Occupational pesticide exposure among Kenyan agricultural workers.

作者：Grace J.A. Ohayo-Mitoko · 年份：1997 · 被引用次数：9 · 研究领域：Pesticide Exposure and Toxicity

This study was part of the Kenyan component of a multi-centre epidemiologic survey, the East African Pesticides Project. The general objective was to assess the health hazards posed by pesticide handling, storage and use in agricultural estates and small farms in selected rural agricultural communities in Kenya where cotton, tobacco, flowers and other horticultural crops are grown, with a view to developing strategies for the prevention and control of pesticide poisoning. 666 agricultural workers, 120 agricultural extension workers and 108 health care workers from Naivasha, Wundanyi, Homabay and Migori comprised the study population. It was found that the 370 formulations registered for use in Kenya by the Pest Products Control Board (PCPB), represented 217 active ingredients. About 22% of the volume imported were highly hazardous, 20%, moderately hazardous, 45% slightly hazardous and the rest, unclassified. Acetylcholinesterase inhibition occurred in agricultural workers     ( 390 exposed; 276 unexposed) as a result of exposure to organophosphate and carbamate pesticides. Acetylcholinesterase levels of 29.6% of exposed individuals were depressed to values below 60% of baseline. Workers from Naivasha had the largest inhibition (36%), followed by Homabay (35%), and Wundanyi (33%); workers from Migori had by far, the least inhibition (26%). Empirical modelling techniques were used to identify and quantify factors affecting exposure to cholinesterase-inhibiting pesticides. The m...