These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: DNA damage in Pakistani agricultural workers exposed to mixture of pesticides.
    Author: Bhalli JA, Ali T, Asi MR, Khalid ZM, Ceppi M, Khan QM.
    Journal: Environ Mol Mutagen; 2009 Jan; 50(1):37-45. PubMed ID: 19031420.
    Abstract:
    A cross-sectional study was designed to determine whether occupational exposure to a complex mixture of pesticides results in a significant increase of DNA damage in farmers chronically exposed to pesticides in open fields. Leukocytes from 47 agriculture workers exposed to pesticides and 50 controls were evaluated with comet assay. Workers recruitment was based on their exposure to pesticides during the spraying season on cotton crop. Serum from these individuals was also analyzed for pesticides presence using high performance liquid chromatography. Statistically significant difference (P < 0.001) in DNA damage of exposed individuals (mean +/- S.D 14.80 +/- 3.04 microm) was observed when compared with control group (6.54 +/- 1.73 microm) as studied on the basis of comet tail length. Smokers had significantly higher mean comet tail length than nonsmokers and ex-smokers in both workers (20.26 +/- 3.53 vs. 14.19 +/- 4.25, P < 0.001) and controls (7.86 +/- 1.09 vs. 5.80 +/- 1.59, P < 0.001), whereas age had a minimal effect on DNA damage (P < 0.05). The length of pesticide exposure is positively associated with DNA damage in exposed individuals (P < 0.001). Our study shows that chronic exposure to pesticides produces DNA damage in pesticide sprayers and suggests that this type of monitoring is recommended in preventive policies for pesticide sprayers.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]