title: Acute pesticide illnesses associated with off-target pesticide drift from agricultural applications: 11 States, 1998-2006.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pesticides are widely used in agriculture, and off-target pesticide drift exposes workers and the public to harmful chemicals.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We estimated the incidence of acute illnesses from pesticide drift from outdoor agricultural applications and characterized drift exposure and illnesses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were obtained from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's Sentinel Event Notification System for Occupational Risks-Pesticides program and the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. Drift included off-target movement of pesticide spray, volatiles, and contaminated dust. Acute illness cases were characterized by demographics, pesticide and application variables, health effects, and contributing factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From 1998 through 2006, we identified 2,945 cases associated with agricultural pesticide drift from 11 states. Our findings indicate that 47% were exposed at work, 92% experienced low-severity illness, and 14% were children (< 15 years). The annual incidence ranged from 1.39 to 5.32 per million persons over the 9-year period. The overall incidence (in million person-years) was 114.3 for agricultural workers, 0.79 for other workers, 1.56 for nonoccupational cases, and 42.2 for residents in five agriculture-intensive counties in California. Soil applications with fumigants were responsible for the largest percentage (45%) of cases. Aerial applications accounted for 24% of cases. Common factors contributing to drift cases included weather conditions, improper seal of the fumigation site, and applicator carelessness near nontarget areas.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Agricultural workers and residents in agricultural regions had the highest rate of pesticide poisoning from drift exposure, and soil fumigations were a major hazard, causing large drift incidents. Our findings highlight areas where interventions to reduce off-target drift could be focused.
authors.affiliation: Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: Soo-Jeong
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mehler
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beckman
authors.forename: Brienne
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Diebolt-Brown
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Prado
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lackovic
authors.forename: Justin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Waltz
authors.forename: Prakash
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mulay
authors.forename: Abby
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: Yvette
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moraga-McHaley
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gergely
authors.forename: Geoffrey M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Calvert
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D000383:Agriculture / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010575:Pesticides / Q000633:toxicity*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010575:Pesticides