1
|
Zúñiga-Venegas LA, Hyland C, Muñoz-Quezada MT, Quirós-Alcalá L, Butinof M, Buralli R, Cardenas A, Fernandez RA, Foerster C, Gouveia N, Gutiérrez Jara JP, Lucero BA, Muñoz MP, Ramírez-Santana M, Smith AR, Tirado N, van Wendel de Joode B, Calaf GM, Handal AJ, Soares da Silva A, Cortés S, Mora AM. Health Effects of Pesticide Exposure in Latin American and the Caribbean Populations: A Scoping Review. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2022; 130:96002. [PMID: 36173136 PMCID: PMC9521041 DOI: 10.1289/ehp9934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2021] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Multiple epidemiological studies have shown that exposure to pesticides is associated with adverse health outcomes. However, the literature on pesticide-related health effects in the Latin American and the Caribbean (LAC) region, an area of intensive agricultural and residential pesticide use, is sparse. We conducted a scoping review to describe the current state of research on the health effects of pesticide exposure in LAC populations with the goal of identifying knowledge gaps and research capacity building needs. METHODS We searched PubMed and SciELO for epidemiological studies on pesticide exposure and human health in LAC populations published between January 2007 and December 2021. We identified 233 publications from 16 countries that met our inclusion criteria and grouped them by health outcome (genotoxicity, neurobehavioral outcomes, placental outcomes and teratogenicity, cancer, thyroid function, reproductive outcomes, birth outcomes and child growth, and others). RESULTS Most published studies were conducted in Brazil (37%, n = 88 ) and Mexico (20%, n = 46 ), were cross-sectional in design (72%, n = 167 ), and focused on farmworkers (45%, n = 105 ) or children (21%, n = 48 ). The most frequently studied health effects included genotoxicity (24%, n = 62 ) and neurobehavioral outcomes (21%, n = 54 ), and organophosphate (OP) pesticides were the most frequently examined (26%, n = 81 ). Forty-seven percent (n = 112 ) of the studies relied only on indirect pesticide exposure assessment methods. Exposure to OP pesticides, carbamates, or to multiple pesticide classes was consistently associated with markers of genotoxicity and adverse neurobehavioral outcomes, particularly among children and farmworkers. DISCUSSION Our scoping review provides some evidence that exposure to pesticides may adversely impact the health of LAC populations, but methodological limitations and inconsistencies undermine the strength of the conclusions. It is critical to increase capacity building, integrate research initiatives, and conduct more rigorous epidemiological studies in the region to address these limitations, better inform public health surveillance systems, and maximize the impact of research on public policies. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP9934.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liliana A. Zúñiga-Venegas
- Centro de Investigaciones de Estudios Avanzados del Maule, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
| | - Carly Hyland
- Center for Environmental Research and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
- School of Public Health and Population Science, Boise State University, Boise, Idaho, USA
| | - María Teresa Muñoz-Quezada
- Centro de Investigación en Neuropsicología y Neurociencias Cognitivas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
| | - Lesliam Quirós-Alcalá
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Bloomberg School of Public Health, John Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Maryland Institute of Applied Environmental Health, School of Public Health, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Mariana Butinof
- Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Rafael Buralli
- Departamento de Saúde Ambiental, Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil
| | - Andres Cardenas
- Center for Environmental Research and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Ricardo A. Fernandez
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Católica de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Claudia Foerster
- Instituto de Ciencias de la Agroalimentarias, Animales y Ambientales, Universidad de O’Higgins, San Fernando, Chile
| | - Nelson Gouveia
- Departamento de Medicina Preventiva, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil
| | - Juan P. Gutiérrez Jara
- Centro de Investigaciones de Estudios Avanzados del Maule, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
| | - Boris A. Lucero
- Centro de Investigación en Neuropsicología y Neurociencias Cognitivas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
| | - María Pía Muñoz
