1. A review on pesticides related health effects in agricultural workers of Sindh, Pakistan
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Abstract
Pesticides are most commonly used throughout the world for agriculture, even some of them, although forbidden due to their severe toxicity and ill health effects are being used in developing countries including Pakistan. Increased pesticide exposure, especially in cotton growing areas of Sindh and Punjab along with poverty, lack of education, poor hygiene and insufficient precautionary measures are leading to increasing health problems. Few investigations have been completed regarding this matter. This review has tried to identify the factors contributing to ill health effects of pesticides in agriculture worker’s suggestive preventive measures. Studies were located using Medline database. All Searches included the key headings Pesticides combined with agriculture workers and health effects. Inclusion criteria included studies carried out since 1997 related to pesticide exposure and its ill health effects on agricultural workers. A total of twenty studies was selected during search for four categories of health effects. The studies on acute human toxicity and animal toxicology were excluded. The effects of pesticide on health showed the strongest relationship with neurotoxicity. All the studies reviewed showed evidence of ill health effects mainly on the nervous system, skin, Respiratory and reproductive systems. The farmers working in agricultural fields should be monitored with a passage of time to avoid the spread of diseases due to pesticide residues.
Keywords: Agricultural workers; Neurotoxicity; Pesticide residues