Association of Allergic Rhinitis with Pesticide Use Among Grape Farmers in Crete, Greece

Overview

Journal Occup Environ Med

Specialties Environmental Health
Occupational Medicine

Date 2006 Dec 22

PMID 17182637

Citations 21

Authors

Leda Chatzi

Athanasios Alegakis

Nikolaos Tzanakis

Nikolaos Siafakas

Manolis Kogevinas

Christos Lionis

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: To explore the association of allergic rhinitis with the use of pesticides among grape farmers in Crete.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of 120 grape farmers and 100 controls at the Malevisi region in Northern Crete was conducted. The protocol consisted of a questionnaire, skin prick tests for 16 common allergens, measurement of specific IgE antibodies against 8 allergens, and spirometry before and after bronchodilatation.

Results: Grape farmers who used pesticides had higher prevalence rates of allergic rhinitis symptoms (OR, 3.0; 95% CI, 1.4 to 6.2) compared with grape farmers who reported no current use of pesticides, and control subjects. Logistic regression models controlling for age, sex and smoking status showed that 6 of the 12 predefined groups of major pesticides were significantly related to allergic rhinitis symptoms. The highest risks were observed for paraquat and other bipyridyl herbicides (OR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.0 to 4.8), dithiocarbamate fungicides (OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.1 to 5.3) and carbamate insecticides (OR, 3.0; 95% CI, 1.4 to 6.5). A factor analysis of pesticides used identified 3 distinct factors. The most common factor was that of multiple pesticide use that included 9 pesticides and was significantly associated with allergic rhinitis (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.0 to 2.3). ORs were higher when allergic rhinitis was defined using both questionnaire data on symptoms and atopy.

Conclusions: Occupational exposure to multiple agricultural chemicals could be related to allergic rhinitis in grape farmers.

Citing Articles

Risk factors of allergic rhinitis and its prevention strategies.

Chen R, An W, Liu X, Yan J, Huang Y, Zhang J Front Allergy. 2024; 5:1509552.

PMID: 39665077 PMC: 11632107. DOI: 10.3389/falgy.2024.1509552.

Pesticide exposure and rhinitis: A cross-sectional study among farmers in Pitsanulok, Thailand.

Juntarawijit Y, Juntarawijit C F1000Res. 2024; 10:474.

PMID: 39228924 PMC: 11369590. DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.53257.3.

Impacts of Agricultural Pesticide Contamination: An Integrated Risk Assessment of Rural Communities of Eswatini.

Msibi S, Su L, Chen C, Chang C, Chen C, Wu K Toxics. 2023; 11(9).

PMID: 37755780 PMC: 10534646. DOI: 10.3390/toxics11090770.

A Human Biomonitoring Study Assessing Glyphosate and Aminomethylphosphonic Acid (AMPA) Exposures among Farm and Non-Farm Families.

Connolly A, Koch H, Bury D, Koslitz S, Kolossa-Gehring M, Conrad A Toxics. 2022; 10(11).

PMID: 36422898 PMC: 9697524. DOI: 10.3390/toxics10110690.

Environmental exposures contribute to respiratory and allergic symptoms among women living in the banana growing regions of Costa Rica.

Alhanti B, van Wendel de Joode B, Soto Martinez M, Mora A, Gamboa L, Reich B Occup Environ Med. 2021; 79(7):469-476.

PMID: 34969778 PMC: 9198003. DOI: 10.1136/oemed-2021-107611.

References

Hoppin J, Umbach D, London S, Alavanja M, Sandler D . Chemical predictors of wheeze among farmer pesticide applicators in the Agricultural Health Study. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2002; 165(5):683-9. DOI: 10.1164/ajrccm.165.5.2106074. View

Kromhout H, Simwa J, Boleij J, Heederik D . Self reported symptoms and inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity among Kenyan agricultural workers. Occup Environ Med. 2000; 57(3):195-200. PMC: 1739922. DOI: 10.1136/oem.57.3.195. View

Bachert C, Van Cauwenberge P . The WHO ARIA (allergic rhinitis and its impact on asthma) initiative. Chem Immunol Allergy. 2003; 82:119-26. DOI: 10.1159/000071546. View

