Residential pesticide use is associated with children's respiratory symptoms

Exposure to agricultural pesticides and wheezing among 5-12-year-old children in the Imperial Valley, CA, USA

Background

Exposure to pesticides has been linked to adverse respiratory health outcomes in children.

Methods

We leveraged the Children's Assessing Imperial Valley Respiratory Health and the Environment cohort located in the rural community of Imperial Valley near the US-Mexico border. We calculated the kilograms of total pesticides applied within 400 m of children's residential addresses for the years 2016-2020. Estimated pesticide usage near homes was categorized into three groups (none vs. low vs. high [split at the median]). All health variables (i.e., asthma status and wheezing) were derived from a parent-reported questionnaire on respiratory health. We used generalized linear models, controlling for child sex, the language of survey, health insurance, respondents' highest education, and exposure to environmental secondhand smoking, to calculate prevalence differences between none versus low and high exposure to agricultural pesticides.

Results

Approximately 62% of the 708 children (aged 5-12 years) lived within 400 m of at least one pesticide application within 12 months prior to survey administration. Exposure to pesticides within 400 m of children's residences was associated with 12-month prior wheeze. Those in the "high" exposure group had a prevalence of wheezing that was 10 (95% confidence interval: 2%, 17%) percentage points higher than among children not exposed to pesticide applications. Associations for high exposure to specific categories of pesticide applications, sulfur only, all pesticides except sulfur, chlorpyrifos, and glyphosate, also were observed with a higher prevalence of wheezing than among children not exposed to pesticide applications.

Conclusions

We observed associations between living near pesticide applications and more wheeze symptoms among children.

Association of pyrethroids exposure with asthma in US children and adolescents: a nationally representative cross-sectional study

Pyrethroids (PYR) are among the most widely used insecticides in households, leading to substantial exposure. Children and adolescents, especially during growth spurts, have a reduced capacity to effectively metabolize these insecticides. The relationship between PYR exposure and asthma in these age groups remains poorly understood, highlighting the need for further research.We used data from the 2007-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which included 1181 children aged 6-11 years and 1258 adolescents aged 12-19 years. The concentration of the PYR metabolite 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA) in urine was quantified using solid-phase extraction-high-performance liquid chromatography-heated electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Asthma was defined based on self-reported doctor diagnoses from the questionnaire. PYR exposure was measured using urine samples collected simultaneously with the questionnaire. We explored the association between PYR exposure and asthma using multiple logistic regression analyses, adjusting for potential confounders.Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed no significant association between PYR exposure and asthma in children and adolescent boys (all P > 0.05). In contrast, PYR exposure was significantly associated with asthma in adolescent girls aged 12-19 years. Specifically, for "ever asthma," the odds ratios (ORs) were 2.49 (95% CI = 1.03-5.97) in the second quartile of PYR exposure and 2.48 (95% CI = 1.04-5.91) in the third quartile, each in comparison to the first quartile. For "current asthma," in comparison to the first quartile, the ORs were 3.99 (95% CI = 1.55-10.26) in the second quartile of PYR exposure, 3.39 (95% CI = 1.32-8.70) in the third quartile, and 2.93 (95% CI = 1.24-6.90) in the fourth quartile.Conclusions:Our study found a significant association between PYR exposure and asthma in adolescent girls, whereas no significant association was observed in children and adolescent boys. These findings suggest potential sex and age differences in susceptibility to PYR exposure. Further research is warranted to confirm these results and elucidate the underlying mechanisms.

The association between children's exposure to pesticides and asthma, wheezing, and lower respiratory tract infections. A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Exposure to pesticides is a global public health problem, especially for children. Its association with chronic respiratory disease among children has attracted considerable attention, but the existing evidence remains inconclusive and cannot be certain. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aim to determine the global pooled effect size of association with pesticide exposure and asthma, wheezing, and respiratory tract infections among children.

Methods

A comprehensive search was conducted for relevant literature from electronic databases, including PubMed, Google Scholar, Hinari, Semantic Scholar, and Science Direct. Studies that provided effect size on the association between pesticide exposure and childhood asthma, wheezing, and respiratory tract infections in children were included. The articles were screened, data was extracted, and the quality of each study was assessed with four independent reviewers. Random effects models for significant heterogeneity and fixed effect models for homogeneous studies were conducted to estimate pooled effect sizes with 95% confidence intervals using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis version 3.3.070 and MetaXL version 2. Funnel plot and Higgins I 2 statistics were used to determine the heterogeneity of the included studies. Subgroup analyses were computed based on the types of pesticide exposure, study design, sample size category, and outcome assessment technique.

