09.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2018] [Revised: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 09/23/2018] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Chiral pharmaceuticals (CPs), including non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), β-blockers and some herbicide and pesticides, are widely used in aquaculture, clinical treatment and many other fields. However, people are increasingly concerned about such ubiquitous pollutants, which can frequently be detected in contaminated soil and water. In large part, the significant sources of chiral pharmaceuticals stem from industrial processes, such as the direct discharge of untreated or incompletely treated wastewaters containing chiral pharmaceuticals, incorrect storage and use, animal wastes and biosolids. The main ways for human exposure to chiral pharmaceuticals are the disease treatment process and chiral pharmaceuticals contaminants. According to the results of a series of toxic studies, some diseases, even cancers, may be associated with exposure to certain chiral pharmaceuticals. Therefore, the treatment of chiral pharmaceuticals has become an important issue. The current advanced remediation techniques for chiral pharmaceuticals include the conventional method (sorption and sonolysis), biotransformation (an aerobic granular sludge-sequencing batch reactor and constructed wetland system) and advanced oxidation processes (ozonation and photocatalysis). Herein, in this review, we summarize the current status and sources of chiral pharmaceuticals, potential effects on human health, as well as the superiority, disadvantages and prospects of current advanced remediation technologies. Moreover, we also anticipate the prospect of the future research needed for chiral pharmaceuticals pollutant remediation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaoyu Zhou
- College of Resources and Environment, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; Hunan International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Agricultural Typical Pollution Remediation and Wetland Protection, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410028, China.
| | - Shikang Wu
- College of Resources and Environment, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China; Hunan International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Agricultural Typical Pollution Remediation and Wetland Protection, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410028, China
| | - Hao Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Hongli Huang
- College of Resources and Environment, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
| | - Jia Zhao
- College of Resources and Environment, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
| | - Yaocheng Deng
- College of Resources and Environment, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China.
| | - Hua Wang
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
| | - Yuan Yang
- College of Resources and Environment, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
| | - Jian Yang
- College of Resources and Environment, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
| | - Lin Luo
- College of Resources and Environment, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
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Bornman M, Delport R, Farías P, Aneck-Hahn N, Patrick S, Millar RP, de Jager C. Alterations in male reproductive hormones in relation to environmental DDT exposure. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2018; 113:281-289. [PMID: 29373146 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2017.12.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2017] [Revised: 12/30/2017] [Accepted: 12/31/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
DDT [1, 1, 1-trichloro-2,2-bis (p-chlorophenyl)-ethane] compounds are used for indoor residual spraying (IRS) to control malaria mosquitoes. DDT is an endocrine disruptor chemical in experimental conditions, but little is known of adverse effects related to living conditions with continual uptake across a time span by all possible means of exposure. Based on estrogenic and/or anti-androgenic effects found in animal studies, we hypothesized that chronic DDT/DDE exposures in men may be associated with changes in male reproductive hormones. We tested this hypothesis by compared the magnitude and direction of associations between DDT and DDE (1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl) ethylene) concentrations and male reproductive hormones in samples collected from IRS and non-IRS areas. We sampled a cross-section of 535 men (aged 18-40 years). Men living in IRS villages had significantly higher DDT and DDE concentrations compared with men from non-IRS villages. Men with DDT or DDE uptake (as reflected in detectable plasma concentrations) had significantly higher total-, free and bio-available testosterone (T), and lower follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) concentrations; lower luteinizing hormone (LH) concentrations were only evident with DDT uptake. To establish a dose-dependent effect, four sub-categories were defined. Men with the highest DDT (74-519 μg/g) and DDE (173-997 μg/g) concentrations had significantly higher total-, free and bio-available T, and lower FSH concentrations compared with subjects with non-detectable isomer concentrations. Estradiol concentrations were significantly higher in men with DDT and DDE concentrations in both the third (DDE: 27-172 μg/g; DDT: 5-73 μg/g) and fourth (DDE: 173-997 μg/g; DDT: 74-519 μg/g) categories. Men from IRS villages were significantly more likely to have higher total and bioavailable T as well as higher estradiol concentrations OR = 2.5 (95% CI 1.2, 3.2); OR 2.5 (95% CI 1.6, 4.0) and OR = 2.3 (95% CI 1.3, 4.1) compared to men from non-IRS villages, after controlling for age, BMI, personal use of pesticides, and smoking. Men living in IRS villages with life-long exposure (17.6 (±6) years) at the current residence with multiple exposure modalities incurred the highest degree of physiological imbalance over and above circulating isomer concentrations. Further studies are needed to elucidate the health implications of these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Bornman
- School of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH), University of Pretoria, Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control (UP ISMC) and MRC Collaborating Centre for Malaria Research, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; Hormone Dependent Cancer Consortium, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
| | - Rhena Delport
- Department of Chemical Pathology and UP ISMC, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | | | - Natalie Aneck-Hahn
