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Carvalho WA: [Risk factors related with occupational and environmental exposure to organochlorine insecticides in the state of Bahia, Brazil, 1985]. Bol Oficina Sanit Panam. 1991 Dec;111(6):512-24.
In the cacao-growing region in the southern part of the state of Bahia, the organochlorine insecticides, mainly gamma-benzene hexachloride (BHC) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), have been used for about 40 years on cacao crops and in public health programs for control of the insect vectors of different diseases, especially malaria. This paper presents the results of tests performed on 127 persons, all males, between the ages of 15 and 52 years, divided into eight groups as follows: three groups consisted of persons occupationally exposed to 1.5% BHC, that is, technical hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH); two groups consisted of individuals who had had occasional contact with the products or worked in areas near those in which they were used; two groups were appliers of DDT, and the last group--the control group--consisted of 50 individuals who had had no history of occupational exposure to insecticides. All the participants underwent testing to determine the parameters of biochemistry, hematology, and organochlorine insecticide residues in the blood. It was found that improper handling of the products and failure to use individual protective equipment, together with longer time of exposure, significantly increased the rates of GOT and GPT in the appliers of DDT and technical HCH, and in the latter the rates of alkaline phosphatase, albumin, and cholesterol were also found to be higher. In view of the high morbidity among pesticide appliers in agriculture and public health campaigns, it is important to institute programs to teach these workers to avoid contamination of their persons and of the environment by developing good hygiene habits, using individual protective equipment, and correctly handling the products. Rural workers and public health authorities must become aware of the importance of protective equipment, periodic health examinations, and reduced environmental pollution in order to lessen occupational risks of field workers and promote improved conditions of life for the rural population at large. |
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