Result

A total of 38 articles with 118,303 children less than 18 years of age were included in this meta-analysis. Pesticide exposure among children increased the risk of asthma by 24%; (OR = 1.24, 95% CI: 1.14-1.35) with extreme heterogeneity (I 2 = 81%, p < 0.001). Exposure to pesticides increased the odds of developing wheezing among children by 34% (OR = 1.34, 95% CI: 1.14-1.57), with high heterogeneity (I 2 = 79%, p < 0.001) and also increased the risk of developing lower respiratory tract infection by 79% (OR = 1.79, 95% CI: 1.45-2.21) with nonsignificant low heterogeneity (I 2 = 30%, p-value = 0.18).

Conclusion

This meta-analysis provided valuable evidence supporting the association between childhood asthma, wheezing, and lower respiratory tract infection with pesticide exposure. The findings would contribute to a better understanding of the estimate of the effect of pesticide exposure on respiratory health in children and inform evidence-based preventive strategies and public health interventions.

[Pesticide exposure and chronic respiratory diseases]

INTRODUCTION

Pesticides are used worldwide, mainly in agriculture as a means of controlling pests and protecting crops. That said, the entire world population is ultimately subject to pesticide exposure (consumption of fruits and vegetables, living near treated fields…), with varying degrees of toxicity involved.

STATE OF THE ART

In recent decades, epidemiological studies have contributed to the identification of chemical pesticide families with detrimental effects on human health: cognitive disorders, Parkinson's disease, prostate cancer… and impairment in respiratory functioning. Current scientific evidence points to the implication of the active substances in insecticides, herbicides and fungicides in chronic respiratory diseases, two examples being chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in exposed workers, and asthmatic wheezing in children during prenatal or postnatal exposure.

PERSPECTIVES

The safety of individuals exposed to pesticides is of key importance in public health. Further epidemiological investigations are needed to identify the chemical families affecting certain populations.

CONCLUSIONS

The scientific literature suggests strong links between pesticide exposure and respiratory health. Whether it be environmental or occupational, pesticide exposure can lead to respiratory disorders and symptoms of varying severity.

The Association Between Urinary Concentrations of Organophosphate Metabolites and Asthma-Related Outcomes Among Schoolchildren From Informal Settlements

Objectives: There is inconsistent evidence on the relationship between pesticide exposure and childhood respiratory outcomes in non-agricultural settings. This study investigated the association between organophosphate (OP) pesticide exposure and asthma-related outcomes in children residing in four informal settlements. Methods: The study was a longitudinal study of 590 schoolchildren, with a 12 months follow-up period. A standardised questionnaire adopted from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood was administered to caregivers for child's respiratory symptoms and household characteristics. Spirometry and fractional-exhaled nitric oxide, including a phadiatop test (atopy status) and urinary dialkyl phosphate (DAP) metabolites were measured at baseline and follow-up. DAP metabolites included diethylphosphate (DEP) and dimethyl phosphate (DMP) measured at baseline and follow-up and dimethylthiophosphate (DMTP) measured only at baseline. Results: The mean ages of schoolchildren were 9.9 ± 0.91 years and the overal incidence proportions of new doctor diagnosed asthma was 2.2%. No consistent patterns of increased risk of asthma outcomes with increasing DAP concentrations was found in multivariate analysis. Conclusion: Future studies with longer follow-up periods and repeated OP biomonitoring are recommended.

Current status of pesticide effects on environment, human health and it's eco-friendly management as bioremediation: A comprehensive review

Pesticides are either natural or chemically synthesized compounds that are used to control a variety of pests. These chemical compounds are used in a variety of sectors like food, forestry, agriculture and aquaculture. Pesticides shows their toxicity into the living systems. The World Health Organization (WHO) categorizes them based on their detrimental effects, emphasizing the relevance of public health. The usage can be minimized to a least level by using them sparingly with a complete grasp of their categorization, which is beneficial to both human health and the environment. In this review, we have discussed pesticides with respect to their global scenarios, such as worldwide distribution and environmental impacts. Major literature focused on potential uses of pesticides, classification according to their properties and toxicity and their adverse effect on natural system (soil and aquatic), water, plants (growth, metabolism, genotypic and phenotypic changes and impact on plants defense system), human health (genetic alteration, cancer, allergies, and asthma), and preserve food products. We have also described eco-friendly management strategies for pesticides as a green solution, including bacterial degradation, myco-remediation, phytoremediation, and microalgae-based bioremediation. The microbes, using catabolic enzymes for degradation of pesticides and clean-up from the environment. This review shows the importance of finding potent microbes, novel genes, and biotechnological applications for pesticide waste management to create a sustainable environment.

Household mold, pesticide use, and childhood asthma: A nationwide study in the U.S

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the associations of household mold and pesticide use with risk of childhood asthma and examine the potential effect modification by child's sex at a national level in the U.S.

