Association of pesticide exposure with respiratory health outcomes and rhinitis in avocado farmworkers from Michoacán, Mexico
Alcalá, Cecilia S. ; Armendáriz-Arnez, Cynthia ; Mora, Ana M. ; Rodriguez-Zamora, Maria G. ; Bradman, Asa ; Fuhrimann, Samuel ; Lindh, Christian LU
and Rosa, María José
(2024)
In Science of the Total Environment
945.
- Abstract
Background: A growing literature suggests associations between occupational pesticide exposure and respiratory health. In this study, we aimed to examine the association of exposure to insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides, individually and as a mixture, with respiratory health outcomes and rhinitis in avocado farmworkers from Michoacán, Mexico. Material and methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 105 avocado farmworkers between May and August 2021. We quantified 12 insecticide, fungicide, and herbicide metabolites in urine samples collected during two study visits (8–10 weeks apart). We collected survey data on self-reported pesticide use during the 12 months prior to the baseline survey and estimated annual... (More)
Background: A growing literature suggests associations between occupational pesticide exposure and respiratory health. In this study, we aimed to examine the association of exposure to insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides, individually and as a mixture, with respiratory health outcomes and rhinitis in avocado farmworkers from Michoacán, Mexico. Material and methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 105 avocado farmworkers between May and August 2021. We quantified 12 insecticide, fungicide, and herbicide metabolites in urine samples collected during two study visits (8–10 weeks apart). We collected survey data on self-reported pesticide use during the 12 months prior to the baseline survey and estimated annual exposure-intensity scores (EIS) using a semi-quantitative exposure algorithm. We also assessed respiratory symptoms, including wheezing, chest tightness, wheezing after exercise, and night cough. We used generalized linear regression models to examine associations of individual urinary metabolite concentrations and annual EIS with respiratory health outcomes and rhinitis. Mixture effects were assessed using Bayesian Weighted Quantile Sum (BWQS) regression. Results: After adjusting for multiple comparisons, we observed mostly null associations of individual pesticide metabolite concentrations and annual EIS with the outcomes of interest. However, in BWQS analyses, we found evidence of a mixture association of urinary pesticide metabolites with increased odds of night cough (OR: 5.34, 95 % CrI: 1.67, 20.62). Pyrethroid metabolites 3-phenoxybenzoic acid and cis- and trans-3-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxylic acid were the main contributors to this association (43 %). Conclusions: Our findings indicate that exposure to a mixture of pesticides, particularly pyrethroid insecticides, may be associated with night cough in avocado farmworkers.
(Less)
- author
- Alcalá, Cecilia S.
; Armendáriz-Arnez, Cynthia
; Mora, Ana M.
; Rodriguez-Zamora, Maria G.
; Bradman, Asa
; Fuhrimann, Samuel
; Lindh, Christian
LU
and Rosa, María José
- organization
- publishing date
- 2024-10
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Asthma, Mixtures, Occupational health, Pesticide, Respiratory health, Wheeze
- in
- Science of the Total Environment
- volume
- 945
- article number
- 173855
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85196183713
- pmid:38871332
- ISSN
- 0048-9697
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173855
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 1443e54b-2f6f-4179-8f5d-c2e8a1ef788b
- date added to LUP
- 2024-07-05 13:51:26
- date last changed
- 2025-01-04 10:14:15
@article{1443e54b-2f6f-4179-8f5d-c2e8a1ef788b,
abstract = {{<p>Background: A growing literature suggests associations between occupational pesticide exposure and respiratory health. In this study, we aimed to examine the association of exposure to insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides, individually and as a mixture, with respiratory health outcomes and rhinitis in avocado farmworkers from Michoacán, Mexico. Material and methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 105 avocado farmworkers between May and August 2021. We quantified 12 insecticide, fungicide, and herbicide metabolites in urine samples collected during two study visits (8–10 weeks apart). We collected survey data on self-reported pesticide use during the 12 months prior to the baseline survey and estimated annual exposure-intensity scores (EIS) using a semi-quantitative exposure algorithm. We also assessed respiratory symptoms, including wheezing, chest tightness, wheezing after exercise, and night cough. We used generalized linear regression models to examine associations of individual urinary metabolite concentrations and annual EIS with respiratory health outcomes and rhinitis. Mixture effects were assessed using Bayesian Weighted Quantile Sum (BWQS) regression. Results: After adjusting for multiple comparisons, we observed mostly null associations of individual pesticide metabolite concentrations and annual EIS with the outcomes of interest. However, in BWQS analyses, we found evidence of a mixture association of urinary pesticide metabolites with increased odds of night cough (OR: 5.34, 95 % CrI: 1.67, 20.62). Pyrethroid metabolites 3-phenoxybenzoic acid and cis- and trans-3-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxylic acid were the main contributors to this association (43 %). Conclusions: Our findings indicate that exposure to a mixture of pesticides, particularly pyrethroid insecticides, may be associated with night cough in avocado farmworkers.</p>}},
author = {{Alcalá, Cecilia S. and Armendáriz-Arnez, Cynthia and Mora, Ana M. and Rodriguez-Zamora, Maria G. and Bradman, Asa and Fuhrimann, Samuel and Lindh, Christian and Rosa, María José}},
issn = {{0048-9697}},
keywords = {{Asthma; Mixtures; Occupational health; Pesticide; Respiratory health; Wheeze}},
language = {{eng}},
publisher = {{Elsevier}},
series = {{Science of the Total Environment}},
title = {{Association of pesticide exposure with respiratory health outcomes and rhinitis in avocado farmworkers from Michoacán, Mexico}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173855}},
doi = {{10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173855}},
volume = {{945}},
year = {{2024}},
}