Environmental exposure to pesticides and respiratory health.
Respiratory effects of environmental exposure to pesticides are debated. Here we aimed to review epidemiological studies published up until 2013, using the PubMed database. 20 studies dealing with respiratory health and non-occupational pesticide exposure were identified, 14 carried out on children and six on adults. In four out of nine studies in children with biological measurements, mothers' dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) blood levels during pregnancy were associated with asthma and wheezing in young children. An association was also found between permethrin in indoor air during pregnancy and wheezing in children. A significant association between asthma and DDE measured in children's blood (aged 7-10 years) was observed in one study. However, in three studies, no association was found between asthma or respiratory infections in children and pesticide levels in breast milk and/or infant blood. Lastly, in three out of four studies where post-natal pesticide exposure of children was assessed by parental questionnaire an association with respiratory symptoms was found. Results of the fewer studies on pesticide environmental exposure and respiratory health of adults were much less conclusive: indeed, the associations observed were weak and often not significant. In conclusion, further studies are needed to confirm whether there is a respiratory risk associated with environmental exposure to pesticides.
ISPED - Laboratoire Santé Travail Environnement, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France ISPED - Centre INSERM U897-Epidémiologie-Biostatistique, Bordeaux, France ali.mamane@isped.u-bordeaux2.fr.
Ali
A
Mamane
ISPED - Laboratoire Santé Travail Environnement, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France ISPED - Centre INSERM U897-Epidémiologie-Biostatistique, Bordeaux, France Service des Maladies Respiratoire, CHU de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.
Chantal
C
Raherison
ISPED - Centre INSERM U897-Epidémiologie-Biostatistique, Bordeaux, France.
Jean-François
JF
Tessier
ISPED - Laboratoire Santé Travail Environnement, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France ISPED - Centre INSERM U897-Epidémiologie-Biostatistique, Bordeaux, France Service de Médecine du Travail, CHU de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.
Isabelle
I
Baldi
ISPED - Laboratoire Santé Travail Environnement, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France ISPED - Centre INSERM U897-Epidémiologie-Biostatistique, Bordeaux, France.
Ghislaine
G
Bouvier
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010575:Pesticides / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D010575:Pesticides