METHODS

Nationally representative data were drawn from the cross-sectional 2017 and 2018 National Surveys of Children's Health. Household mold and pesticide exposures during the past 12 months and physician-diagnosed childhood asthma were assessed by standard questionnaires administered to primary caregivers. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) for current asthma, adjusting for child, caregiver, and household covariates. We also examined potential effect modification by child's sex. Sampling weights accounted for the complex survey design.

RESULTS

Among 41,423 U.S. children in 2017-2018, the weighted prevalence of current asthma was 10.8% in household mold-exposed children, compared with 7.2% in non-exposed children (P < 0.001). After adjusting for covariates including child's obesity, children with household mold exposure compared to those with no household mold exposure had a 1.41-fold (95% CI: 1.07, 1.87) higher odds of current asthma. Associations between household mold and current asthma were pronounced among boys (aOR 1.57; 95% CI: 1.03-2.38) but not girls (aOR 1.28; 0.90-1.83; P for interaction <0.001). No significant associations were observed between household pesticide use and current asthma, after adjusting for covariates.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that household mold is associated with current asthma among children, independent of other major risk factors including child's obesity status. Our findings may inform strategies targeting mitigation of household mold as an important indoor environment factor to address childhood asthma.

Factors associated with wheezing among Lebanese children: Results of a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

In Lebanon, asthma is underdiagnosed due to low access to healthcare, particularly in rural areas, although asthma diagnosis in children is based mainly on clinical symptoms. Thus, wheezing might be more suggestive of undiagnosed respiratory diseases including asthma in Lebanese children. This study aimed to determine the factors associated with wheezing in Lebanese children without asthma diagnosis.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2015 and April 2016, enrolling a total of 1203 schoolchildren.

RESULTS

Out of 1500 prepared questionnaires, 1380 questionnaires were distributed in schools, and 1203 (87.17%) were collected back from the parents of children aged between 4-17 years old. The sample included 42 (3.5%) [95% CI 0.025-0.045] children with reported chronic wheezing. A multivariable analysis was performed taking the presence versus absence of wheezing in children as the dependent variable. The results showed that spraying pesticides at home (aOR=1.91), presence of humidity at home (aOR=2.21) and child reflux (aOR=2.60) were significantly associated with the presence of wheezing in children.

CONCLUSION

The findings of the study suggest that certain environmental factors, such as pesticides, humidity at home and reflux disease, might be associated with wheezing episodes in children. Those factors can be prevented through raising awareness by health care professionals.

Gestational Pesticide Exposure and Child Respiratory Health

BACKGROUND

Childhood wheeze may be related to pesticide exposure, and diet and genetics (Paroxonase; PON1) may modify the effects of exposure.

METHODS

We analyzed data from the HOME Study, a prospective pregnancy and birth cohort, to examine the association of gestational urinary organophosphate (OP) and pyrethroid (3PBA) metabolite concentrations with child wheeze, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) at ages 4 and 5 years, and wheeze trajectory patterns through age 8 years.

RESULTS

Among 367 singletons, the frequency of wheeze ranged from 10.6% to 24.1% at each measurement age. OP and 3PBA metabolite concentrations were not associated with wheeze at 8 years or from birth to 8 years, but there were three significant interactions: (1) maternal daily fruit and vegetable consumption (less than daily consumption and increasing 3PBA was associated with wheeze at age 8 years, OR = 1.40), (2) maternal PON1-108 allele (CT/TT genotypes and high DE was associated with wheeze at age 8 years, OR = 2.13, 2.74) and (3) PON1192 alleles (QR/RR genotypes with higher diethylphosphate (DE) and dialkyl phosphate (DAP) were associated with wheeze at age 8 years, OR = 3.84). Pesticide metabolites were not consistently related to FEV1 or wheeze trajectory.

CONCLUSIONS

Gestational OP and 3PBA metabolites were associated with child respiratory outcomes in participants with maternal dietary and genetic susceptibility.

Where you live can impact your cancer risk: a look at multiple myeloma in New York City

PURPOSE

To visualize variation in multiple myeloma (MM) incidence and mortality rates by race-ethnicity and geographic location and evaluate their correlation with neighborhood-level population covariates within New York City (NYC).

METHODS

Trends and racial differences in MM incidence and mortality for the United States [Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Cancer Registry (SEER), National Center for Health Statistics], and NYC [New York State Cancer Registry] were compared using Joinpoint regression. Pearson's correlation coefficients measured neighborhood-level MM-covariate relationships (n = 34).

