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van Wendel de Joode B, Peñaloza-Castañeda J, Mora AM, Corrales-Vargas A, Eskenazi B, Hoppin JA, Lindh CH. Pesticide exposure, birth size, and gestational age in the ISA birth cohort, Costa Rica. Environ Epidemiol 2024; 8:e290. [PMID: 38617432 PMCID: PMC11008631 DOI: 10.1097/ee9.0000000000000290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose To examine associations of prenatal biomarkers of pesticide exposure with birth size measures and length of gestation among newborns from the Infants' Environmental Health (ISA) birth cohort, Costa Rica. Methods We included 386 singleton liveborn newborns with data on birth size measures, length of gestation, and maternal urinary biomarkers of chlorpyrifos, synthetic pyrethroids, mancozeb, pyrimethanil, and 2, 4-D during pregnancy. We associated biomarkers of exposure with birth outcomes using multivariate linear regression and generalized additive models. Results Concentrations were highest for ethylene thiourea (ETU, metabolite of mancozeb), median = 3.40; p10-90 = 1.90-6.79 µg/L, followed by 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCP, metabolite of chlorpyrifos) p50 = 1.76 p10-90 = 0.97-4.36 µg/L, and lowest for 2,4-D (p50 = 0.33 p10-90 = 0.18-1.07 µg/L). Among term newborns (≥37 weeks), higher prenatal TCP was associated with lower birth weight and smaller head circumference (e.g., β per 10-fold-increase) during the second half of pregnancy = -129.6 (95% confidence interval [CI] = -255.8, -3.5) grams, and -0.61 (95% CI = -1.05, -0.17) centimeters, respectively. Also, among term newborns, prenatal 2,4-D was associated with lower birth weight (β per 10-fold-increase = -125.1; 95% CI = -228.8, -21.5), smaller head circumference (β = -0.41; 95% CI = -0.78, -0.03), and, during the second half of pregnancy, with shorter body length (β = -0.58; 95% CI = -1.09, -0.07). Furthermore, ETU was nonlinearly associated with head circumference during the second half of pregnancy. Biomarkers of pyrethroids and pyrimethanil were not associated with birth size, and none of the biomarkers explained the length of gestation. Conclusions Prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos and 2,4-D, and, possibly, mancozeb/ETU, may impair fetal growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berna van Wendel de Joode
- Infants’ Environmental Health (ISA) Program, Central American Institute for Studies on Toxic Substances (IRET), Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica
| | - Jorge Peñaloza-Castañeda
- Infants’ Environmental Health (ISA) Program, Central American Institute for Studies on Toxic Substances (IRET), Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica
| | - Ana M. Mora
- Infants’ Environmental Health (ISA) Program, Central American Institute for Studies on Toxic Substances (IRET), Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica
- Center for Environmental Research and Community Health (CERCH), University of California at Berkeley
| | - Andrea Corrales-Vargas
- Infants’ Environmental Health (ISA) Program, Central American Institute for Studies on Toxic Substances (IRET), Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica
| | - Brenda Eskenazi
- Center for Environmental Research and Community Health (CERCH), University of California at Berkeley
| | - Jane A. Hoppin
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, North Carolina
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, North Carolina
| | - Christian H. Lindh
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Sweden
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Davis B, Eskenazi B, Bornman R, Obida M, Chevrier J. Association between prenatal exposure to indoor residual spraying insecticides and infection rates among South African children participating in the Venda Health Examination of Mothers, Babies and their Environment (VHEMBE). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 918:170483. [PMID: 38301784 PMCID: PMC11112551 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
In 2021, 53 countries conducted indoor residual spraying (IRS), the application of insecticides such as dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane (DDT) or pyrethroids to the walls of homes to control malaria. Animal studies show that these insecticides can increase susceptibility to infections but only one human study was conducted in a population from an area where IRS is applied. The aim of the present study was thus to investigate whether maternal exposure to DDT, its breakdown product dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethylene (DDE) or pyrethroid insecticides is associated with symptoms of infection among children living in a region of South Africa were IRS is conducted annually. As part of the Venda Health Examination of Mothers, Babies and their Environment (VHEMBE) we measured maternal serum concentrations of DDT and DDE, and urinary concentrations of four pyrethroid metabolites in peripartum samples. Poisson regression models with robust variance estimates were used to investigate associations with the rates of infection symptoms between ages 3.5-5 years among 629 children as assessed based on caregiver interviews. Multiple pyrethroid metabolites were associated with infection symptoms. For instance, cis-DBCA was associated with increased rates of ear infection (Incidence Rate Ratio for a 10-fold increase (IRR10) = 1.4; 95 % Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.0, 2.1) and persistent diarrhea (IRR10 = 2.1; 95 % CI = 1.2, 3.9), trans-DCCA was associated with increased rates of colds in children (IRR10 = 1.3; 95 % CI = 1.0, 1.6) and persistent fever (IRS10 = 1.4; 95 % CI = 1.0, 2.0), and 3-PBA was associated with increased rates of persistent fever (IRR10 = 1.8; 95 % CI = 1.0, 3.0). We found limited evidence of association between maternal DDE and DDT serum concentrations and infection symptoms. Results suggest that prenatal exposure to pyrethroid insecticides may be associated with infections among children from an area where IRS is conducted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooklyn Davis
