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Toxicological evaluation of the immune function of pesticide workers, a European wide assessment

National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands

L van Amelsvoort

Department of Epidemiology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands

C Colosio

Department of Occupational Health, University of Milan, S. Paolo Hospital Unit, Milan, Italy

E Corsini

Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Pharmacological Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy

S Fustinoni

Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Milan and Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore, Maangiagalli e Regina Elena, Milan, Italy

T Vergieva

National Centre of Public Health Protection, Sofia, Bulgaria

C Zaikov

National Centre of Public Health Protection, Sofia, Bulgaria

S Pennanen

Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Kuopio, Finland

J Liesivuori

Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Kuopio, Finland

H Van Loveren

National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands; Department of Health Risk Analyses and Toxicology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands henk.van.loveren{at}rivm.nl

In this study, the prolonged low-dose exposure of mixtures of pesticides has been examined on hematological parameters and components of the immune defense in occupationally exposed humans. This investigation was carried out in five field studies in: the Netherlands (flower bulb growers, mainly re-entry workers), Italy (vineyard workers), Finland (potato farmers), and Bulgaria (workers from a zineb factory and greenhouse workers). Immunotoxicity was studied by measuring hematological parameters, complement, immunoglobulins, lymphocyte subpopulations, natural killer cells, autoimmunity, and antibody responses to hepatitis B vaccination. The total study population consisted of 248 pesticide-exposed and 231 non-occupationally exposed workers. As a surrogate measure of pesticide exposure the urinary excretion of ethylenethiourea (ETU), the main metabolite ethylenebisdithiocarbamates was measured. A significantly higher level of ETU in occupationally exposed subjects compared with controls (2.7 ± 8.1 µg/g vs 0.5 ± 3.7 µg/g creatinine) was found. Statistically significant differences, albeit very low, were found for complement C3 and C4 and the immunoglobulin classes IgG4 and IgA. For complement and IgG4, the levels were slightly increased and the level of IgA was decreased. In the lymphocyte populations, the CD8 subpopulation was increased. No effects were found on autoimmune antibodies and antibody response to hepatitis vaccination. In conclusion, pesticide exposure under various work place conditions in Europe was associated only with some subtle effects on the immune system, which may suggest that occupational exposure to pesticides does not influence the immunologic system in a clinically significant fashion, and does not pose a significant health risk to the exposed subjects.

Key Words: epidemiology • multicentre study • pesticides

Human & Experimental Toxicology, Vol. 27, No. 9, 701-707 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/0960327108095993


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