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Background: Some pesticides are immunotoxic and have been associated with an increased risk of immune-mediated diseases. The risk of shingles, the clinical reactivation of varicella-zoster virus, increases with aging and immunosuppression; little is known about its associations with pesticides. OBJECTIVE: We examined the use of agricultural pesticides in relation to incident shingles in a prospective cohort of licensed pesticide applicators. Methods: The study sample included 12,820 (97% male) farmers (enrolled in 1993-1997 in North Carolina and Iowa), who were followed for a median of 12 y (interquartile range: 11-13). Shingles was self-reported at enrollment and at follow-up. We evaluated ever-use of 48 agricultural pesticides reported at study enrollment in relation to shingles risk and considered exposure-response for intensity-weighted lifetime days (IWLDs) of use. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using Cox proportional hazard models, adjusting for state, and allowing estimates to vary by median attained age (60 y). Results: Incident shingles was reported by 590 participants. Associations were positive (HRs >1.2) for ever- vs. never- use of eight insecticides, three fumigants, two fungicides, and five herbicides, and exposure-response trends were seen across increasing quartiles (Q3 and Q4>Q1) or tertiles (T3 and T2 > T1) of IWLDs for four insecticides [permethrin (crops), coumaphos, malathion, and lindane], two fumigants (carbon tetrachloride/carbon disulfide and methyl bromide), and three herbicides [alachlor, trifluralin ( Conclusions: Several specific pesticides were associated with increased risk of shingles in farmers, especially at higher levels of cumulative use. These novel findings, if replicated in other populations, could have broader implications for the potential effects of pesticides on vaccine efficacy and susceptibility to other infections. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP7797, Introduction Incidence of herpes zoster (commonly known as shingles), the symptomatic loss of latency of varicella-zoster virus (VZV), is estimated at 3-5 cases/1,000-person years in the United States, with unexplained [...]

Byline: Sundar. Muniswamy, Steffi. Maliakel Background and Aims: India ranks third in the worldwide tobacco production (2017), and it is increasing every year. Hassan is an important tobacco growing district [...]

Byline: Javid. Sagar, Soniya. Lohana Context: Hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) is an occupational disease that affects workers who are exposed to vibrations. Farmers are prone to various musculoskeletal and cumulative [...]

BACKGROUND: An association may exist between pesticide exposure and suicide. OBJECTIVE: We sought to evaluate the existence of an association between pesticide use and suicide using data from the Agricultural [...]

Background: Farmers have a higher incidence of multiple myeloma, and there is suggestive evidence of an elevated prevalence of its precursor, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), relative to the general population. Pesticide exposures are suspected to play a role; however, the biologic plausibility for associations with multiple myeloma remains unclear. Objectives: Our objectives were to examine the prevalence of MGUS and evaluate associations with a wide range of pesticides in a large sample of farmers. Methods: We obtained sera and assessed MGUS among 1,638 male farmers [greater than or equal to] 50 years of age in the Agricultural Health Study (AHS), a prospective cohort in Iowa and North Carolina. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed to estimate associations with MGUS for recent use (within the 12 months before phlebotomy) and cumulative intensity-weighted lifetime days of use of specific pesticides. Results: The age-standardized MGUS prevalence was significantly elevated among AHS farmers (7.7%) compared with demographically similar men in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2.8%) or Olmsted County, Minnesota (3.8%; p < 0.001). Recent use of permethrin was associated with MGUS [recent use vs. no recent use, OR = 1.82 (95% CI: 1.06, 3.13)], especially among those who had also used it in the past [recent and past use vs. never use, OR = 2.49 (95% CI: 1.32, 4.69)]. High intensity-weighted lifetime use of the organochlorine insecticides aldrin and dieldrin was associated with MGUS relative to those who never used either of these pesticides [OR = 2.42 (95% CI: 1.29, 4.54); ptiend = 0.006]. We also observed a positive association with high lifetime use of petroleum oil/distillates as an herbicide, as well as an inverse association with fonofos use. Discussion: This is the largest investigation of MGUS in farmers and the first to identify an association with MGUS for permethrin, a pyrethroid insecticide previously associated with multiple myeloma. Given the continued widespread use of permethrin in various residential and commercial settings, our findings may have important implications for exposed individuals in the general population. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP6960, Introduction An excess in the incidence of multiple myeloma (MM), an aggressive plasma cell malignancy, has been consistently observed in studies of farmers and other agricultural workers conducted over the [...]