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, School of Population and Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Brenda Eskenazi
- Center for Environmental Research and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Riana Bornman
- University of Pretoria Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Muvhulawa Obida
- University of Pretoria Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Jonathan Chevrier
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, School of Population and Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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Martins AF, Santos ASE, Moreira JC, Câmara VDM, Asmus CIRF, Rosa ACS, Vineis P, Meyer A. Exposure of pregnant women and their children to pyrethroid insecticides in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1274724. [PMID: 38162602 PMCID: PMC10756647 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1274724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Pyrethroids are commonly used insecticides in Brazil. Gestational and early childhood exposure to pyrethroids has been linked to adverse health effects, including neurodevelopmental delays, behavioral issues, and endocrine disruption. This study evaluated the exposure of pregnant women and their children to pyrethroid insecticides in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Methods Creatinine-adjusted levels of the pyrethroid metabolites 3-phenoxy benzoic acid (3-PBA) and 4-fluoro-3-phenoxybenzyl acid (4-FPBA) were measured in the urine of 142 pregnant women and their children at birth and in the first, third, and 6th months of life. Results The geometric mean (GM) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of 3-PBA and 4-FPBA urinary concentrations in pregnant women were 0.50 (0.37-0.67) and 0.37 (0.05-2.90) ng/mg, detected in 47.2 and 10.6%, respectively. Urinary concentrations of 3-PBA in the children were 0.18 (0.15-0.23) ng/mg at birth, 0.36 (0.08-1.56) ng/mg at 1-month-old, 0.68 (0.36-1.27) ng/mg at 3-month-old, and 1.36 (0.77-2.42) ng/mg at 6-month-old, and the detection rates were respectively 10.8, 9.4, 20.9, and 20.7%. Discussion This study is one of the few that has evaluated the urinary concentrations of pyrethroids in newborns and children in their 1st year of life. The results of this study show that children's exposure to pyrethroids significantly increases after birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Friaes Martins
- Public Health Program, Public Health Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Aline Souza Espindola Santos
- Occupational and Environmental Health Branch, Public Health Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Josino Costa Moreira
- Occupational and Environmental Health Branch, Public Health Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Volney de Magalhaes Câmara
- Occupational and Environmental Health Branch, Public Health Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Ana Cristina Simoes Rosa
- Center for Studies of Human Ecology and Worker's Health, National School of Public Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Paolo Vineis
- MRC Centre for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Armando Meyer
- Occupational and Environmental Health Branch, Public Health Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Wolfe J, Marsit C. Pyrethroid pesticide exposure and placental effects. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2023; 578:112070. [PMID: 37722502 PMCID: PMC10591723 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2023.112070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Human exposures to pyrethroid pesticides have increased in recent years following the bans and sanctions placed on other families of pesticides. Although pyrethroids are currently widely used across the United States and throughout the world, and their overt neurological toxicity classified, the extent of their toxicity through low dose and chronic exposures on humans is less well characterized, particularly when it comes to prenatal exposures, their impacts on neurodevelopment, and any role for the placenta in those effects. In this review, we assess the state of research on pyrethroid pesticide exposure and placental effects. These studies presented hormone disrupting, genotoxic, neurodevelopmental and neurobehavioral effects, among others, following prenatal pyrethroid exposures, and highlights a need for future research to assess gaps relating to effects in the human placenta and mechanisms of toxicity as well as shortcomings in the reproducibility and standardization of the methodologies presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Wolfe
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Carmen Marsit