RESULTS

MM incidence rates are double in African-Americans compared with Whites, in SEER-13 areas (rate ratio (RR) = 2.27; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.22-2.32) and NYC (RR = 2.11; 95% CI = 2.03-2.20). Incidence rates increased faster in NYC (average annual percentage change difference, -1.1; 95% CI, -2.3 to -0.1). NYC African-American men experienced the steepest increase in mortality rates after 2001. In NYC, strong neighborhood-level correlations exist between incidence and mortality rates and high prevalence of residents of African ancestry, Latin American birth, daily sugary beverage and low fruit and vegetable consumption, and neighborhood walkability. Higher MM mortality also correlates with Hispanic ethnicity, obesity, diabetes, poverty, HIV/AIDS, air benzene concentration, and indoor pesticide use.

CONCLUSIONS

NYC neighborhoods with large minority populations have higher prevalence of poverty-related factors associated with MM incidence and mortality, warranting public health policies to address exposures and access to care.

Acute respiratory symptoms and its associated factors among mothers who have under five-years-old children in northwest, Ethiopia

Background

Poor air quality of the household is likely to be the largest public health concern in resource-constrained countries. Exposure to household air pollution, poor working environment, and fuel type used at household level have been associated with respiratory symptoms. This study aimed to assess acute respiratory symptoms and its associated factors among mothers who have under five-years-old children in Gondar city, northwest Ethiopia.

Method

A cross-sectional study was carried out from February 15, 2019 to June 20, 2019. Study participants were selected using simple random sampling, and data were collected via face-to-face interviews. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to test the association of explanatory and outcome variables. Variables with p < 0.05 were considered as significantly associated with the outcome variable.

Results

The prevalence of respiratory symptoms among mothers of under-five years-old children in this study was 46.1%. Education (vocational training compared to cannot read and write) (adjusted odd ratio (AOR) = 0.26 at 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.08–0.82), working in dusty environment (AOR = 2.90 at 95% CI: 1.39–6.08), wood fire use (AOR = 0.37 at 95% CI: 0.16–0.85), living in mud- and wood-walled houses (AOR = 0.53 at CI: 0.32–0.89), recent house painting (AOR = 1.95 at 95% CI: 1.03–3.69), new carpet (AOR = 2.02 at 95% CI: 1.08–3.77), pesticide use (AOR = 1.71 at 95% CI: 1.03–2.84), damp stain (AOR = 2.45 at 95% CI: 1.04–5.75), spending longer time in house for 6 to 11 h (AOR = 2.59 at 95% CI: 1.53–4.37) and 11 to 15 h (AOR = 3.47 at 95% CI: 1.87–6.43), and living less than 100 m from unpaved roads/streets (AOR = 4.35 at 95% CI: 2.64–7.18) were significantly associated with respiratory symptoms among mothers of under-five years-old children.

Conclusion

Respiratory symptoms were common among mothers who have under five-years-old children. Air quality improvement, fuel selection, and residential planning will help to reduce respiratory symptoms.

Respiratory and Allergic Effects in Children Exposed to Pesticides-A Systematic Review

Pesticide exposure may affect children’s respiratory and allergic health, although results from epidemiological studies have not reached consensus. This review aims to analyze the scientific evidence on respiratory and allergic effects of exposure to agricultural pesticides in children aged up to 12 years old. The databases PubMed, Web of Science, Scielo, and Lilacs were screened to select articles published in English, Spanish, or Portuguese, and 21 articles were included in this review. Most investigations were conducted in North America (mostly in the United States), while no studies conducted in Latin America or Africa were found, despite their intensive use of pesticides. Children are exposed to pesticides through multiple pathways from the prenatal period throughout later developmental stages and may experience several respiratory effects. Most studies (79%) found positive associations with pesticide exposure and children’s respiratory and allergic effects such as asthma, wheezing, coughs, acute respiratory infections, hay fever, rhinitis, eczema, chronic phlegm, and lung function impairments. Contrastingly, 21% of the studies found no associations between pesticide exposure and children’s respiratory health. The vast differences among the characteristics of the studies hamper any comparison of the results. Exposure to pesticides may have several impacts on childhood respiratory health. More studies must be conducted, especially in low- and middle-income countries, preferably with comparable research protocols adapted to local realities. Efforts should be made to develop comprehensive risk mitigation strategies and behavioral interventions to reduce children’s exposure to pesticides used in agriculture and respiratory health effects, and to ensure healthy childhood growth.

