Occupational pesticides exposure of sprayers of grape gardens in western Maharashtra (India): effects on liver and kidney function.

We compared hematologic parameters and liver and kidney function tests in occupationally exposed pesticide sprayers of grape gardens (n = 60) and normal healthy participants (n = 30), 20-45 years of age, in Western Maharashtra (India). Venous blood samples were collected from both groups. Compared with control participants, sprayers showed the following-significantly increased serum C reactive protein (117.6%), liver function marker enzymes-serum aspartate transaminase (57%), alanine transaminase (37.4%), alkaline phosphatase (16.9%), serum bilirubin (41.8%), creatinine (18.4%), blood glucose (11.4%), and urea (13.%); and decreased acetyl cholinesterase activity (30.9%) and serum cholesterol (12.12%). Serum total protein, globulin, and the A/G ratio were not significantly altered, however, but serum albumin decreased slightly (3.3%, P <.05). Compared with the control group, hematologic parameters significantly decreased in sprayers-hemoglobin (6.9%), hematocrit (3%), mean corpuscular volume (3.8%), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (4.5%), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (5.8%), and red blood cell count (7.7%), whereas the white blood cell count increased (18.2%). The decreased serum acetyl cholinesterase value indicates a high degree of pesticides absorption, which leads to impairment of liver and kidney functions and slightly altered hematologic parameters in the occupationally exposed pesticides sprayers of grape gardens studied here.