Biomarkers, clinical and behavioral indicators of pesticide exposure

Background: Pesticide poisoning is a major public health problem in developing countries. Most of the poisonings and 99% of the deaths are believed to occur in developing countries. As in many other developing countries, agriculture (cotton’s culture mainly) is the main source of income in Benin.  In this study we investigated on the clinical and biological indicators of pesticide poisoning. Method: In this cross-sectional study we included 76 farmers using pesticides and living in the village, producer of cotton. The study involved an exhaustive range of samples. Data were collected by questionnaire, clinical examination and biological analysis: alkyl phosphate urinate dosage and cholinesterase’s activity dosage. Results: The pesticide more used is a mixture of organophosphate and pyretrinoid; Organochlorides are sometimes used. The risks factors reported are: the consumption of products which could promote intoxication (18%); 68% massaged the skin with red oil, 99% farmers did not wash themselves before go home. The most frequent symptoms among applicators were: hot flash (88%), rash (76.3%), memory lapse (72.4%), nervousness (71.1%) and digestive disorder (57, 89). The concentrations of alkyl phosphate were variable: DMTP (90%), DEP (80%) and DETP (70%), DMDTP (30%) and DMP (40%); DEDTP wasn’t detected. Discussion: In our study, a skin sign (rash) was the most common. This finding agrees with the results obtained by Lafia in 1996 at Banikoara and by Xujun Zhang in china in 2011. No DEDTP was detected in the urine samples and the level of DMDTP was rather low. The highest level was detected in our study for DMTP (90%), whereas in the study of Christina Aprea, the highest level was detected for DMP (96%) among Italian children exposed to organophosphate pesticide. The alkyl phosphate values in our study exceeded the NOAEL by 100 times and were ten times those reported by Boudreau and al.