An epidemiological panorama of exposure to cholinesterase pesticides in 17 of the country's departments

Abstract

Organophosphorates and carbamates are responsible for the greater part of the pesticide poisonings which are presented in the country. They are potent inhibitors of the acetylcholinesterase enzyme, causing serious acute work-related poisoning as well as long term effects. In 1982, faced by this problem, the Instituto Nacional de Salud (INS), through its Environrnental Health Laboratory (Laboratorio de Salud Ambientao created the epidemiological vigilance for organophosphorate and carbamate pesticides (Programa de Vigilancia Epidemiológica de Plaguicidas Organofosforados y Carbarnatos (VEO)), employing the Lovibond method to determine acetylcholinesterase (ACHE) as indicator, in order to detect cases of high pesticide absorption. From 1993 onwards, information from 17 of the countty's departments was ready, this being the data which was analysed. The total number of people who participated in the study during the years 1993 to 1995 was 41,899, al1 of whom had antecedents of exposure to organophosphorate or catbarnate pesticides 80% of the workers who participated in the study were male, the age-group rnost affected being 18 to 40 years old. The greatest prevalence of ACHE abnormality, according to economic activity, was for urban application and related to the jobs of mixer-sprayerwarehousing. In relation to the social security of the 23,917 workers, only 31.7% were found to be afiiliated to this type of entity. The data obtained allowed an epidemiological panorama to be established concerning poisoning by cholinesterase inhibitor pesticides, thus determining the population at greatest risk, which will lead to new research studies of this population.