Association of Organophosphate Pesticide Exposure and a Marker of Asthma Morbidity in an Agricultural Community

Objectives: We explored the short-term impact of pesticide exposure on asthma exacerbation among children with asthma in an agricultural community.Methods: We obtained repeated urine samples from a subset of 16 school-age children with asthma (n = 139 samples) as part of the Aggravating Factors of Asthma in a Rural Environment (AFARE) study cohort. Biomarkers of organophosphate (OP) pesticide exposure (dialkylphosphates (DAPs)), and asthma exacerbation (leukotriene E4 (uLTE4)) were assessed in urine samples. We used generalized estimating equations to examine the association of summed measures of creatinine-adjusted DAPs (total dimethyl alkylphosphate (EDM), total diethyl alkylphosphate (EDE), and total dialkylphosphate pesticides (EDAP)) and uLTE4 concentration, adjusting for multiple confounders, yielding beta-coefficients with 95% CIs.Results: A total of 139 observations were obtained from the 16 children over the study period, the total number of samples per subject ranged from 1 to 12 (median: 10.5). The geometric mean (GM) of creatinine-adjusted EDE, EDM, and EDAP in this population were 81.0, 71.8 and 168.0 nmol/g, respectively. Increase in uLTE4 levels was consistently associated with increased exposures to DAPs (interquartile range in μg/g): β_EDE: 8.7 (95%CI: 2.8, 14.6); β_EDM: 1.1 (0.5, 1.7); β_EDAP: 4.1 (0.7, 7.5).Conclusion: This study suggests that short-term OP exposure is associated with a higher risk of asthma morbidity, as indicated by increased uLTE4 levels in this cohort of children with asthma in an agricultural community. Additional studies are required to confirm these adverse effects, and explore the mechanisms underlying this relationship.

Pesticides Exposure by Air in Vineyard Rural Area and Respiratory Health in Children: A pilot study

RATIONALE

Asthma, frequently associated with rhinitis, is the most common chronic disease in children, and a significant role is played by a range of environmental exposures. Among them, air pollution is of foremost concern. However, little is known about the impact of airborne pesticide exposure on children's respiratory health in rural areas. The objective of this study was to analyze the association between airborne pesticide exposure and asthma and rhinitis in children.

METHODS

In a French vineyard rural area, children (3-10 years old) from 4 selected schools were invited to participate in this study over two periods: winter, with no or low air pesticide levels, and summer when fields are frequently treated with pesticides. Two health outcomes were considered: asthma and rhinitis symptoms (ISAAC questionnaire), and peak expiratory flow (PEF). A quantitative score of symptoms was built. Exposure to pesticides was evaluated 1) by measuring 56 pesticides in the ambient outdoor air around schools in the two periods and building a cumulative exposure index, and 2) by measuring ethylenethiourea (ETU) concentrations in urine in a subsample of children (n = 96), ETU being a urine biomarker of exposure to dithiocarbamates fungicides. Next, the association between pesticide exposure and respiratory health was studied using a logistic regression model, adjusted for confounders and respiratory status at baseline.

RESULTS

281 children participated in the study (47% girls, mean age: 7.5 yrs). 25% of the children were living on a farm. 22% had experienced wheezing at least once. 15.8% had asthma diagnosed by a doctor, 12% had current asthma and 35% had allergic rhinitis. The main pesticides detected in the ambient outdoor air around schools were fungicides (89,3%; mainly folpet and dithiocarbamates) and insecticides (10.6%). No association was found between the symptom score and pesticides in the outdoor air around schools during summer, when pesticides were applied to vineyards. However, an association was found between ETU urinary concentration (>0.974 μg/g creatinine) and asthma and rhinitis symptoms (OR=3.56; IC 95% 1.04-12.12). This result could be explained by extracurricular exposure, which was not considered in our air measurements in the schools. No association was found between peak expiratory flow and exposure to pesticides in the air.

CONCLUSIONS

Children living in vineyard rural areas are at a higher risk of airborne dithiocarbamates exposure during the summer period. Despite the limited size of our sample, our results suggest possible links between some pesticide measurements and respiratory and allergic symptoms such as rhinitis.

Established and Emerging Environmental Contributors to Disparities in Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Multiple respiratory diseases, including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), display significant socioeconomic and racial/ethnic disparities. The objective of this review is to evaluate the evidence supporting a link between disproportionate environmental exposures and these health disparities.

RECENT FINDINGS

Studies suggest that various co-occurring factors related to the home environment, neighborhood environment, non-modifiable individual factors, and individual behaviors and attributes can increase or modify the risk of adverse respiratory outcomes among socioeconomically-disadvantaged and racially/ethnically diverse populations. Pollutants in the home environment, including particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, and pesticides, are elevated among lower socioeconomic status populations and have been implicated in the development or exacerbation of respiratory-related conditions. Neighborhood crime and green space are socioeconomically patterned and linked with asthma outcomes through psychosocial pathways. Non-modifiable individual factors such as genetic predisposition cannot explain environmental health disparities but can increase susceptibility to air pollution and other stressors. Individual behaviors and attributes, including obesity and physical activity, contribute to worse outcomes among those with asthma or COPD.