- Department of Urology, SHSPH and UP ISMC, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Sean Patrick
- School of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH), University of Pretoria, Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control (UP ISMC) and MRC Collaborating Centre for Malaria Research, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Robert P Millar
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; Institute for Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Centre for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom; Hormone Dependent Cancer Consortium, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Christiaan de Jager
- School of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH), University of Pretoria, Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control (UP ISMC) and MRC Collaborating Centre for Malaria Research, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
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Coker E, Chevrier J, Rauch S, Bradman A, Obida M, Crause M, Bornman R, Eskenazi B. Association between prenatal exposure to multiple insecticides and child body weight and body composition in the VHEMBE South African birth cohort. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2018; 113:122-132. [PMID: 29421401 PMCID: PMC5866210 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2018.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2017] [Revised: 11/21/2017] [Accepted: 01/19/2018] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pregnant women may be co-exposed to multiple insecticides in regions where both pyrethroids and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) are used for indoor residual spraying (IRS) for malaria control. Despite the potential for adverse effects on offspring, there are few studies in areas where IRS is currently used and little is known about the effects of pyrethroids on children's health. METHODS We investigated the relationship between concentrations of four urinary pyrethroid metabolites in urine and organochlorine pesticide concentrations in maternal blood collected near delivery on body weight and body composition among children ≤2 years old participating in the prospective South Africa VHEMBE birth cohort (N = 708). We used measurements of length/height and weight collected at 1 and 2 years of age to calculate body mass index (BMI)-for-age, weight-for-age, and weight-for-height z-scores based on World Health Organization standards. We fit separate single-pollutant mixed effects models for each exposure of interest and also stratified by sex. We also fit all analyte concentrations jointly by using a Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) statistical method to assess variable importance of each analyte and to explore the potential for joint effects of the multiple exposures. RESULTS Single-pollutant linear mixed effects models showed that, among girls only, p,p'-DDT was associated with higher BMI-for-age (adjusted [a]β = 0.22 [95% CI: 0.10, 0.35]; sex interaction p-value = 0.001), weight-for-height (aβ = 0.22 [95% CI: 0.09, 0.34]; sex interaction p-value = 0.002), and weight-for-age (aβ = 0.17 [95% CI: 0.05, 0.29], sex interaction p-value = 0.01). Although single-pollutant models suggested that p,p'-DDT and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE) were also associated with these outcomes in girls, p,p'-DDE was no longer associated in multi-pollutant models with BKMR. The pyrethroid metabolites cis-(2,2-dibromovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane-1-carboxylicacid (cis-DBCA) and trans-3-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane carboxylic acid (trans-DCCA) were inversely related to BMI-for-age and weight-for-height overall; however, results suggested that weight-for-age and weight-for-height associations for trans-DCCA (sex interaction p-valueweight-for-age = 0.02; p-valueweight-for-height = 0.13) and cis-DCCA (sex interaction p-valueweight-for-age = 0.02; p-valueweight-for-height = 0.08) were strongest and most consistent in boys relative to girls. BKMR also revealed joint effects from the chemical mixture. For instance, with increased concentrations of p,p'-DDE, the negative exposure-response relationship for cis-DBCA on BMI-for-age became steeper. CONCLUSIONS Our single-pollutant and multi-pollutant model results show that maternal serum p,p'-DDT concentration was consistently and positively associated with body composition and body weight in young girls and that maternal urinary pyrethroid metabolite concentrations (particularly cis-DBCA and trans-DCCA) were negatively associated with body weight and body composition in young boys. Joint effects of the insecticide exposure mixture were also apparent, underscoring the importance of using advanced statistical methods to examine the health effects of chemical mixtures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Coker
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California at Berkeley, 1995 University Ave, Berkeley, CA, USA.
| | - Jonathan Chevrier
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, 1020 Pine Avenue West, Room 42, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Stephen Rauch
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California at Berkeley, 1995 University Ave, Berkeley, CA, USA.
| | - Asa Bradman
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California at Berkeley, 1995 University Ave, Berkeley, CA, USA.
| | - Muvhulawa Obida
- School of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH), University of Pretoria Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control (UP ISMC), MRC Collaborating Centre for Malaria Research, CMEG Laboratory, University of Pretoria, Hatfield Campus, Floor 3, NWII Building, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
| | - Madelein Crause
- School of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH), University of Pretoria Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control (UP ISMC), MRC Collaborating Centre for Malaria Research, CMEG Laboratory, University of Pretoria, Hatfield Campus, Floor 3, NWII Building, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
| | - Riana Bornman
- School of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH), University of Pretoria Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control (UP ISMC), MRC Collaborating Centre for Malaria Research, CMEG Laboratory, University of Pretoria, Hatfield Campus, Floor 3, NWII Building, Pretoria 0028, South Africa.
| | - Brenda Eskenazi
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California at Berkeley, 1995 University Ave, Berkeley, CA, USA.
