title: Neurotoxicity among pesticide applicators exposed to organophosphates.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  An epidemiological study of 90 male pesticide applicators licensed in New York was conducted to investigate the effect of exposure to organophosphate pesticides on the peripheral nervous system.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cohort of farmers and pesticide applicators from New York State were questioned off season (November 1988-February 1989) and again during the spraying season (April 1989-August 1989) about the presence of several acute signs and symptoms. Short term exposure was validated by measuring the concentration of dimethylthiophosphate (DMTP), a metabolite of guthion, in urine. Chronic signs of subtle peripheral nerve damage were determined by vibration threshold sensitivity of the farmers and applicators tested during November 1988-February 1989 and compared with controls drawn from the general population who were tested during the same time period the next year (November 1989-February 1990). Vibration threshold sensitivity was determined for both the hands and feet. Long term exposure to pesticides was determined by questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Paired t tests show that mean vibration threshold scores were significantly higher for the dominant (P < 0.00) and non-dominant (P < 0.04) hands among pesticide applicators when compared with scores for population based controls individually matched on age, sex, and county of residence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A significant increase in mean vibration threshold sensitivity for the dominant and non-dominant hand suggests previous organophosphate exposure among pesticide applicators was associated with a loss of peripheral nerve function.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D007306:Insecticides / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009518:New York / Q000453:epidemiology; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds; D009946:Organothiophosphorus Compounds; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015995:Prevalence; D012684:Sensory Thresholds; D014732:Vibration
chemical_list: D007306:Insecticides; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds; D009946:Organothiophosphorus Compounds