SUMMARY

The root causes of these multifactorial exposures are complex, but many likely stem from economic forces and racial/ethnic and economic segregation that influence the home environment, neighborhood environment, and access to healthy foods and consumer products. Critical research needs include investigations that characterize exposure to and health implications of numerous stressors simultaneously, both to guard against potential confounding in epidemiological investigations and to consider the cumulative impact of multiple elevated environmental exposures and sociodemographic stressors on health disparities.

The role of the indoor environment: Residential determinants of allergy, asthma and pulmonary function in children from a US-Mexico border community

The El Paso Children's Health Study examined environmental risk factors for allergy and asthma among fourth and fifth grade schoolchildren living in a major United States-Mexico border city. Complete questionnaire information was available for 5210 children, while adequate pulmonary function data were available for a subset of 1874. Herein we studied indoor environmental health risk factors for allergy and asthma. Several indoor environmental risk factors were associated with allergy and asthma. In particular, we found that ant and spider pest problems, pet dogs, fireplace heat, central air conditioning, humidifier use, and cooking with gas stoves were positively associated with both allergy and asthma prevalence. With regards to asthma severity, our analysis indicated that exposure to pet dogs increased monotonically with increasing asthma severity while the lack of any heat source and gas stove use for cooking decreased monotonically with increasing asthma severity. Lung function also decreased among children who lived in homes with reported cockroach pest problem in the past year without concurrent use of pesticides. These effects on pulmonary function were present even after excluding children with a current physician's diagnosis of asthma. Clinicians and public health professionals may need to look closely at the contribution of these indoor risk factors on pulmonary health and quality of life among susceptible populations.

Proximity to agricultural fields as proxy for environmental exposure to pesticides among children: The PIAMA birth cohort

BACKGROUND

Agricultural pesticides are frequently used for crop protection. Residents living in close proximity to treated fields may be exposed to these pesticides. There is some indication that children living near agricultural fields have an increased risk of developing asthma and decreased lung function.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to assess the proximity of participants' homes to fields likely treated with pesticides as proxy for environmental exposure to agricultural pesticides among participants of a Dutch birth cohort study, and to combine acreage of fields with farmer-reported pesticide use.

METHODS

Potential pesticide exposure at the home address at the time of the 14-year follow-up was estimated for 2291 participants of the Dutch PIAMA birth cohort study. We used spatial data on the presence of crops during the year 2012 to calculate the surface area of specific crops relevant for pesticide use in The Netherlands cultivated within 50, 100, 500 and 1000m of the study homes. Farmer-reported pesticides use on specific crops from a national survey performed in 2012 was used to estimate the amount of all pesticides and pesticides with known irritant properties for the respiratory system applied within the aforementioned distances of the study homes.

RESULTS

For 3%, 7%, 40%, and 65% of the homes, any relevant crops were present within 50, 100, 500 and 1000m, respectively. Among these, the most frequent crops were corn, cereals, and potatoes. For almost the same percentages of homes, it was estimated that pesticides with known irritant properties for the respiratory system were potentially applied within these distances.

CONCLUSIONS

We observed that a small proportion of the study participants lived in close proximity (<50 or <100m) to agricultural fields with crops relevant for pesticide use in The Netherlands. The percentage of study homes within 500 or 1000m of agricultural fields with these crops was much larger.

More surprises in the global greenhouse: Human health impacts from recent toxic marine aerosol formations, due to centennial alterations of world-wide coastal food webs

Reductions of zooplankton biomasses and grazing pressures were observed during overfishing-induced trophic cascades and concurrent oil spills at global scales. Recent phytoplankton increments followed, once Fe-, P-, and N-nutrient limitations of commensal diazotrophs and dinoflagellates were also eliminated by respective human desertification, deforestation, and eutrophication during climate changes. Si-limitation of diatoms instead ensued during these last anthropogenic perturbations of agricultural effluents and sewage loadings. Consequently, ~15% of total world-wide annual asthma trigger responses, i.e. amounting to ~45 million adjacent humans during 2004, resulted from brevetoxin and palytoxin poisons in aerosol forms of western boundary current origins. They were denoted by greater global harmful algal bloom [HAB] abundances and breathing attacks among sea-side children during prior decadal surveys of asthma prevalence, compiled here in ten paired shelf ecosystems of western and eutrophied boundary currents. Since 1965, such inferred onshore fluxes of aerosolized DOC poisons of HABs may have served as additional wind-borne organic carriers of toxic marine MeHg, phthalate, and DDT/DDE vectors, traced by radio-iodine isotopes to potentially elicit carcinomas. During these exchanges, as much as 40% of mercury poisonings may instead have been effected by inhalation of collateral HAB-carried marine neurotoxic aerosols of MeHg, not just from eating marine fish. Health impacts in some areas were additional asthma and pneumonia episodes, as well as endocrine disruptions among the same adjacent humans, with known large local rates of thyroid cancers, physician-diagnosed pulmonary problems, and ubiquitous high indices of mercury in hair, pesticides in breast milk, and phthalates in urine.

