The clinical and biochemical study of pesticide sprayers.
Srivastava A. K., Gupta B. N., Mathur A. K., Mathur N., Mahendra P. N., Bharti R. S.
Author Affiliation: B.N. Gupta, Epidemiology Division, Industrial Toxicology Research Centre, Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Lucknow 226?001, India.
Human & Experimental Toxicology 10 : 279-283
Abstract : Clinical, haematological and biochemical studies were conducted on 34 subjects, who were employed in spraying mango trees around Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India, with e.g. monocrotophos, phosphamidon, dichlorvos, oxydemeton-methyl, malathion, endosulfan, parathion-methyl, dimethoate or carbaryl throughout the year. The findings were compared with those observed in 14 control subjects. Inhibition of cholinesterase activity was observed in the exposed group, and serum alkaline phosphatase activity was raised. Radiological examination revealed pneumonitic patches in the chest skiagrams of 3 exposed subjects. Paraesthesia with hyporeflexia was also found in 8.8% of exposed subjects. The findings suggest that exposure to multiple pesticides over many years affect the normal functioning of different organ systems and may produce characteristic clinical effects.