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Chen GX, Douwes J, van den Berg L, Pearce N, Kromhout H, Glass B, McLean DJ, 't Mannetje AM. Occupational exposures to pesticides and other chemicals: a New Zealand motor neuron disease case–control study. Occup Environ Med 2022; 79:412-420. [DOI: 10.1136/oemed-2021-108056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
ObjectivesTo assess associations between occupational exposures to pesticides and other chemicals and motor neuron disease (MND).MethodsA population-based case–control study that included 319 MND cases (64% male/36% female) recruited through the New Zealand MND Association complemented with hospital discharge data, and 604 controls identified from the Electoral Roll. For each job held, a questionnaire collected information on 11 exposure categories (dust, fibres, tobacco smoke, fumes, gas, fumigants, oils/solvents, acids/alkalis, pesticides, other chemicals and animals/animal products). ORs were estimated using logistic regression adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, education, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activities, head/spine injury and other occupational exposures.ResultsTwo exposure categories were associated with increased MND risks: pesticides (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.17 to 2.48) and fumigants (OR 3.98, 95% CI 1.81 to 8.76), with risks increasing with longer exposure duration (p<0.01). Associations were also observed for: methyl bromide (OR 5.28, 95% CI 1.63 to 17.15), organochlorine insecticides (OR 3.28, 95% CI 1.18 to 9.07), organophosphate insecticides (OR 3.11, 95% CI 1.40 to 6.94), pyrethroid insecticides (OR 6.38, 95% CI 1.13 to 35.96), inorganic (copper) fungicides (OR 4.66, 95% CI 1.53 to 14.19), petrol/diesel fuel (OR 2.24, 95% CI 1.27 to 3.93) and unspecified solvents (OR 1.91, 95% CI 1.22 to 2.99). In women, exposure to textile fibres (OR 2.49, 95% CI 1.13 to 5.50), disinfectants (OR 9.66, 95% CI 1.29 to 72.44) and cleaning products (OR 3.53, 95% CI 1.64 to 7.59) were also associated with MND; this was not observed in men (OR 0.80, 95% CI 0.44 to 1.48; OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.29 to 1.84; OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.21 to 1.56, respectively).ConclusionsThis study adds to the evidence that pesticides, especially insecticides, fungicides, and fumigants, are risk factors for MND.
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Cao MC, Chancellor A, Charleston A, Dragunow M, Scotter EL. Motor neuron disease mortality rates in New Zealand 1992-2013. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2018; 19:285-293. [PMID: 29382218 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2018.1432660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We determined the mortality rates of motor neuron disease (MND) in New Zealand over 22 years from 1992 to 2013. Previous studies have found an unusually high and/or increasing incidence of MND in certain regions of New Zealand; however, no studies have examined MND rates nationwide to corroborate this. METHODS Death certificate data coded G12.2 by International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 coding, or 335.2 by ICD-9 coding were obtained. These codes specify amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, progressive bulbar palsy, or other motor neuron diseases as the underlying cause of death. Mortality rates for MND deaths in New Zealand were age-standardized to the European Standard Population and compared with rates from international studies that also examined death certificate data and were age-standardized to the same standard population. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION The age-standardized mortality from MND in New Zealand was 2.3 per 100,000 per year from 1992-2007 and 2.8 per 100,000 per year from 2008-2013. These rates were 3.3 and 4.0 per 100,000 per year, respectively, for the population 20 years and older. The increase in rate between these two time periods was likely due to changes in MND death coding from 2008. Contrary to a previous regional study of MND incidence, nationwide mortality rates did not increase steadily over this time period once aging was accounted for. However, New Zealand MND mortality rate was higher than comparable studies we examined internationally (mean 1.67 per 100,000 per year), suggesting that further analysis of MND burden in New Zealand is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maize C Cao
- a Department of Pharmacology and Centre for Brain Research , University of Auckland , Auckland , New Zealand
| | | | - Alison Charleston
- c Department of Neurology , Auckland City Hospital , Auckland , New Zealand
| | - Mike Dragunow
- a Department of Pharmacology and Centre for Brain Research , University of Auckland , Auckland , New Zealand
| | - Emma L Scotter
- a Department of Pharmacology and Centre for Brain Research , University of Auckland , Auckland , New Zealand