Pesticides: an update of human exposure and toxicity

Pesticides are a family of compounds which have brought many benefits to mankind in the agricultural, industrial, and health areas, but their toxicities in both humans and animals have always been a concern. Regardless of acute poisonings which are common for some classes of pesticides like organophosphoruses, the association of chronic and sub-lethal exposure to pesticides with a prevalence of some persistent diseases is going to be a phenomenon to which global attention has been attracted. In this review, incidence of various malignant, neurodegenerative, respiratory, reproductive, developmental, and metabolic diseases in relation to different routes of human exposure to pesticides such as occupational, environmental, residential, parental, maternal, and paternal has been systematically criticized in different categories of pesticide toxicities like carcinogenicity, neurotoxicity, pulmonotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, developmental toxicity, and metabolic toxicity. A huge body of evidence exists on the possible role of pesticide exposures in the elevated incidence of human diseases such as cancers, Alzheimer, Parkinson, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, asthma, bronchitis, infertility, birth defects, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism, diabetes, and obesity. Most of the disorders are induced by insecticides and herbicides most notably organophosphorus, organochlorines, phenoxyacetic acids, and triazine compounds.

Associations between pesticide use and respiratory symptoms: A cross-sectional study in Southern Ghana

BACKGROUND

Indiscriminate use of pesticides is a common practice amongst farmers in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMIC) across the globe. However, there is little evidence defining whether pesticide use is associated with respiratory symptoms.

OBJECTIVES

This cross-sectional study was conducted with 300 vegetable farmers in southern Ghana (Akumadan). Data on pesticide use was collected with an interviewed-administered questionnaire. The concentration of seven organochlorine pesticides and 3 pyrethroid pesticides was assayed in urine collected from a sub-population of 100 vegetable farmers by a gas chromatograph equipped with an electron capture detector (GC-ECD).

RESULTS

A statistically significant exposure-response relationship of years per day spent mixing/applying fumigant with wheezing [30-60 days/year: prevalence ratio (PR)=1.80 (95% CI 1.30, 2.50); >60days/year: 3.25 (1.70-6.33), p for trend=0.003] and hours per day spent mixing/applying fumigant with wheezing [1-2h/day: 1.20 (1.02-1.41), 3-5h/day: 1.45 (1.05-1.99), >5h/day: 1.74 (1.07-2.81), p for trend=0.0225]; days per year spent mixing/applying fungicide with wheezing [30-60 days/year: 2.04 (1.31-3.17); >60days/year: 4.16 (1.72-10.08), p for trend=0.0017] and h per day spent mixing/applying fungicide with phlegm production [1-2h/day: 1.25 (1.05-1.47), 3-5h/day: 1.55 (1.11-2.17), >5h/day: 1.93 (1.17-3.19), p for trend=0.0028] and with wheezing [1-2h/day: 1.10 (1.00-1.50), 3-5h/day: 1.20 (1.11-1.72), >5h/day: 1.32 (1.09-2.53), p for trend=0.0088]; h per day spent mixing/applying insecticide with phlegm production [1-2h/day: 1.23 (1.09-1.62), 3-5h/day: 1.51 (1.20-2.58), >5h/day: 1.85 (1.31-4.15), p for trend=0.0387] and wheezing [1-2h/day: 1.22 (1.02-1.46), 3-5h/day: 1.49 (1.04-2.12), >5h/day: 1.81 (1.07-3.08), p for trend=0.0185] were observed. Statistically significant exposure-response association was also observed for a combination of activities that exposes farmers to pesticide with all 3 respiratory symptoms. Furthermore, significant exposure-response associations for 3 organochlorine insecticides: beta-HCH, heptachlor and endosulfan sulfate were noted.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, vegetable farmers in Ghana may be at increased risk for respiratory symptoms as a result of exposure to pesticides.

Environmental exposure to pesticides and respiratory health

Respiratory effects of environmental exposure to pesticides are debated. Here we aimed to review epidemiological studies published up until 2013, using the PubMed database. 20 studies dealing with respiratory health and non-occupational pesticide exposure were identified, 14 carried out on children and six on adults. In four out of nine studies in children with biological measurements, mothers' dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) blood levels during pregnancy were associated with asthma and wheezing in young children. An association was also found between permethrin in indoor air during pregnancy and wheezing in children. A significant association between asthma and DDE measured in children's blood (aged 7-10 years) was observed in one study. However, in three studies, no association was found between asthma or respiratory infections in children and pesticide levels in breast milk and/or infant blood. Lastly, in three out of four studies where post-natal pesticide exposure of children was assessed by parental questionnaire an association with respiratory symptoms was found. Results of the fewer studies on pesticide environmental exposure and respiratory health of adults were much less conclusive: indeed, the associations observed were weak and often not significant. In conclusion, further studies are needed to confirm whether there is a respiratory risk associated with environmental exposure to pesticides.

