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Impact of - IDL-BNC @ IDRC - International Development Research ...

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(in 121 subjects), usually developed within 4 h after exposure during spraying.<br />

A total <strong>of</strong> 834 farmers (26.8%), including 696 spraying only pyrethroids and<br />

138 spraying pyrethroid-organophosphate mixtures, developed burning and<br />

tingling sensations, mainly on the face, but also on the neck or upper extremities.<br />

These skin symptoms <strong>of</strong>ten disappeared within 24 h. Systemic symptoms<br />

were also observed, but with minimal signs (Table 4).<br />

After excluding other possible diseases, only 10 subjects who developed all<br />

five systemic symptoms (dizziness, headache, fatigue, nausea, and anorexia)<br />

and signs (listlessness and muscular fasciculation) in addition to abnormal<br />

facial sensations were diagnosed as having mild acute pyrethroid poisoning<br />

(Table 5). Based on the diagnostic criteria, four were cases <strong>of</strong> mild acute<br />

deltamethnn poisoning; four were diagnosed as mild acute fenvalerate poisoning;<br />

and two were deltamethrin-DDVP poisoning with normal blood<br />

cholinesterase activity. All patients recovered within 2-4 days.<br />

In this study, the prevalence rate <strong>of</strong> occupational acute pyrethroid poisoning<br />

was 0.31% among subjects exposed to pyrethroids only and 0.38% among<br />

those exposed to pyrethroid-organophosphate mixtures. The risk <strong>of</strong> acute<br />

pyrethroid poisoning did not differ significantly (p > 0.05) between the two<br />

groups.<br />

Investigation revealed that 2 131 cotton growers in the study had been previously<br />

exposed to pyrethroids since 1982. 01 them, 25.7% (547 subjects) were<br />

exposed to pyrethroids every year between 1982 and 1987 and experienced<br />

abnormal facial sensations, dizziness, headache, or nausea after each spraying,<br />

but all recovered within 2 days. No sequelae were found. This suggests that<br />

pyrethroids are unlikely to have chronic toxicity for humans.<br />

Table 4. Number <strong>of</strong> farmers showing symptoms and signs <strong>of</strong><br />

pyrethroid poisoning (n = 834).<br />

55<br />

No. %<br />

Symptom<br />

Abnormal sensations 768 92.1<br />

Dizziness 121 14.5<br />

Headache 99 11.9<br />

Fatigue 91 10.9<br />

Nausea 68 8.2<br />

Anorexia 44 5.3<br />

General malaise 33 4.0<br />

Blurred vision 23 2.8<br />

Chest tightness 18 2.2<br />

Sign<br />

Listlessness 10 1.2<br />

Muscle fasciculation 1 0.2

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