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Pearce N, Kromhout H. Occupational causes of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: where to from here? Occup Environ Med 2016; 74:83-84. [PMID: 27864434 DOI: 10.1136/oemed-2016-103966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2016] [Revised: 10/16/2016] [Accepted: 11/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Neil Pearce
- Centre for Global NCDs, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.,Centre for Public Health Research, Massey University Wellington Campus, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Hans Kromhout
- Division of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Pearce N, Kromhout H. Neurodegenerative disease: the next occupational disease epidemic? Occup Environ Med 2014; 71:594-5. [PMID: 25035117 DOI: 10.1136/oemed-2013-101943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Neil Pearce
- Centre for Global NCDs, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK Centre for Public Health Research, Massey University Wellington Campus, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Hans Kromhout
- Division of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Abstract
Methyl bromide (MeBr) is a chemically reactive compound that has found use as a fire retardant and fumigant used for wood, soil, fruits and grains. Its use is banned in many countries because of its ozone-depleting properties. Despite this ban, the use of MeBr persists in some parts of the world (e.g. New Zealand) due to its important role in maintaining strict biosecurity of exported and imported products. Its high chemical reactivity leads to a broad toxicological profile ranging from acute respiratory toxicity following inhalation exposure, through carcinogenicity to neurotoxicty. In this article, we discuss the chemistry of MeBr in the context of its mechanisms of toxicity. The chemical reactivity of MeBr clearly underlies its toxicity. Bromine (Br) is electronegative and a good leaving group; the δ+ carbon thus facilitates electrophilic methylation of biological molecules including glutathione (GSH) via its δ- sulphur atom, leading to downstream effects due to GSH depletion. DNA alkylation, either directly by MeBr or indirectly due to reduction in GSH-mediated detoxification of reactive alkylating chemical species, might explain the carcinogenicity of MeBr. The neurotoxicity of MeBr is much more difficult to understand, but we speculate that methyl phosphates formed in cells might contribute to its neurone-specific toxicity via cholinesterase inhibition. Finally, evidence reviewed shows that it is unlikely for Br⁻ liberated by the metabolism of MeBr to have any toxicological effect because the Br⁻ dose is very low.
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Affiliation(s)
- A T Bulathsinghala
- Department of Chemistry, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
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Pesticide exposure and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neurotoxicology 2012; 33:457-62. [PMID: 22521219 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2012.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2012] [Revised: 03/30/2012] [Accepted: 04/04/2012] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Our objectives were to summarize literature on the association of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with pesticides as a group and to evaluate associations of ALS with specific pesticides. We conducted a meta-analysis of published studies of ALS and pesticides as a group and investigated the association of ALS with specific pesticides, using data from the Agricultural Health Study (AHS), a cohort including 84,739 private pesticide applicators and spouses. AHS participants provided information on pesticide use at enrollment in 1993-1997. In mortality data collected through February 2010, ALS was recorded on death certificates of 41 individuals whom we compared to the remaining cohort (controls), using unconditional logistic regression adjusted for age and gender to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals. In the meta-analysis, ALS was associated with use of pesticides as a group (1.9, 1.1-3.1). In the AHS, ALS was not associated with pesticides as a group, but was associated with use of organochlorine insecticides (OCs) (1.6, 0.8-3.5), pyrethroids (1.4, 0.6-3.4), herbicides (1.6, 0.7-3.7), and fumigants (1.8, 0.8-3.9). ORs were elevated forever use of the specific OCs aldrin (2.1, 0.8-5.1), dieldrin (2.6, 0.9-7.3), DDT (2.1, 0.9-5.0), and toxaphene (2.0, 0.8-4.9). None of these associations was statistically significant. Similar results were observed in an analysis restricted to men. In conclusion, the meta-analysis suggests that ALS risk is associated with use of pesticides as a group, and our analysis of AHS data points to OC use in particular. The latter results are novel but based on a small number of cases and require replication in other populations.
