Understanding Pesticide Poisoning

Understanding Acute Pesticide
Poisoning
September
2024
Presentation Outline
• What are pesticides?
• What is acute pesticide poisoning?
• Exposure routes
• Sources of vulnerability to acute pesticide
poisoning
• How big a problem is acute pesticide poisoning?
• Reporting acute pesticide poisoning
Community studies
What are pesticides?
• A pesticide is an agent that is used to kill a pest.
The pest may be insect, fungus, weed, rodent etc.
• A ‘pesticide’ consists of different components:

• The active ingredient is the chemical in the
product mixture that act to control the pest
• The so-called ‘inert’ ingredients can include
water, emulsifiers, solvents, surfactants,
stabilisers. Together, they can improve the
mixing, shelf-life and to effectiveness of the
pesticide.
• The formulation is the total product including the active
ingredients and the inert ingredients. This can come in
many forms, such as dust, granular or emulsifiable
concentrate.
• The ‘trade name’ is the name of the final product that

reaches market. The type of formulation is often included
in the trade name of the pesticide.
• D – dust
• G – granular
• WP – wettable powder
• EC – emulsifiable concentrate
• ULV – ultra low volume
• RTU – ready to use
• Pesticides include products that are derived from one

or more of the hundreds of active ingredients
available.
• This variety can lead to a huge range of signs and

symptoms. Severity can vary from a mild rash or
headache through to severe lesions, convulsions and
even death.
What is acute pesticide poisoning?
Acute pesticide poisoning refers to health effects on

humans that occur within 24 hours of exposure.
 These can include eye damage, burns, severe

headaches, breathing difficulties, loss of
consciousness, even death
Longer terms, or chronic, health effects can include,

for example, cancers, endocrine disruption,
developmental effects. These are not addressed
here
• Different types of active ingredients are associated with different sets of
symptoms
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• Different types of active ingredients are associated with different sets of
symptoms
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Exposure Routes
• Exposure to pesticides, leading to acute pesticide poisoning,

occurs through three routes:
1.Dermal absorption (skin)

2.Ingestion
3.Inhalation
1. Dermal Exposure
Scalp Exposure can occur
3,7 Forehead
4,2 by:
Ear canal
5,4
Abdomen • Mixing and applying
Forearm
2,1
pesticides
1
Palm
1,3
• Touching
Genital area contaminated
11,8
surfaces
Ball of foot
1,6
• Wearing clothes
already used to apply
pesticides without
washing
Managing Pesticide Poisoning Risk and understanding the signs and them
symptoms. Clyde et al 2012
http://ianrpubs.unl.edu/live/ec2505/build/ec2505.pdf
2. Inhalation
Exposure can occur by:
• Mixing pesticides
• Spraying
• Using fumigants
• Living near fields where pesticides are
sprayed
• Manage stored pesticides in poorly
Nuisance dust masks do not give sufficient protection
ventilated
against area
pesticides
X
3. Ingestion
Exposure can occur by:
• Touching the mouth after having

touched contaminated surfaces or
objects e.g. when smoking
• Contaminated food / drink
• Breastfeeding
Sources of vulnerability to acute
pesticide poisoning
Role / occupation
• Applying / handling pesticides
• Field workers
• Washing contaminated clothing by hand
Biological
• Age
• Gender
Biological vulnerability BREAST CANCER
PESTICIDES IN
MILK
• Higher proportion of body fat = HIGHER RISK OF
a greater reservoir for fat-loving ENDOMETRIOSIS
pesticides INFERTILITY
SPONTANEOUS
• Women may absorb pesticides ABORTION
through their skin more easily Effect on babies:
PREMATURE BIRTH
than men PERI-NATAL DEATH
• Women have a higher level of NEUROLOGICAL
PROBLEMS
hormonally sensitive tissues = FETAL GROWTH
women are more vulnerable to RETARDATION
the effects of pesticides, CONGENITAL
especially the hormonally active MALFORMATIONS
EARLY CHILDHOOD
ones (endocrine disruptors) CANCER
MALE FERTILITY IS ALSO AT
How big of a problem is pesticide
poisoning?
• An estimated
• 385 million cases of unintentional acute pesticide
poisoning occur annually world-wide
• 44% of farmers are poisoned by pesticides every year
How big of a problem is pesticide
poisoning?
• There is variation between countries
Tanzania study of cotton Benin study of cotton
farmers 2021 farmers 2021
PAN-UK, AGENDA, MUHAS
PAN-UK, OBEPAB
Reporting acute pesticide poisoning
• APP is severely underreported and under-researched
• The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) undertook a study in six Central
American countries which found that only 1 - 20% cases of acute pesticide
poisoning are officially reported.
• FAO also found low levels of reporting of APP in Cambodia and Vietnam (Murphy
et al, 2002)
• PAN-UK studies:
• Our studies in 6 countries in EECCA indicated that 4-19% incidents were
presented to medical services
• In India we found 24% incidents were presented to medical services
• In Jamaica we found 24% incidents were presented to medical services
Reporting acute pesticide poisoning
Community Studies – a variety of
methodologies
• Desk study
• Consultations / group discussions

with key stakeholders
• Quantitative surveys
• Direct observations e.g. of conditions

of use or retail premises
THANK YOU

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Understanding Acute Pesticide

• A ‘pesticide’ consists of different components:

• The ‘trade name’ is the name of the final product that

• Pesticides include products that are derived from one

• This variety can lead to a huge range of signs and

Acute pesticide poisoning refers to health effects on

 These can include eye damage, burns, severe

Longer terms, or chronic, health effects can include,

• Exposure to pesticides, leading to acute pesticide poisoning,

1.Dermal absorption (skin)

• Touching the mouth after having

• Contaminated food / drink

• Consultations / group discussions

• Direct observations e.g. of conditions

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