title: Hypospadias in offspring is associated with chronic exposure of parents to organophosphate and organochlorine pesticides.
abstract: We have currently evaluated the possible association between hypospadias and exposure to organophosphorus (OP) and organochlorine (OC) pesticides. For this purpose, we measured the dialkyl phosphate metabolites of organophosphate pesticides (DAPs) in the hair and blood, as well as OC pesticides (DDTs, HCHs) in the hair collected from children with hypospadias and their parents. The concentration of HCHs in the hair samples obtained from mothers was higher than that previously reported for people working in open cultivations, while the concentration of DDTs in the hair samples obtained from mothers, fathers and their children with hypospadias was much higher than that previously reported for occupationally exposed individuals. The DMP concentration in hair samples obtained from mothers was much higher not only from that reported for the general population, but even higher than that reported for occupationally exposed individuals. Furthermore, SUMDEPs and SUMDAPs in the hair samples obtained both from the hypospadiac boys, as well as from their parents were higher than the corresponding values previously reported for the general population. Our study supports the hypothesis that organophosphate and organochlorine pesticide exposure may be a potential risk factor for hypospadias.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Surgery, University Hospital of Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Michalis
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Michalakis
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece.
authors.forename: Manolis N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Tzatzarakis
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Leda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kovatsi
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece.
authors.forename: Athanasios K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Alegakis
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: Andreas K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Tsakalof
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University Hospital of Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Heretis
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece. Electronic address: aristsatsakis@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Aristidis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsatsakis
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000633:toxicity*; D007021:Hypospadias / Q000139:chemically induced*; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010755:Organophosphates / Q000633:toxicity*; D018812:Paternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010575:Pesticides / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D010755:Organophosphates; D010575:Pesticides
keywords: Blood; Children; Exposure; Hair; Hypospadias; Pesticides