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McMahon BK, Gunnlaugsson T. Selective Detection of the Reduced Form of Glutathione (GSH) over the Oxidized (GSSG) Form Using a Combination of Glutathione Reductase and a Tb(III)-Cyclen Maleimide Based Lanthanide Luminescent ‘Switch On’ Assay. J Am Chem Soc 2012; 134:10725-8. [DOI: 10.1021/ja300887k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 216] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Brian K. McMahon
- School of Chemistry, Center
for Synthesis and Chemical
Biology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin
2, Ireland
| | - Thorfinnur Gunnlaugsson
- School of Chemistry, Center
for Synthesis and Chemical
Biology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin
2, Ireland
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Budnik LT, Kloth S, Velasco-Garrido M, Baur X. Prostate cancer and toxicity from critical use exemptions of methyl bromide: environmental protection helps protect against human health risks. Environ Health 2012; 11:5. [PMID: 22284215 PMCID: PMC3807750 DOI: 10.1186/1476-069x-11-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2011] [Accepted: 01/27/2012] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although ozone-depleting methyl bromide was destined for phase-out by 2005, it is still widely applied as a consequence of various critical-use-exemptions and mandatory international regulations aiming to restrict the spread of pests and alien species (e.g. in globalized transport and storage). The withdrawal of methyl bromide because of its environmental risk could fortuitously help in the containment of its human toxicity. METHODS We performed a systematic review of the literature, including in vitro toxicological and epidemiological studies of occupational and community exposure to the halogenated hydrocarbon pesticide methyl bromide. We focused on toxic (especially chronic) or carcinogenic effects from the use of methyl bromide, on biomonitoring data and reference values. Eligible epidemiological studies were subjected to meta-analysis. RESULTS Out of the 542 peer reviewed publications between 1990-2011, we found only 91 referring to toxicity of methyl bromide and 29 using the term "carcinogenic", "neoplastic" or "mutagenic". Several studies provide new additional data pertaining to the mechanistic aspects of methyl bromide toxicity. Few studies have performed a detailed exposure assessment including biomonitoring. Three evaluated epidemiological studies assessed a possible association between cancer and methyl bromide. Overall, exposure to methyl bromide is associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer OR, 1.21; 95% CI (0,98-1.49), P = 0.076. Two epidemiological studies have analyzed environmental, non-occupational exposure to methyl bromide providing evidence for its health risk to the general public. None of the epidemiological studies addressed its use as a fumigant in freight containers, although recent field and case reports do refer to its toxic effects associated with its use in shipping and storage. CONCLUSIONS Both the epidemiological evidence and toxicological data suggest a possible link between methyl bromide exposure and serious health problems, including prostate cancer risk from occupational and community exposure. The environmental risks of methyl bromide are not in doubt, but also its health risks, especially for genetically predisposed subjects, should not be underestimated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lygia T Budnik
- Division of Occupational Toxicology and Immunology, Institute for Occupational and Maritime Medicine (ZfAM), Medical Faculty, University of Hamburg, University Medical Center, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Kloth
- Division of Occupational Toxicology and Immunology, Institute for Occupational and Maritime Medicine (ZfAM), Medical Faculty, University of Hamburg, University Medical Center, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marcial Velasco-Garrido
- Division of Clinical Occupational Medicine, Institute for Occupational and Maritime Medicine (ZfAM), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Xaver Baur
- Chair for Occupational Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Hamburg, University Medical Center, Hamburg, Germany
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