A Prospective Study on Assessment of Pesticide Effects (Particularly Anticholinesterases) on Health of Exposed Workers Tanzania

Abstract

A prospective study was conducted in two agricultural Research institutes in Tanzania on.111 workers who were exposed to various groups of pesticide compounds including cholinesterase inhibitors from 19. 3. - 20. 4. 1977. The workers were categorized into A, B, C, D occupational groups, and group E comprised of 54 subjects was selected as a control group. The objectives for the study were to assess the effects of the pesticide chemical compounds on health of the workers; and to try how to design a methodology for assessing the degree of exposure risk based on external influencing factors. For determination of cholinesterase activity, usually inhibated by some anticholinesteras pesticide compounds Spectrophotometeric and Tintometric methods were used simultaneously, while interviews, questionnaires and clinical examinations were the other objective and subjective methods applied for assessing the clinical pesticide effects. It was revealed in the study that there was significant inhibition in cholinesterase activity among the exposed subjects particularly in groups A and B who handled cholinesterase inhibitors which correlates with exposure factors and the clinical manifestations observed during the investigations. A proposed model for assessing the degree of exposure risk to anticholinesteraeee in form of a screening test is also described.