BACKGROUND: Serious accidental poisoning by pesticides is rare in the UK, but more minor pesticide-related illness may be under-reported. Anecdotally, use of sheep dip has been linked with flu-like symptoms. AIM: To explore the frequency, nature and determinants of acute symptoms following work with pesticides. METHODS: A postal survey of men in three rural areas of England and Wales provided data on occupational use of five categories of pesticide, occurrence of 12 specified symptoms within 48 h of using pesticides and tendency to somatize. Risk factors for pesticide-related symptoms were assessed by modified Cox regression. RESULTS: Of 10 765 responders (response rate = 31%), 4108 had at some time used pesticides occupationally, including 935 (23%) who reported symptoms following such work on at least one occasion. In two areas, acute symptoms were most frequent following use of sheep dip (29 and 32% of users), but in the third area the rate was significantly lower (13% of users). The relative frequency of symptoms was similar for all five categories of pesticide, and flu-like symptoms did not cluster unusually among users of sheep dip. Risk of pesticide-related symptoms increased with somatizing tendency (prevalence ratio for highest versus lowest category 2.4, 95% confidence interval 2.0-3.0) and was higher in men who had used pesticides most often or handled concentrate. CONCLUSION: Acute symptoms are common following work with pesticides, but in many cases the illness may arise through psychological rather than toxic mechanisms.
BACKGROUND: Serious accidental poisoning by pesticides is rare in the UK, but more minor pesticide-related illness may be under-reported. Anecdotally, use of sheep dip has been linked with flu-like symptoms. AIM: To explore the frequency, nature and determinants of acute symptoms following work with pesticides. METHODS: A postal survey of men in three rural areas of England and Wales provided data on occupational use of five categories of pesticide, occurrence of 12 specified symptoms within 48 h of using pesticides and tendency to somatize. Risk factors for pesticide-related symptoms were assessed by modified Cox regression. RESULTS: Of 10 765 responders (response rate = 31%), 4108 had at some time used pesticides occupationally, including 935 (23%) who reported symptoms following such work on at least one occasion. In two areas, acute symptoms were most frequent following use of sheep dip (29 and 32% of users), but in the third area the rate was significantly lower (13% of users). The relative frequency of symptoms was similar for all five categories of pesticide, and flu-like symptoms did not cluster unusually among users of sheep dip. Risk of pesticide-related symptoms increased with somatizing tendency (prevalence ratio for highest versus lowest category 2.4, 95% confidence interval 2.0-3.0) and was higher in men who had used pesticides most often or handled concentrate. CONCLUSION: Acute symptoms are common following work with pesticides, but in many cases the illness may arise through psychological rather than toxic mechanisms.
Authors: D Buchanan; A Pilkington; C Sewell; S N Tannahill; M W Kidd; B Cherrie; J F Hurley Journal: Occup Environ Med Date: 2001-11 Impact factor: 4.402
Authors: Bharti Mackness; Paul Durrington; Andrew Povey; Stuart Thomson; Martin Dippnall; Mike Mackness; Ted Smith; Nicola Cherry Journal: Pharmacogenetics Date: 2003-02
Authors: Ko Matsudaira; Keith T Palmer; Isabel Reading; Masami Hirai; Noriko Yoshimura; David Coggon Journal: Occup Environ Med Date: 2010-09-10 Impact factor: 4.402
Authors: William Mueller; Kate Jones; Hani Mohamed; Neil Bennett; Anne-Helen Harding; Gillian Frost; Andrew Povey; Ioannis Basinas; Hans Kromhout; Martie van Tongeren; Samuel Fuhrimann; Karen S Galea Journal: Ann Work Expo Health Date: 2022-07-02 Impact factor: 2.779
Authors: Ji-Hyun Kim; Jaeyoung Kim; Eun Shil Cha; Yousun Ko; Doo Hwan Kim; Won Jin Lee Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2013-03-14 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Khalid Khan; Ahmed A Ismail; Gaafar Abdel Rasoul; Matthew R Bonner; Michael R Lasarev; Olfat Hendy; Manal Al-Batanony; Alice L Crane; Steven T Singleton; James R Olson; Diane S Rohlman Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2014-03-04 Impact factor: 2.692