Employment, social, and economic factors have the potential to affect the magnitude of an influenza pandemic among farmworkers. Prevention efforts targeted toward livestock farmworkers, including increased access to seasonal influenza vaccine, risk reduction training, various forms of personal protection, and workplace sanitation, are needed. Crop and livestock farmworkers are at increased risk of exposure to influenza A viruses because of limited resources, substandard housing, immigration status, communication and cultural barriers, and discrimination. Recommendations were gathered from migrant clinicians, farmworker advocates, state and federal government agencies, industry stakeholders, and researchers to overcome these barriers, including surveillance of livestock farmworkers, inclusion of farmworker service organizations in planning efforts, and separation of immigration enforcement from emergency assistance. (Am J Public Health. 2009; 99:S308-S315. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2009.161091)

Increasing numbers of indigenous farmworkers from Mexico and Guatemala have been arriving in the Pacific Northwest (indigenous people are not of Hispanic or Latino descent and migrate from regions with unique cultural and linguistic traditions). Multilingual project outreach workers administered surveys to 150 farmworkers in Oregon to assess health, occupational safety, and general living conditions. This study confirms the increasing presence of indigenous peoples in Oregon and characterizes differences between indigenous and Latino farmworkers' occupational and health needs.

Problem Irrigated agriculture exposes rural people to health risks associated with vector-borne diseases and pesticides used in agriculture and for public health protection. Most developing countries lack collaboration between the agricultural and health sectors to jointly address these problems. Approach We present an evaluation of a project that uses the "farmer field school" method to teach farmers how to manage vector-borne diseases and how to improve rice yields. Teaching farmers about these two concepts together is known as "integrated pest and vector management". Local setting An intersectoral project targeting rice irrigation systems in Sri Lanka. Relevant changes Project partners developed a new curriculum for the field school that included a component on vector-borne diseases. Rice farmers in intervention villages who graduated from the field school took vector-control actions as well as improving environmental sanitation and their personal protection measures against disease transmission. They also reduced their use of agricultural pesticides, especially insecticides. Lessons learned The intervention motivated and enabled rural people to take part in vector-management activities and to reduce several environmental health risks. There is scope for expanding the curriculum to include information on the harmful effects of pesticides on human health and to address other public health concerns. Benefits of this approach for community-based health programmes have not yet been optimally assessed. Also, the institutional basis of the integrated management approach needs to be broadened so that people from a wider range of organizations take part. A monitoring and evaluation system needs to be established to measure the performance of integrated management initiatives. Problematique L&apos;agriculture irriguee expose la population rurale aux risques sanitaires lies aux maladies a transmission vectorielle et aux pesticides utilises en agriculture et en sante publique pour proteger les populations. Dans la plupart des pays en developpement, la collaboration entre les secteurs agricole et sanitaire est insuffisante pour faire face a ces problemes. Demarche Nous presentons l&apos;evaluation d&apos;un projet utilisant des stages pratiques pour agriculteurs en vue d&apos;enseigner aux exploitants agricoles comment gerer les maladies a transmission vectorielle et ameliorer les rendements en riz. L&apos;enseignement apporte aux agriculteurs sur ces deux pratiques est appele <>. Contexte local Un projet intersectoriel concernant les systemes d&apos;irrigation des rizieres au Sri Lanka. Modifications pertinentes Les partenaires au projet ont mis au point un nouveau programme d&apos;enseignement pour la formation pratique des agriculteurs, qui integre une composante sur les maladies a transmission vectorielle. Des cultivateurs de riz habitant des villages concernes par l&apos;intervention et