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Bornman MS, Chevrier J, Rauch S, Crause M, Obida M, Sathyanarayana S, Barr DB, Eskenazi B. Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane exposure and anogenital distance in the Venda Health Examination of Mothers, Babies and their Environment (VHEMBE) birth cohort study, South Africa. Andrology 2017; 4:608-15. [PMID: 27457477 DOI: 10.1111/andr.12235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2016] [Revised: 05/16/2016] [Accepted: 05/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) is used for malaria control by 10 countries, nine of which are in Africa. Technical DDT contains various isomers with 65-80% insecticidal p,p'-DDT and 15-21% o,p'-DDT, an estrogenic chemical, while the persistent metabolite of p,p'-DDT, dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE), is an antiandrogen. In utero antiandrogenic exposure reduces anogenital distance in animal models and the anal position index in a single study. This study examined the associations between mother's serum DDT and DDE levels at delivery and anogenital distance in their children at birth and age 1 year. Data were collected as part of the Venda Health Examination of Mothers, Babies and their Environment (VHEMBE), a birth cohort study located in rural South Africa. DDT and DDE concentrations were measured in blood samples collected from 752 mothers at delivery. Anogenital distance measurements, taken at birth (n = 671) and age 1 year (n = 674), included anofourchette and anoclitoral distances in girls, and anoscrotal and anopenile lengths in boys. We also measured anococcygeal and coccyx-fourchette distances in girls, while in boys, we measured anococcygeal and coccyx-scrotal distances as well as penile length and penile width. The anal position index is calculated for both sexes as anoscrotal/coccyx-scrotal in boys and anofourchette/coccyx-fourchette in girls. We found no associations between p,p'-DDT/-DDE or o,p'-DDT and anogenital distance measurements at birth in either boys or girls. At 1 year, o,p'-DDE was negatively associated with anofourchette in girls (β =-1.32 mm, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -2.27, -0.38) and positively associated with penile width in boys (β = 0.30 mm, 95% CI = 0.00, 0.60). The results do not suggest an overt antiandrogenic or estrogenic effect on anogenital distance after long-term DDT exposure. These weak associations may be due to chance.
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Affiliation(s)
- M S Bornman
- School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria Centre for Sustainable Malaria Control (UP CSMC), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - J Chevrier
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - S Rauch
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - M Crause
- School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria Centre for Sustainable Malaria Control (UP CSMC), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - M Obida
- School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria Centre for Sustainable Malaria Control (UP CSMC), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - S Sathyanarayana
- Department of Pediatrics, Seattle Children's Research Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - D B Barr
- Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - B Eskenazi
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
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He CT, Yan X, Wang MH, Zheng XB, Chen KH, Guo MN, Zheng J, Chen SJ. Dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethanes (DDTs) in human hair and serum in rural and urban areas in South China. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2017; 155:279-286. [PMID: 28259092 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2017.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2016] [Revised: 02/09/2017] [Accepted: 02/14/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Human hair has been employed as a biomarker for exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs), but information on the source of dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolites in hair is limited. The present study investigated the contamination of DDTs in human hair from a rural area and an urban area of South China and compared with those in human serum and indoor dust. The concentrations of ∑DDTs ranged from 2.30 to 489ng/g, with a median of 21.8ng/g in human hair. The ∑DDT concentrations (median=40.8ng/g) in female hair were significantly higher than those in male hair (median=20.6ng/g). There were significantly positive correlations between the concentrations of DDTs and ages in both the female and male hair, but the age-dependence for DDTs in serum was less significant. The profile of DDT analogues in female hair, differing from that in the male hair, was more similar to that in the indoor dust, suggesting a more important role of exogenous exposure in female hair. We estimated that exogenous source is responsible for approximately 11% and 20% of the burden of DDTs in the male and female hair, respectively. Adjusted multiple linear regression model showed significantly positive association between the p,p'-DDE concentrations in the paired hair and serum samples, indicating that endogenous origins are the primary sources of DDTs in the hair of the residents in the study areas. Our findings demonstrated that human hair is a reliable biomarker for body burden of DDTs and can be used in epidemiology research and retrospective assessment of DDT exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Tao He
- State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Environmental Protection, Guangzhou, 510655, China
| | - Xiao Yan
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Environmental Protection, Guangzhou, 510655, China
| | - Mei-Huan Wang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Environmental Protection, Guangzhou, 510655, China
| | - Xiao-Bo Zheng
- College of Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Ke-Hui Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Mi-Na Guo
- College of Natural Resources, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Jing Zheng
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Environmental Protection, Guangzhou, 510655, China.