- Escuela de Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Muriel Ramírez-Santana
- Departamento de Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Anna R. Smith
- Center for Environmental Research and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Noemi Tirado
- Instituto de Genética, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, Louisiana Paz, Bolivia
| | - Berna van Wendel de Joode
- Infants’ Environmental Health Study, Central American Institute for Studies on Toxic Substances, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica
| | - Gloria M. Calaf
- Instituto de Alta Investigación, Universidad de Tarapacá, Arica, Chile
- Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Alexis J. Handal
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | | | - Sandra Cortés
- Centro Avanzado de Enfermedades Crónicas (ACCDiS), Centro de Desarrollo Urbano Sustentable, Departamento de Salud Pública, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ana M. Mora
- Center for Environmental Research and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
- Infants’ Environmental Health Study, Central American Institute for Studies on Toxic Substances, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Lopes-Ferreira M, Maleski ALA, Balan-Lima L, Bernardo JTG, Hipolito LM, Seni-Silva AC, Batista-Filho J, Falcao MAP, Lima C. Impact of Pesticides on Human Health in the Last Six Years in Brazil. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19063198. [PMID: 35328887 PMCID: PMC8951416 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19063198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Every year, Brazil intensifies its activity in agriculture and, as a result, it has become one of the biggest consumers of pesticides in the world. The high rate of these substances raises environmental and human health concerns. Therefore, we collected papers from PubMed, Scopus, Scielo, and Web of Science databases, from 2015 to 2021. After a blind selection using the software Rayyan QCRI by two authors, 51 studies were included. Researchers from the South and the Southeast Brazilian regions contributed to most publications, from areas that concentrate agricultural commodity complexes. Among the pesticides described in the studies, insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides were the most frequent. The articles reported multiple toxic effects, particularly in rural workers. The results obtained can be used to direct policies to reduce the use of pesticides, and to protect the health of the population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Monica Lopes-Ferreira
- Immunoregulation Unit of the Laboratory of Applied Toxinology (CeTICs/FAPESP), Butantan Institute, Vital Brazil Avenue, 1500, Butantan, São Paulo 05503-009, Brazil; (A.L.A.M.); (L.B.-L.); (J.T.G.B.); (L.M.H.); (A.C.S.-S.); (J.B.-F.); (M.A.P.F.); (C.L.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Adolfo Luis Almeida Maleski
- Immunoregulation Unit of the Laboratory of Applied Toxinology (CeTICs/FAPESP), Butantan Institute, Vital Brazil Avenue, 1500, Butantan, São Paulo 05503-009, Brazil; (A.L.A.M.); (L.B.-L.); (J.T.G.B.); (L.M.H.); (A.C.S.-S.); (J.B.-F.); (M.A.P.F.); (C.L.)
- Post-Graduation Program of Toxinology, Butantan Institute, São Paulo 05503-009, Brazil
| | - Leticia Balan-Lima
- Immunoregulation Unit of the Laboratory of Applied Toxinology (CeTICs/FAPESP), Butantan Institute, Vital Brazil Avenue, 1500, Butantan, São Paulo 05503-009, Brazil; (A.L.A.M.); (L.B.-L.); (J.T.G.B.); (L.M.H.); (A.C.S.-S.); (J.B.-F.); (M.A.P.F.); (C.L.)
| | - Jefferson Thiago Gonçalves Bernardo
- Immunoregulation Unit of the Laboratory of Applied Toxinology (CeTICs/FAPESP), Butantan Institute, Vital Brazil Avenue, 1500, Butantan, São Paulo 05503-009, Brazil; (A.L.A.M.); (L.B.-L.); (J.T.G.B.); (L.M.H.); (A.C.S.-S.); (J.B.-F.); (M.A.P.F.); (C.L.)
| | - Lucas Marques Hipolito
- Immunoregulation Unit of the Laboratory of Applied Toxinology (CeTICs/FAPESP), Butantan Institute, Vital Brazil Avenue, 1500, Butantan, São Paulo 05503-009, Brazil; (A.L.A.M.); (L.B.-L.); (J.T.G.B.); (L.M.H.); (A.C.S.-S.); (J.B.-F.); (M.A.P.F.); (C.L.)
| | - Ana Carolina Seni-Silva
- Immunoregulation Unit of the Laboratory of Applied Toxinology (CeTICs/FAPESP), Butantan Institute, Vital Brazil Avenue, 1500, Butantan, São Paulo 05503-009, Brazil; (A.L.A.M.); (L.B.-L.); (J.T.G.B.); (L.M.H.); (A.C.S.-S.); (J.B.-F.); (M.A.P.F.); (C.L.)
- Post-Graduation Program of Toxinology, Butantan Institute, São Paulo 05503-009, Brazil
| | - Joao Batista-Filho
- Immunoregulation Unit of the Laboratory of Applied Toxinology (CeTICs/FAPESP), Butantan Institute, Vital Brazil Avenue, 1500, Butantan, São Paulo 05503-009, Brazil; (A.L.A.M.); (L.B.-L.); (J.T.G.B.); (L.M.H.); (A.C.S.-S.); (J.B.-F.); (M.A.P.F.); (C.L.)
