@article{ref1,
title="Acute symptoms following work with pesticides",
journal="Occupational medicine",
year="2007",
author="Solomon, Christine and Poole, Jason and Palmer, K. T. and Peveler, R. and Coggon, D.",
volume="57",
number="7",
pages="505-511",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Serious accidental poisoning by pesticides is rare in the UK, but more minor pesticide-related illness may be under-reported. Anecdotally, use of sheep dip has been linked with flu-like symptoms. AIM: To explore the frequency, nature and determinants of acute symptoms following work with pesticides. METHODS: A postal survey of men in three rural areas of England and Wales provided data on occupational use of five categories of pesticide, occurrence of 12 specified symptoms within 48 h of using pesticides and tendency to somatize. Risk factors for pesticide-related symptoms were assessed by modified Cox regression. RESULTS: Of 10 765 responders (response rate = 31%), 4108 had at some time used pesticides occupationally, including 935 (23%) who reported symptoms following such work on at least one occasion. In two areas, acute symptoms were most frequent following use of sheep dip (29 and 32% of users), but in the third area the rate was significantly lower (13% of users). The relative frequency of symptoms was similar for all five categories of pesticide, and flu-like symptoms did not cluster unusually among users of sheep dip. Risk of pesticide-related symptoms increased with somatizing tendency (prevalence ratio for highest versus lowest category 2.4, 95% confidence interval 2.0-3.0) and was higher in men who had used pesticides most often or handled concentrate. CONCLUSION: Acute symptoms are common following work with pesticides, but in many cases the illness may arise through psychological rather than toxic mechanisms.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0962-7480",
doi="10.1093/occmed/kqm066",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqm066"
}