title: Assessment of hematological, biochemical effects and genotoxicity among pesticide sprayers in grape garden.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many studies revealed toxic effects of pesticides on pesticide handlers but very fewer studies have been reported among grape garden pesticide sprayers in India. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of pesticides among grape garden sprayers.
  
  
  METHODS
  27 pesticide sprayers in study group and 27 non sprayers in control group were recruited. Blood samples were analyzed for hematological profile, biochemical parameters and urine samples for oxidative stress, buccal mucosal cells for genotoxicity. For statistical analysis student's t-test and Mann Whitney U test were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  White blood cell (WBC) count was significantly decreased; uric acid and Malondialdehyde (MDA) level was significantly increased among study group. In present study the Micronucleus (MN) assay for buccal mucosal cell showed significant number of micronucleated cells in study group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that pesticide sprayers in grape garden are under risk which need to be monitored continuously in large population and further study is warranted to correlate the pesticide exposure by assessing acetylcholinesterase activity, pesticide residue analysis and their personal habits.
authors.affiliation: Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology Division, Regional Occupational Health Centre (Southern), ICMR Complex, Kannamangala Post, Poojanahalli Road, Bangalore, 562110 India.
authors.forename: Avinash Shivaji
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Gaikwad
authors.affiliation: Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology Division, Regional Occupational Health Centre (Southern), ICMR Complex, Kannamangala Post, Poojanahalli Road, Bangalore, 562110 India.
authors.forename: Panjakumar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Karunamoorthy
authors.affiliation: Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology Division, Regional Occupational Health Centre (Southern), ICMR Complex, Kannamangala Post, Poojanahalli Road, Bangalore, 562110 India.
authors.forename: Shridhar Jagannath
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kondhalkar
authors.affiliation: Statistics Division, Regional Occupational Health Centre (Southern), ICMR Complex, Kannamangala Post, Poojanahalli Road, Bangalore, 562110 India.
authors.forename: Mala
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ambikapathy
authors.affiliation: Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology Division, Regional Occupational Health Centre (Southern), ICMR Complex, Kannamangala Post, Poojanahalli Road, Bangalore, 562110 India.
authors.forename: Ravichandran
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Beerappa
keywords: Blood; Genotoxicity; Malondialdehyde; Micronuclei; Pesticides; Uric acid; Urine; White blood cell