Decreased lung function in 7-year-old children with early-life organophosphate exposure

BACKGROUND

Organophosphate pesticides are heavily used in agriculture, and adverse associations with respiratory health in occupational settings have been reported. However, most of the evidence comes from studies where there were no biomarkers of exposure and no objective outcome measurement. Non-occupational chronic effects among residents living in agricultural communities are less well described.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate associations between early-life organophosphate exposure and lung function of children living in an agricultural community.

METHODS

Participants were 279 children from the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) longitudinal birth cohort. The area under the curve for organophosphate exposure was determined by urinary diethyl and dimethyl dialkylphosphate metabolites of organophosphate pesticides, which were measured five times during childhood (6-60 months). Spirometry was performed at age 7 years. Regression models controlled for maternal smoking during pregnancy, season of birth, particulate matter concentrations with aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 μm (PM2.5), breast feeding duration, mould and pets at home, distance of home from a highway, food insecurity, maternal education, season of spirometry, sex, height and technician.

RESULTS

Childhood diethyl, dimethyl and total dialkylphosphate concentrations were associated with significant decreases in lung function at age 7. Specifically, we found lower FEV1, (L/s) (ß=-0.16, 95% CI -0.30 to -0.02, p=0.03) and FVC (L) (ß=-0.17, 95% CI -0.34 to 0.01, p=0.06) per 10-fold increase of total dialkylphosphate levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Early-life organophosphate exposure as assessed by dialkylphosphate concentrations was adversely associated with 7-year-old children's lung function.

The association of respiratory symptoms and indoor housing conditions among migrant farmworkers in eastern North Carolina

Farm labor housing has been described as among the worst in the nation, oftentimes with poor and unsanitary indoor living conditions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between indoor environmental risk factors and respiratory health among migrant farmworker occupants (N = 352) living in employer-provided housing. A cross-sectional sample of adult Latino male farm laborers were administered a questionnaire to identify the prevalence of major respiratory symptoms. Self-reported and independent observations were made to evaluate environmental respiratory risk factors and indoor housing conditions, including but not limited to, the presence of cockroaches, rodents, pesticides, and visible signs of mold. Spirometry was performed to evaluate lung function using FEV1 (forced expiratory volume in 1 second), FVC (forced vital capacity), and FEV1 /FVC ratio. Bivariate analysis was applied to evaluate associations between respiratory symptoms and selected indoor environmental risk factors. Findings for respiratory health included prevalence of wheeze (11.4%), coughing up phlegm (17.3%), tightness of chest (16.8%), and runny or stuffy nose (34.4%). Respiratory risks identified inside the dwellings included the use of pesticides or bug sprays for cockroaches (31.5%), rat or mouse poison (19.5%), visible signs of water damage in the bathroom (22.5%), and mold in the sleeping room (11.1%). Spirometry values were normal for most occupants, although statistically significant associations were found between mold and coughing up phlegm when not having a cold (P = .0262); presence of mold and asthma (P = .0084); pesticides used in the home and tightness of chest (P = .0001); and use of tobacco and coughing up phlegm (P = .0131). Although causal inference can be difficult to establish from a cross-sectional study, findings from this study represents suggestive evidence that indoor environmental risk factors may be contributory factors for respiratory health problems among this vulnerable workgroup population.

Chlorpyrifos exposure and respiratory health among adolescent agricultural workers

Chlorpyrifos (CPF) is a commonly used organophosphate insecticide (OP). In adults, exposure to OPs has been inconsistently associated with reduced lung function. OP exposure and lung function has not been assessed in adolescents. The objective of this study was to assess CPF exposure and lung function among Egyptian adolescents. We conducted a 10-month study of male adolescent pesticide applicators (n = 38) and non-applicators of similar age (n = 24). Urinary 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TPCy), a CPF-specific metabolite, was analyzed in specimens collected throughout the study. Spirometry was performed twice after pesticide application: day 146, when TCPy levels were elevated and day 269, when TCPy levels were near baseline. Applicators had higher levels of TCPy (mean cumulative TCPy day 146 = 33,217.6; standard deviation (SD) = 49,179.3) than non-applicators (mean cumulative TCPy day 146 = 3290.8; SD = 3994.9). Compared with non-applicators, applicators had higher odds of reporting wheeze, odds ratio = 3.41 (95% CI: 0.70; 17.41). Cumulative urinary TCPy was inversely associated with spirometric measurements at day 146, but not at day 269. Although generally non-significant, results were consistent with an inverse association between exposure to CPF and lung function.