Gomez M, Hwang S, Lin S, Stark A, May J, Hallman E . Prevalence and predictors of respiratory symptoms among New York farmers and farm residents. Am J Ind Med. 2004; 46(1):42-54. DOI: 10.1002/ajim.20018. View

Schenker M, Stoecklin M, Lee K, Lupercio R, Zeballos R, Enright P . Pulmonary function and exercise-associated changes with chronic low-level paraquat exposure. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2004; 170(7):773-9. DOI: 10.1164/rccm.200403-266OC. View

Schoenberger C, Rennard S, Bitterman P, Fukuda Y, Ferrans V, Crystal R . Paraquat-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Role of the alveolitis in modulating the development of fibrosis. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1984; 129(1):168-73. DOI: 10.1164/arrd.1984.129.1.168. View

Vale J, Meredith T, Buckley B . Paraquat poisoning: clinical features and immediate general management. Hum Toxicol. 1987; 6(1):41-7. DOI: 10.1177/096032718700600107. View

Bismuth C, Garnier R, Baud F, MUSZYNSKI J, Keyes C . Paraquat poisoning. An overview of the current status. Drug Saf. 1990; 5(4):243-51. DOI: 10.2165/00002018-199005040-00002. View

Shinozaki S, Kobayashi T, Kubo K, Sekiguchi M . Pulmonary hemodynamics and lung function during chronic paraquat poisoning in sheep. Possible role of reactive oxygen species. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1992; 146(3):775-80. DOI: 10.1164/ajrccm/146.3.775. View

10.

Senthilselvan A, McDuffie H, Dosman J . Association of asthma with use of pesticides. Results of a cross-sectional survey of farmers. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1992; 146(4):884-7. DOI: 10.1164/ajrccm/146.4.884. View

11.

Quanjer P, Tammeling G, Cotes J, Pedersen O, Peslin R, Yernault J . Lung volumes and forced ventilatory flows. Report Working Party Standardization of Lung Function Tests, European Community for Steel and Coal. Official Statement of the European Respiratory Society. Eur Respir J Suppl. 1993; 16:5-40. View

12.

. International Consensus Report on the diagnosis and management of rhinitis. International Rhinitis Management Working Group. Allergy. 1994; 49(19 Suppl):1-34. View

13.

Deschamps D, Questel F, Baud F, Gervais P, Dally S . Persistent asthma after acute inhalation of organophosphate insecticide. Lancet. 1994; 344(8938):1712. DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(94)90498-7. View

14.

OMalley M . Clinical evaluation of pesticide exposure and poisonings. Lancet. 1997; 349(9059):1161-6. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(96)07222-4. View

15.

McConnell R, Andersson K, Hogstedt C . Respiratory symptoms, spirometry and chronic occupational paraquat exposure. Scand J Work Environ Health. 1998; 23(6):421-7. DOI: 10.5271/sjweh.264. View

16.

. Respiratory health hazards in agriculture. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 1998; 158(5 Pt 2):S1-S76. DOI: 10.1164/ajrccm.158.supplement_1.rccm1585s1. View

17.

Kogevinas M, Anto J, Sunyer J, Tobias A, Kromhout H, Burney P . Occupational asthma in Europe and other industrialised areas: a population-based study. European Community Respiratory Health Survey Study Group. Lancet. 1999; 353(9166):1750-4. DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(98)07397-8. View

18.

Dalvie M, White N, Raine R, Myers J, London L, Thompson M . Long-term respiratory health effects of the herbicide, paraquat, among workers in the Western Cape. Occup Environ Med. 1999; 56(6):391-6. PMC: 1757747. DOI: 10.1136/oem.56.6.391. View

19.

Chatzi L, Prokopakis E, Tzanakis N, Alegakis A, Bizakis I, Siafakas N . Allergic rhinitis, asthma, and atopy among grape farmers in a rural population in Crete, Greece. Chest. 2005; 127(1):372-8. DOI: 10.1378/chest.127.1.372. View

20.

Samanic C, Hoppin J, Lubin J, Blair A, Alavanja M . Factor analysis of pesticide use patterns among pesticide applicators in the Agricultural Health Study. J Expo Anal Environ Epidemiol. 2004; 15(3):225-33. DOI: 10.1038/sj.jea.7500396. View