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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Casey JA, Daouda M, Babadi RS, Do V, Flores NM, Berzansky I, González DJ, Van Horne YO, James-Todd T. Methods in Public Health Environmental Justice Research: a Scoping Review from 2018 to 2021. Curr Environ Health Rep 2023; 10:312-336. [PMID: 37581863 PMCID: PMC10504232 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-023-00406-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The volume of public health environmental justice (EJ) research produced by academic institutions increased through 2022. However, the methods used for evaluating EJ in exposure science and epidemiologic studies have not been catalogued. Here, we completed a scoping review of EJ studies published in 19 environmental science and epidemiologic journals from 2018 to 2021 to summarize research types, frameworks, and methods. RECENT FINDINGS We identified 402 articles that included populations with health disparities as a part of EJ research question and met other inclusion criteria. Most studies (60%) evaluated EJ questions related to socioeconomic status (SES) or race/ethnicity. EJ studies took place in 69 countries, led by the US (n = 246 [61%]). Only 50% of studies explicitly described a theoretical EJ framework in the background, methods, or discussion and just 10% explicitly stated a framework in all three sections. Among exposure studies, the most common area-level exposure was air pollution (40%), whereas chemicals predominated personal exposure studies (35%). Overall, the most common method used for exposure-only EJ analyses was main effect regression modeling (50%); for epidemiologic studies the most common method was effect modification (58%), where an analysis evaluated a health disparity variable as an effect modifier. Based on the results of this scoping review, current methods in public health EJ studies could be bolstered by integrating expertise from other fields (e.g., sociology), conducting community-based participatory research and intervention studies, and using more rigorous, theory-based, and solution-oriented statistical research methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan A. Casey
- University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle, WA USA
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY USA
| | - Misbath Daouda
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY USA
| | - Ryan S. Babadi
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Vivian Do
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY USA
| | - Nina M. Flores
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY USA
| | - Isa Berzansky
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - David J.X. González
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy & Management and School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | | | - Tamarra James-Todd
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
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Sakali AK, Papagianni M, Bargiota A, Rasic-Markovic A, Macut D, Mastorakos G. Environmental factors affecting pregnancy outcomes. Endocrine 2023; 80:459-469. [PMID: 36729371 DOI: 10.1007/s12020-023-03307-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Pregnancy represents a fragile period in the life of a woman, vulnerable to hazardous environmental substances which might affect maternal and fetal metabolism. The possible influence of environmental factors, including endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), upon the mother and the fetus before and/or during pregnancy might be associated directly and/or indirectly to deleterious pregnancy outcomes. Because the existence of such associations would be, to our view, of major importance to the scientific community, their investigation is the scope of this critical review. METHODS This critical review includes in vivo animal and human studies regarding the role of environmental factors, including EDCs, on pregnancy outcomes complying with the SANRA (a scale for the quality assessment of narrative review articles) questions for narrative reviews. Studies were identified by searching the MEDLINE (PubMed and PubMed Central), the Cochrane library and the Google Scholar databases till October 2022 with the combinations of the appropriate key words (detailed environmental factors including EDCs AND detailed negative pregnancy outcomes) as well as by scanning references from already included articles and relevant reviews manually. Because environmental factors and EDCs have been associated to epigenetic alterations, special care has been given to EDC-induced transgenerational effects on pregnancy outcomes. RESULTS The existing evidence suggests positive associations between specific environmental factors and negative pregnancy outcomes such as ectopic pregnancies, pregnancy losses, gestational diabetes, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, preterm births, birth defects, intrauterine growth restriction, and small or large for gestational age babies. CONCLUSION Environmental factors and EDCs may have a catalytic effect on the course and the outcomes of pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia-Konstantina Sakali
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, Larissa University Hospital, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
| | - Maria Papagianni
- Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Physical Education and Sport Science and Dietetics, University of Thessaly, Trikala, Greece
- Endocrine Unit, 3rd Department of Pediatrics, Hippokration Hospital of Thessaloniki, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Alexandra Bargiota
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, Larissa University Hospital, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
| | - Aleksandra Rasic-Markovic
- Institute of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Visegradska 26, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Djuro Macut
- Clinic for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, University Clinical Centre of Serbia, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - George Mastorakos
- Unit of Endocrinology, Diabetes Mellitus and Metabolism, Aretaieion Hospital, Athens Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