| | - She-Jun Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
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12
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Arrebola JP, Cuellar M, Bonde JP, González-Alzaga B, Mercado LA. Associations of maternal o,p'-DDT and p,p'-DDE levels with birth outcomes in a Bolivian cohort. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2016; 151:469-477. [PMID: 27567351 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2016.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2016] [Revised: 07/25/2016] [Accepted: 08/07/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
This study examined the potential association of maternal serum levels of o,p'-DDT and p,p'-DDE with gestation time and with anthropometric measurements and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels of newborns in a Bolivian birth cohort. Two hundred mothers were consecutively recruited between January and March 2013 at the "Hospital de la Mujer Dr. Percy Boland" in Santa Cruz de la Sierra. Potential confounders were derived from an ad hoc questionnaire. o,p'-DDT and p,p'-DDE were quantified in cord serum by high-resolution gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Multivariable linear regression analyses were performed, with POP concentrations as independent variables and log-transformed newborn birth outcomes (newborn weight, gestational age, head circumference, birth height, ponderal index, and TSH levels) as dependent variables. o,p'-DDT was detected in 82.5% of samples at median concentration of 0.22ng/mL and p,p'-DDE in 86.5% of samples at median concentration of 1.01ng/mL. Opposite associations with birth weight were found for p,p'-DDE (β=0.012, p=0.006) and o,p'-DDT (β=-0.014, p=0.039), and these associations were stronger when both chemicals were entered in the same model. p,p'-DDE was negatively associated with gestation time (β=-0.004, p=0.012), and o,p'-DDT was borderline negatively associated with newborn head circumference (β=-0.004, p=0.054). We observed no relevant changes in the magnitude of the coefficients or in statistical significance after adjustment for newborn TSH levels. This study indicates a possible impact of prenatal exposure to o,p'-DDT and p,p'-DDE on newborn anthropometric measurements in a population showing evidence of recent exposure to the pesticide DDT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan P Arrebola
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (ibs.GRANADA), Hospitales Universitarios de Granada, Spain; Radiation Oncology Department, Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital, Granada, Spain; CIBER en Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain.
| | - Miriam Cuellar
- Instituto de Investigaciones de la Facultad de Ciencias Farmacéuticas y Bioquímicas, Universidad Autónoma Gabriel René Moreno, Calle México s/n, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia
| | - Jens Peter Bonde
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Bispebjerg University Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Beatriz González-Alzaga
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (ibs.GRANADA), Hospitales Universitarios de Granada, Spain; Andalusian School of Public Health (EASP), Granada, Spain
| | - Luis A Mercado
- Instituto de Investigaciones de la Facultad de Ciencias Farmacéuticas y Bioquímicas, Universidad Autónoma Gabriel René Moreno, Calle México s/n, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia.
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13
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Viljoen IM, Bornman R, Bouwman H. DDT exposure of frogs: A case study from Limpopo Province, South Africa. CHEMOSPHERE 2016; 159:335-341. [PMID: 27317939 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.06.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2015] [Revised: 06/03/2016] [Accepted: 06/06/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Amphibians are globally under pressure with environmental contaminants contributing to this. Despite caution aired more than 80 years ago of threats posed to amphibians by DDT spraying for disease vector control, no data have been published on concentrations or effects of DDT contamination in frogs from areas where DDT is actively sprayed to control the insect vectors of malaria. In this study, we sampled fat bodies of Xenopus laevis and Xenopus muelleri naturally occurring in an area where indoor residual spraying of DDT is employed and from adjacent, non-sprayed, areas. ΣDDT concentrations ranged between <LOQ and 280 ng/g ww (wet weight) from the non-sprayed area, and 5.5-910 ng/g ww from the sprayed area, but statistical significance could not be shown. We observed significant asymmetric testicular morphology in frogs from the sprayed area, possibly due to endocrine disruption by compounds such as the DDTs. A previous study from the same area found very high concentrations of DDT in the eggs of the Grey Heron Ardea cinerea. This suggests that the DDT we found in frogs may have contributed to DDT loadings higher in the food web. These findings, combined with other studies from this area, support the need to reduce and eventually move away from DDT in malaria control safely and sustainably.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignatius M Viljoen
- Research Unit: Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa; SA Medical Research Council Centre for TB Research, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Francie van Zijl Drive, Tygerberg, 7505, South Africa.
| | - Riana Bornman
- SA Medical Research Council Centre & University of Pretoria Centre for Sustainable Malaria Control (MRC & UP CSMC), School of Health, Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - Hindrik Bouwman
- Research Unit: Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa
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