Evaluation of Chronic Haematological and Neurological Effects of Organophosphates Pesticides Exposure in Children of Rural Population
Abstract
This is an award-winning study of its kind first time conducted in the rural areas of Indore Madhya Pradesh with the aim of evaluating the subclinical morbidity and mortality pattern of the chronic hematological and neurological effect of organophosphate pesticide exposure in children of farmers. Poison is any substance which if introduced into the living body could cause ill health or death. Among children, the commonest culprits include kerosene, pesticides, household chemicals, drugs. In rural areas of developing countries, children of agricultural workers have high probabilities for exposure to OP pesticides. This puts them at an increased risk of damage. A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out in 64 children aged 7-14 years in adjoining villages of khudel, Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Various neurological symptoms like muscarinic (diarrhea, urinary incontinence, lacrimation, excessive salivation), nicotinic (tremors, muscle weakness, tachycardia) and general symptoms (a headache, insomnia, numbness in legs, fatigue, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, lethargy) were assessed by doing a clinical examination. Exposure index (EI) was calculated by multiplying the number of hours exposed to OP pesticides and the number of years of exposure. Various CBC parameters, metabolic panel (liver function test, kidney function test, FPG, vitamin B 12, electrolyte level) were calculated. The statistical evaluation was done using SPSS version 24.0 analysis of variance (ANOVA).