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Exposure to p,p´-DDE during early pregnancy, anthropometry, and gestational age at birth, in a flower-growing region of Mexico. J Dev Orig Health Dis 2023; 14:15-23. [PMID: 35593419 DOI: 10.1017/s2040174422000277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal exposure to dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p´-DDE) may interfere with fetal development; however, studies evaluating anthropometry and gestational age at birth show inconsistent results. Typically, p,p´-DDE exposure has been measured during the third trimester and missed the key early pregnancy period. We evaluated the association between p,p´-DDE exposure before week 18 of pregnancy and anthropometry at birth, as well as gestational length, in 170 mother-child pairs from a cohort study in a flower-growing mexican region. Maternal serum p,p´-DDE concentrations were determined by gas chromatography. The associations between p,p´-DDE and z-scores of birth weight, birth length, and gestational age were evaluated by linear multiple regression models. Logistic regression models were used for low birth weight and small size for gestational age. Effect modification by child's sex was explored. The average gestational age at the blood sample extraction was 10.6 weeks. p,p'-DDE was detected in 64.7% of mothers, at a geometric mean of 0.24 ng/mL. Prenatal p,p´-DDE exposure was not associated with the birth outcomes in the whole sample. However, a high p,p´-DDE exposure was marginally associated with greater small for gestational age risk in male newborns (OR≥0.076ng/mL vs <0.076 ng/mL = 3.09, 95% CI: 0.61; 15.58), but not in female (p for interaction = 0.08).Even though, we found no reductions in anthropometric measurements or gestational length associated with early prenatal p,p´-DDE exposure, the potential effect modification by infant's sex in terms of small for the gestational age risk deserves future studies.
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Liang H, Wu X, Yao H, Weng X, Liu S, Chen J, Li Y, Wu Y, Wen L, Chen Q, Jing C. Association of urinary metabolites of non-persistent pesticides with serum sex hormones among the US females: NHANES 2013-2014. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 300:134577. [PMID: 35421444 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.134577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evidence indicated the possibility of non-persistent pesticides disrupting the homeostasis of sex hormones. However, few studies have focused on this relationship in females. We aimed to explore the relationship between non-persistent pesticide exposure and sex hormones among the US females from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2013-2014. METHODS A total of 790 females, including girls (6-11 years), female adolescents (12-19 years), and adult females (>19 years), were enrolled in this study. Age stratified associations of individual non-persistent pesticide metabolites and their mixtures with sex hormones were analyzed by weighted multiple linear regression and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) using spot urinary non-persistent pesticide measurement, including 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 3,5,6-trichloropyridinol (TCPY), para-nitrophenol (PNP) and 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA), and three serum sex hormones [total testosterone (TT), estradiol (E2) and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG)]. RESULTS In girls, weighted multivariate linear regression indicated that both 2,4-D and PNP were negatively associated with TT, and TCPY was inversely associated with SHBG. In female adolescents, TCPY was negatively associated with TT and E2, and 3-PBA was negatively associated with SHBG; positive associations were detected both in 2,4-D with SHBG, and in PNP with TT. In adult females, a higher concentration of 3-PBA was associated with higher levels of TT. The BKMR model showed that in female adolescents, the concentrations of pesticide metabolite mixtures at or above the 55th percentile were negatively related to the levels of E2 compared with their mixtures at 50th percentile, and an inverse U-shaped exposure-response function between PNP and E2 was found. CONCLUSIONS Associations between the four non-persistent pesticide metabolites and serum sex hormones were identified in the US females from NHANES 2013-2014 and these associations were age dependent, especially in adolescents. Large-scale cohort studies are needed to confirm these findings and elucidate the potential biological mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huanzhu Liang
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Ave West, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaomei Wu
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Ave West, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Huojie Yao
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Ave West, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Xueqiong Weng
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Ave West, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Shan Liu
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Ave West, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Jingmin Chen
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Ave West, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Yexin Li
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Ave West, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Yingying Wu
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Ave West, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Lin Wen
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Ave West, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Qian Chen
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Ave West, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong, China
| | - Chunxia Jing
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Jinan University, No.601 Huangpu Ave West, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Exposure and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong, China.
