A Survey of Semen Indices in Insecticide Sprayers

Abstract

A Survey of Semen Indices in InsecticideSprayers: Michihiro Kamijima, et al. Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine-This study aims at clarifying the semen indices of insecticide sprayers who are exposed mainly to organophosphorus and pyrethroid insecticides. Eighteen male sprayers out of 54 working for 9 companies in central Japan and 18 age-matched students or medical doctors as unexposed controls participated in detailed reproductive check-ups conducted in summer and the following winter. The sprayers were exposed to insecticides more in summer, the busiest season, than winter, the off-season (p<0.05). Erythrocyte true cholinesterase activities in the sprayers were lower than in the controls in summer (p<0.05), and decreased in significant association with the increase in exposure frequency. Testicular volumes in the sprayers tended to be smaller than in the controls (p=0.06). The serum testosterone concentration in winter in the sprayers was higher than in the controls (p<0.05), though luteinizing h o r m o n e a n d f o l l i c l e s t i m u l a t i n g h o r m o n e concentrations were not significantly different. The sperm counts and vitality were comparable between the groups, but detailed sperm motility analysis in summer revealed that the percentages of slow progressive and nonprogressive motile sperm were twice as high in the sprayers (p<0.05), and that of rapid progressive sperm tended to be lower (p=0.06). Such differences were not observed in winter. Differential sperm morphology counts showed that interaction of group and abstinence effects were significant in sperm Received Aug 19, 2003; Accepted Nov 28, 2003 Correspondence to: M. Kamijima, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8550, Japan (e-mail: kamijima@med.nagoya-u.ac.jp) with normal morphology and with head deformity only in the summer check-up. Despite possible inherent differences between the groups, the above seasondependent differences suggested that the observed lower semen quality in the sprayers was associated with pesticide spraying work.

Effect of Dimethoate (An Organophosphate Insecticide) on the Reproductive System and Fertility of Adult Male Rat

“…This study also revealed a decrease in the percentage of motile sperm in rats treated with dimethoate. A similar result was recorded by Kamijima et al (2004), among pesticide applicators regularly exposed to organophosphates. This could be due to low production of epididymal proteins.…”

“…A decrease in epididymal sperm density was also reported by Thonneau et al (1996) in rats gavaged with quinalphos; by Sobarzo and Bustos-Obregeon (2000); Bustos-Obregon and Gonzallez Harmanzaba (2003) in rats that received parathion and Kamijima et al (2004) among pesticide applicators. This depreciation in epididymal sperm concentration may be related to Science Publications AJPT inhibition of the biosynthesis of testosterone as mentioned above or to the cessation of the release of FSH and LH in the brain.…”

Biological Monitoring of Pyrethroid Exposure of Pest Control Workers in Japan

“…Therefore, a growing need for the assessment of pyrethroid pesticide exposure has been recognized. Under current exposure levels in the studied population, medical examinations including routine clinical blood tests showed no exposure-related hazardous effects on the health status of PCOs, although a previous study identified a slight deterioration in semen quality in work associated with spraying 21) . All synthetic pyrethroids are rapidly metabolized by hydrolytic cleavage to form their corresponding metabolites, 1) acid moieties such as cis-3-(2,2-dibromovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid or cis-and trans-3-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid, and 2) alcohol m o i e t i e s w h i c h a r e o x i d i z e d t o 4 -f l u o r o -3 -phenoxybenzoic acid or 3-PBA.…”

Analysis and evaluation of pyrethroid exposure in human population based on biological monitoring of urinary pyrethroid metabolites

“…59,60) Recent several non-occupational studies have suggested that environmental PYR exposure might be associated with circulating hormone levels and semen parameters (Table 4). Urinary PYR metabolites were measured as a biomarker of PYR exposure in each paper.…”