- Post-Graduation Program of Toxinology, Butantan Institute, São Paulo 05503-009, Brazil
| | - Maria Alice Pimentel Falcao
- Immunoregulation Unit of the Laboratory of Applied Toxinology (CeTICs/FAPESP), Butantan Institute, Vital Brazil Avenue, 1500, Butantan, São Paulo 05503-009, Brazil; (A.L.A.M.); (L.B.-L.); (J.T.G.B.); (L.M.H.); (A.C.S.-S.); (J.B.-F.); (M.A.P.F.); (C.L.)
| | - Carla Lima
- Immunoregulation Unit of the Laboratory of Applied Toxinology (CeTICs/FAPESP), Butantan Institute, Vital Brazil Avenue, 1500, Butantan, São Paulo 05503-009, Brazil; (A.L.A.M.); (L.B.-L.); (J.T.G.B.); (L.M.H.); (A.C.S.-S.); (J.B.-F.); (M.A.P.F.); (C.L.)
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Panis C, Kawassaki ACB, Crestani APJ, Pascotto CR, Bortoloti DS, Vicentini GE, Lucio LC, Ferreira MO, Prates RTC, Vieira VK, Gaboardi SC, Candiotto LZP. Evidence on Human Exposure to Pesticides and the Occurrence of Health Hazards in the Brazilian Population: A Systematic Review. Front Public Health 2022; 9:787438. [PMID: 35071167 PMCID: PMC8777228 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.787438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Brazil is among the biggest pesticide consumers in the world, with its population severely exposed to tons of such substances, both because of environmental contamination and occupational use. The health consequences of pesticide exposure are well-documented, but still sparse regarding Brazilian population. This study systematically reviewed the Brazilian studies published that address the relationship between exposure to pesticides and health problems in the Brazilian population. Also, information about pesticide use in Brazil is provided. The included studies showed that exposure to pesticides has a relevant impact on the health of the Brazilian population, regardless of age and gender, and on workers in rural areas or not. Most poisoning events seem to result from the continuous use of pesticides, whether occupationally or environmentally, characterizing a public health problem. The major consequences reported in literature were damage to the central nervous system, cancer, deleterious effects on rural workers' health, intoxications, malformations, and endocrine changes. These findings point out the need to understand the impact of chronic exposure to pesticides on severely exposed people and highlight the importance of creating public policies to protect them and avoid disease occurrence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Panis
- Grupo de Estudos Avançados em Ciências da Saúde (GEACS), Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Estadual Do Oeste Do Paraná, Francisco Beltrão, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Aplicadas à Saúde, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Estadual Do Oeste Do Paraná, Francisco Beltrão, Brazil
| | - Aedra Carla Bufalo Kawassaki
- Grupo de Estudos Avançados em Ciências da Saúde (GEACS), Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Estadual Do Oeste Do Paraná, Francisco Beltrão, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Aplicadas à Saúde, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Estadual Do Oeste Do Paraná, Francisco Beltrão, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Jaqueline Crestani
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Aplicadas à Saúde, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Estadual Do Oeste Do Paraná, Francisco Beltrão, Brazil
| | - Claudiceia Risso Pascotto
- Grupo de Estudos Avançados em Ciências da Saúde (GEACS), Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Estadual Do Oeste Do Paraná, Francisco Beltrão, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Aplicadas à Saúde, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Estadual Do Oeste Do Paraná, Francisco Beltrão, Brazil
| | - Durcelina Schiavoni Bortoloti
- Grupo de Estudos Avançados em Ciências da Saúde (GEACS), Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Estadual Do Oeste Do Paraná, Francisco Beltrão, Brazil
| | - Geraldo Emílio Vicentini
- Grupo de Estudos Avançados em Ciências da Saúde (GEACS), Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Estadual Do Oeste Do Paraná, Francisco Beltrão, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Aplicadas à Saúde, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Estadual Do Oeste Do Paraná, Francisco Beltrão, Brazil
| | - Léia Carolina Lucio
- Grupo de Estudos Avançados em Ciências da Saúde (GEACS), Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Estadual Do Oeste Do Paraná, Francisco Beltrão, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Aplicadas à Saúde, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Estadual Do Oeste Do Paraná, Francisco Beltrão, Brazil
| | - Mariane Okamoto Ferreira
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Aplicadas à Saúde, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Estadual Do Oeste Do Paraná, Francisco Beltrão, Brazil
| | - Rosebel Trindade Cunha Prates
- Grupo de Estudos Avançados em Ciências da Saúde (GEACS), Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Estadual Do Oeste Do Paraná, Francisco Beltrão, Brazil
| | - Valquíria Kulig Vieira
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Aplicadas à Saúde, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Estadual Do Oeste Do Paraná, Francisco Beltrão, Brazil
| | - Shaiane Carla Gaboardi
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Geografia, Universidade Estadual Do Oeste Do Paraná (Unioeste), Francisco Beltrão, Brazil
| | - Luciano Zanetti Pessoa Candiotto
- Grupo de Estudos Avançados em Ciências da Saúde (GEACS), Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Estadual Do Oeste Do Paraná, Francisco Beltrão, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Geografia, Universidade Estadual Do Oeste Do Paraná (Unioeste), Francisco Beltrão, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|