Self reported symptoms and inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity among Kenyan agricultural workers
Grace J A Ohayo-Mitokoa b, Hans Kromhouta, James M Simwab, Jan S M Boleijc, Dick Heederika
a Environmental and
Occupational Health Group, Wageningen University, PO Box 238, 6700 AE
Wageningen, The Netherlands, b Division of
Environmental and Occupational Health and Cancer Research, Medical
Research Centre, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya, c Board for the Authorisation of Pesticides,
Wageningen, The Netherlands
Correspondence to: Dr Dick Heederik, Environmental and Occupational Health Group, Wageningen University, PO Box 238, 6700 AE Wageningen, The Netherlands email dick.heederik{at}Staff.EOH.WAU.NL
Accepted 20 October
1999
OBJECTIVES
This study
was part of the East African pesticides project. The general objective
was to assess health hazards posed by handling, storage, and use of
pesticides, on agricultural estates and small farms with a view to
developing strategies for prevention and control of pesticide
poisoning. The aim of this paper is to describe the prevalence of
symptoms in this population, to relate levels of inhibition to reported
symptoms and evaluate at which levels of inhibition symptoms become increased.
METHODSComplete data
were available for 256 exposed subjects and 152 controls from four
regions in Kenya. A structured questionnaire on symptoms experienced at
the time of interview was given to all subjects and controls.
Information was also obtained on sex, age, main occupation, and level
of education. Symptoms reported during the high exposure period, were
initially clustered in broader symptom categories from reference
literature on health effects of pesticides that inhibit cholinesterase
(organophosphate and carbamate). Prevalence ratios were estimated for
symptoms with changes in cholinesterase activity in serum.
RESULTSSymptom
prevalence in exposed subjects was higher during the high exposure
period than the low exposure period, although these differences were
not significant. Interestingly, a clear and significant change in
symptoms prevalence was found in the controls with a higher prevalence
in the low exposure period. Analysis of the relation between
cholinesterase inhibition and symptoms showed that prevalence ratios
were significantly >1 for respiratory, eye, and central nervous system
symptoms for workers with >30% inhibition. Similar results were found
for analyses with the actual level of acetylcholinesterase activity.
CONCLUSIONThe results
suggest the presence of a relation between exposure and
acetylcholinesterase inhibition, acetylcholinesterase activity, and
respiratory, eye, and central nervous system symptoms. Increased
symptom prevalence was found at acetylcholinesterase activities
generally considered to be non-adverse.
Keywords: cholinesterase inhibition; symptoms; health effects; Kenya; agricultural workers
© 2000 by Occupational and Environmental Medicine
CiteULike 
Complore 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us 
Digg 
Reddit 
Technorati What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
-
Chatzi, L., Alegakis, A., Tzanakis, N., Siafakas, N., Kogevinas, M., Lionis, C.
(2007). Association of allergic rhinitis with pesticide use among grape farmers in Crete, Greece. Occup. Environ. Med.
64: 417-421
[Abstract] [Full Text] -
Kamel, F, Engel, L S, Gladen, B C, Hoppin, J A, Alavanja, M C., Sandler, D P
(2007). Neurologic symptoms in licensed pesticide applicators in the Agricultural Health Study. Hum Exp Toxicol
26: 243-250
[Abstract] -
SPEE, T.
(2006). Occupational Hygiene in Africa. ANN OCCUP HYG
50: 431-435
[Full Text] -
Hoppin, J. A., Umbach, D. M., London, S. J., Lynch, C. F., Alavanja, M. C. R., Sandler, D. P.
(2006). Pesticides associated with Wheeze among Commercial Pesticide Applicators in the Agricultural Health Study. Am J Epidemiol
163: 1129-1137
[Abstract] [Full Text] -
Salameh, P.R., Baldi, I., Brochard, P., Raherison, C., Abi Saleh, B., Salamon, R.
(2003). Respiratory symptoms in children and exposure to pesticides. Eur Respir J
22: 507-512
[Abstract] [Full Text] -
HOPPIN, J. A., UMBACH, D. M., LONDON, S. J., ALAVANJA, M. C. R., SANDLER, D. P.
(2002). Chemical Predictors of Wheeze among Farmer Pesticide Applicators in the Agricultural Health Study. Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med.
165: 683-689
[Abstract] [Full Text] -
Tamura, H., Maness, S. C., Reischmann, K., Dorman, D. C., Gray, L. E., Gaido, K. W.
(2001). Androgen Receptor Antagonism by the Organophosphate Insecticide Fenitrothion. Toxicol Sci
60: 56-62
[Abstract] [Full Text]
- Full Text
- Full Text (PDF)
- Submit a response
- Alert me when this article is cited
- Alert me when eLetters are posted
- Alert me if a correction is posted
- Citation Map
Services
- Email this link to a friend
- Similar articles in this journal
- Similar articles in PubMed
- Add article to my folders
- Download to citation manager
- Request Permissions
Citing Articles
Google Scholar
PubMed
Bookmark with
Register for free content
The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register here to access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.
Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.
