Agricultural Pesticides and Shingles Risk in a Prospective Cohort of Licensed Pesticide Applicators

Abstract

Background: Some pesticides are immunotoxic and have been associated with an increased risk of immune-mediated diseases. The risk of shingles, the clinical reactivation of varicella-zoster virus, increases with aging and immunosuppression; little is known about its associations with pesticides. Objective: We examined the use of agricultural pesticides in relation to incident shingles in a prospective cohort of licensed pesticide applicators. Methods: The study sample included 12,820 (97% male) farmers (enrolled in 1993–1997 in North Carolina and Iowa), who were followed for a median of 12 y (interquartile range: 11–13). Shingles was self-reported at enrollment and at follow-up. We evaluated ever-use of 48 agricultural pesticides reported at study enrollment in relation to shingles risk and considered exposure–response for intensity-weighted lifetime days (IWLDs) of use. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using Cox proportional hazard models, adjusting for state, and allowing estimates to vary by median attained age (60 y). Results: Incident shingles was reported by 590 participants. Associations were positive ( ) for ever- vs. never-use of eight insecticides, three fumigants, two fungicides, and five herbicides, and exposure–response trends were seen across increasing quartiles (Q3 and ) or tertiles (T3 and ) of IWLDs for four insecticides [permethrin (crops), coumaphos, malathion, and lindane], two fumigants (carbon tetrachloride/carbon disulfide and methyl bromide), and three herbicides [alachlor, trifluralin ( ) and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid]. Shingles was not associated with total years or days per year mixed or applied any pesticides, but in older participants, shingles was associated with a history of a high pesticide exposure event [ (95% CI: 1.45, 2.45)]. Conclusions: Several specific pesticides were associated with increased risk of shingles in farmers, especially at higher levels of cumulative use. These novel findings, if replicated in other populations, could have broader implications for the potential effects of pesticides on vaccine efficacy and susceptibility to other infections. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP7797

Modifiable contributing factors to COVID-19: A comprehensive review

“…The risk of shingles, the clinical reactivation of varicella-zoster virus, increases with aging and immunosuppression …..Incident shingles was reported by 590 participants. Associations were positive (HRs>1.2) for …..methyl bromide …..in older participants, shingles was associated with a history of a high pesticide exposure event" Parks et al (2021) immunotoxic; immune-mediated diseases; shingles; varicella-zoster virus; immunosuppression IIC “1-methyl-3-octylimidazolium bromide ([C8mim]Br) … the present study indicates that chronic exposure to [C8mim]Br induces inflammation in fish spleen and that oxidative stress-mediated p38MAPK/NF-κB signalling and miRNAs may play a key role in this process." Ma et al (2019) superoxide dismutase; SOD; catalase; CAT; glutathione peroxidase; GPx; glutathione; GSH; malondialdehyde; MDA; protein carbonyl; PC; spleen; oxidative stress; nuclear factor-κB; NF-κB; inducible nitric oxide synthase; iNOS; interleukin-1β; IL-1β; IL-6; tumour necrosis factor-α; TNF-α; interferon-γ; IFN-γ; transforming growth factor-β; TGF-β; mRNA; p38MAPK; c-fos; c-jun; c-myc; p38MAPK/NF-κB signalling; lysozyme activity; complement 3; C3; immunoglobulin M; IgM; immunotoxic; miR-125b; miR-143; miR-155; miR-21; inflammation; oxidative stress DNS “Acute MB intoxication mainly involves the central nervous system (CNS) and is often related with poor outcome such as coma and seizures(6).…”

Tapping the Role of Microbial Biosurfactants in Pesticide Remediation: An Eco-Friendly Approach for Environmental Sustainability

“…Several developed and developing nations banned the use of most organochlorine pesticides, including DDT ( Mansouri et al, 2017 ; Peng et al, 2020 ). This led to increased demand for organophosphate pesticides such as malathion, parathion, monocrotophos, etc., due to their wide action spectrum and moderate toxicity ( Narenderan et al, 2020 ; Parks et al, 2021 ). However, feeding the exponentially growing population on declining land area forced farmers to use these pesticides more than the recommended dose i.e., 1 U.S liquid pints per acre of land or 0.473 liters per acre of land area ( Tchounwou et al, 2015 ; As per U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | US EPA, 2021 ).…”