ayant suivi avec succes cette formation ont pris des actions pour lutter contre les vecteurs, ainsi que des mesures d&apos;assainissement et de protection individuelle pour empecher la transmission des maladies, lls ont aussi reduit leur consommation de pesticides agricoles, en particulier d&apos;insecticides. Enseignements tires L&apos;intervention a incite des ruraux a prendre part aux activites de gestion vectorielle et a reduire plusieurs risques menacant l&apos;hygiene de l&apos;environnement. Elle leur a egalement apporte les moyens de le faire. Il est possible d&apos;elargir le programme d&apos;enseignement pour y introduire des informations sur les effets prejudiciables des pesticides sur la sante humaine et pour repondre aux preoccupations de sante publique. Les benefices de cette approche pour les programmes sanitaires communautaires n&apos;ont pas ete evalues au mieux. Il convient aussi d&apos;elargir la base institutionnelle de la demarche de gestion integree afin qu&apos;une gamme plus etendue d&apos;organisations puissent y prendre part. Il faut egalement mettre en place un systeme de surveillance et d&apos;evaluation pour mesurer les resultats des initiatives relevant de la gestion integree. Problema La agricultura de regadio expone a la poblacion rural a riesgos sanitarios asociados a las enfermedades de transmisi6n vectorial y a Ios plaguicidas utilizados en la agricultura y para proteger la salud publica. En la mayoria de Ios paises en desarrollo se da una falta de colaboracion entre Ios sectores agricola y sanitario para abordar conjuntamente estos problemas. Metodos Presentamos una evaluacion de un proyecto que utiliza el metodo de la <> para ensenar a Ios campesinos la manera de controlar las enfermedades de transmision vectorial y mejorar la produccion de arroz. El adiestramiento simultaneo de Ios agricultores en esos dos ambitos es Io que se conoce como <>. Contexte local Un proyecto intersectorial centrado en Ios sistemas de riego de plantaciones de arroz en Sri Lanka. Cambios destacables Los asociados del proyecto desarrollaron un nuevo programa de estudios para la escuela de campo que incluia un componente de control de las enfermedades de transmision vectorial. Los cultivadores de arroz de las aldeas de intervencion salidos de la escuela de campo tomaron medidas de lucha antivectorial y de mejora tanto del saneamiento ambiental como de su proteccion personal contra la transmision de enfermedades. Adema&apos;s redujeron su utilizacion de plaguicidas agricolas, especialmente de insecticidas. Ensenanzas extraidas La intervencion rnotivo a la poblacion rural y le permitio participar en las actividades de control de Ios vectores y reducir varios riesgos para la salud ambiental. Es posible ampliar el programa de estudios para incluir informacion sobre Ios efectos perjudiciales de Ios plaguicidas en la salud humana y abordar otros aspectos preocupantes para la salud publica. Los beneficios de este enfoque para los programas de salud comunitarios todavia no se han evaluado de manera optima. Ademas, es necesario ampliar la base institucional del control integrado para que puedan participar personas de una mas amplia variedad de organizaciones, y hay que establecer un sistema de seguimiento y evaluacion para medir el desempeno de las iniciativas de control integrado., Background and context Malaria and other vector-borne diseases are a major public health problem in WHO's South-East Asia Region. (1) In the wake of increasing resistance to both drugs and [...]

A village in India sets an example for effective and beneficial recovery from harmful pesticide use, making it totally pesticide-free. An addiction to commercial pesticides which devastated the health, economy and environment of the farmers has been turned around by the use of natural pesticides such as neem, chilly and garlic.

Pig farming is a risk factor for increased nasal Staphylococcus aureus colonization. Using sequence typing and phylogenetic comparisons, we showed that overcolonization of farmers was caused by a few bacterial [...]

We assessed the quantitative contribution of pig farming to antimicrobial resistance in the commensal flora of pig farmers by comparing 113 healthy pig farmers from the major French porcine production [...]

Researchers discover that Costa Rican banana farmers' constant exposure to pesticides have led to an increase in chromosome abnormalities. Gene susceptibility to certain mixed pesticides, and the overall negative health effects of pesticides on genes are examined.