Symptoms of Pesticide Poisoning

Pesticide poisoning has become common among farm workers, pesticide applicators, mixers, loaders, and handlers. This has been traced to the users ignorance, carelessness, and lack of elementary knowledge about taking the proper precautions before handling toxic chemicals. The symptoms of pesticide poisoning are not common to all the products, but vary with each product and its formulation. Some of the symptoms include headache, nausea, muscle aches, irritation of eyes and nasal and 

It is very important to remember that some of the symptoms of pesticide poisoning are mistaken for symptoms of other illnesses such as the flu or heat exhaustion. It is also very important that, in all cases of pesticide poisoning in factories, in fields, or at home, a sound medical judgment must prevail readily and quickly. Compare the following  

For more information on pesticides and poisoning, refer to other pages of this book and to the literatnre.  

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Acute symptoms of pesticide poisoning include headaches, vomiting, tremors, lack of coordination, difficulty breathing or respiratory depression, loss of consciousness, seizures and death. Chronic effects of long-term pesticide exposure include impaired memory and concentration, disorientation, severe depression and confusion. 

Figure 7.5 Common symptoms of pesticide poisoning (Waxman, M.F., Pesticide Safety, University of Wisconsin Pesticide Safety Training, 1991).

Symptoms of endosulfan poisoning have been seen in some people who were exposed to very large amounts of this pesticide during its manufacture. Symptoms of endosulfan poisoning have also been seen in people who intentionally or accidentally ate or drank large amounts of endosulfan. Most of these people experienced convulsions or other nervous system effects. 

One more example of acute polychlorpinen poisoning occurred in the Ukraine around 1969-70, when 27 women aged 26-49 were sent out to sow collective farm fields three days after the fields had been treated with polychlorpinen. A warm rain washed the pesticide from the soil, and the pesticide evaporated intensively. All the women showed symptoms of acute poisoning 20-40 minutes later eight lost consciousness, and nine had fits. The poisoned women spent from 3-25 days in the regional hospital, after which they all went to the VNIIGINTOKS clinic with disruptions of the neural and cardio-vascular systems, as well as of the digestive tract over the next 9-13 months [43]. 

Organophosphates. The acute toxicity of organophosphate pesticides is basically derived from the anticholinesterase property of these chemicals. This property, which results in accumulation of acetylcholine at synapses and myoneural junctions, is responsible for both the insecticidal activity and mammalian toxicity. Early symptoms of organophosphate poisoning in humans include, among others, miosis (pinpoint pupils) and blurred vision, and a response known as the SLUD (salivation, lacrimation, urination, and diarrhea) syndrome all of these are the result of muscarinic effects (12-15). Clinical manifestations of more severe poisoning involve predominantly nicotinic and central effects which include convulsions, paralysis, depressed respiration and cardiovascular functions, and coma (12-15). Death is usually due to respiratory failure, accompanied by cardio-vascular failure (13). 

TABLE 4-2. Signs and symptoms of insecticide poisoning Chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticides Acute Chronic... 

In a 1991 study, every surveyed pesticide spray applicator working regularly with dimethoate reported suffering often from nausea, sore eyes and headaches, the symptoms of organophosphate poisoning. Other studies have indicated that this insecticide can cause anxiety and depression in people who have been regularly exposed. 

Household pesticides Numerous formulations some contain hydrocarbon solvents, others are water-based. Pesticides used may include pyrethrins, organophosphates, or carbamates, but generally low potency and in concentrations less than 1.5%. The risk of pesticide poisoning is very low unless intenhonal massive exposure. Symptoms after exposure mainly due to inhalation of the hydrocarbon solvent. 

The symptoms of acute poisoning with arsenic trioxide (AsjOj) are abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea. The skin is moist, and the pulse and breathing are weak and intermittent A fatal dose for an adult is 70-180 mg, depending on their weight. Death occurs in 1 -4 days. In the past, there have been some rare cases of acute poisoning in children by fruit treated with pesticides containing arsenic. 

Research has shown that when polychlorpinen, ammonium nitrate, and superphosphate are present together in the soil, phosgene, carbon monoxide, nitric oxide, hydrochloric acid, ammonia, hydrocyanic anions, ozone, hydrogen fluoride and phosphide, etc. could appear in the air over the beet fields. Photooxidants could also appear. Airborne toxic compounds over this crop were noted in areas after precipitation with little wind, and with an air temperature of over 2CP . The combined and complex activity of pesticides and other chemical compounds led people who manually sowed beets to develop symptoms of poisoning. [21]... 

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