Environmental exposure to pesticides and respiratory health

1. Ali Mamane1,2⇑, 
2. Chantal Raherison1,2,3, 
3. Jean-François Tessier2,
4. Isabelle Baldi1,2,4 and 
5. Ghislaine Bouvier1,2

+Author Affiliations

1. ¹ISPED – Laboratoire Santé Travail Environnement, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
2. ²ISPED – Centre INSERM U897-Epidémiologie-Biostatistique, Bordeaux, France
3. ³Service des Maladies Respiratoire, CHU de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
4. ⁴Service de Médecine du Travail, CHU de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France

1. Ali Mamane, Université de Bordeaux, ISPED, INSERM U897, 146 rue Leo Saignat, Bordeaux, 33076, France. E-mail: ali.mamane@isped.u-bordeaux2.fr

Abstract

Respiratory effects of environmental exposure to pesticides are debated. Here we aimed to review epidemiological studies published up until 2013, using the PubMed database. 20 studies dealing with respiratory health and non-occupational pesticide exposure were identified, 14 carried out on children and six on adults.

In four out of nine studies in children with biological measurements, mothers' dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) blood levels during pregnancy were associated with asthma and wheezing in young children. An association was also found between permethrin in indoor air during pregnancy and wheezing in children. A significant association between asthma and DDE measured in children's blood (aged 7–10 years) was observed in one study. However, in three studies, no association was found between asthma or respiratory infections in children and pesticide levels in breast milk and/or infant blood. Lastly, in three out of four studies where post-natal pesticide exposure of children was assessed by parental questionnaire an association with respiratory symptoms was found. Results of the fewer studies on pesticide environmental exposure and respiratory health of adults were much less conclusive: indeed, the associations observed were weak and often not significant.

In conclusion, further studies are needed to confirm whether there is a respiratory risk associated with environmental exposure to pesticides.

OPEN ACCESS ARTICLE

This Article

1. doi:10.1183/16000617.00006114Eur Respir Rev September 1, 2015 vol. 24 no. 137 462-473

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