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Kim J, Yang S, Moodie EEM, Obida M, Bornman R, Eskenazi B, Chevrier J. Prenatal Exposure to Insecticides and Weight Trajectories Among South African Children in the VHEMBE Birth Cohort. Epidemiology 2022; 33:505-513. [PMID: 35394964 PMCID: PMC9156531 DOI: 10.1097/ede.0000000000001487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) or pyrethroid insecticides are sprayed inside dwellings for malaria vector control, resulting in high exposure to millions of people, including pregnant women. These chemicals disrupt endocrine function and may affect child growth. To our knowledge, few studies have investigated the potential impact of prenatal exposure to DDT or pyrethroids on growth trajectories. METHODS We investigated associations between gestational insecticide exposure and child growth trajectories in the Venda Health Examination of Mothers, Babies and their Environment, a birth cohort of 751 children born between 2012 and 2013 in South Africa. Based on child weight measured at follow-up and abstracted from medical records, we modeled weight trajectories from birth to 5 years using SuperImposition, Translation and Rotation, which estimated two child-specific parameters: size (average weight) and tempo (age at peak weight velocity). We estimated associations between peripartum maternal concentrations of serum DDT, dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene, or urinary pyrethroid metabolites and SuperImposition, Translation and Rotation parameters using marginal structural models. RESULTS We observed that a 10-fold increase in maternal concentrations of the pyrethroid metabolite trans-3-(2,2,-dicholorvinyl)-2,2-dimethyl-cyclopropane carboxylic acid was associated with a 21g (95% confidence interval = -40, -1.6) smaller size among boys but found no association among girls (Pinteraction = 0.07). Estimates suggested that pyrethroids may be associated with earlier tempo but were imprecise. We observed no association with serum DDT or dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene. CONCLUSIONS Inverse associations between pyrethroids and weight trajectory parameters among boys are consistent with hypothesized disruption of androgen pathways and with our previous research in this population, and support the endocrine-disrupting potential of pyrethroids in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanne Kim
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Seungmi Yang
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Erica E. M. Moodie
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Muvhulawa Obida
- University of Pretoria Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
| | - Riana Bornman
- University of Pretoria Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
| | - Brenda Eskenazi
- Center for Environmental Research and Children’s Health, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Jonathan Chevrier
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Burns CJ, LaKind JS. Elements to increase translation in pyrethroid epidemiology research: A review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 813:152568. [PMID: 34954171 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Pyrethroid insecticides have been the subject of numerous epidemiology studies in the past two decades. We examined the pyrethroids epidemiology literature published between 2016 and 2021. Our objective with this exercise was to inform interested readers regarding information on methodological elements that strengthen a study's use for translation (i.e., use in risk assessment) and to describe aspects of future research methods that could improve utility for decision-making. We focused on the following elements: (i) study design that provided evidence that pyrethroid exposure preceded the outcome, (ii) evidence that the method used for exposure characterization was reliable and sufficiently accurate for the intended purpose, and (iii) use of a robust approach for outcome ascertainment. For each of the 74 studies identified via the literature search, we categorized the methodological elements as Acceptable or Supplemental. A study with three Acceptable elements was considered Relevant for risk assessment purposes. Based on our evaluative approach, 18 (24%) of the 74 publications were considered to be Relevant. These publications were categorized as Acceptable for all three elements assessed: confirmed exposure (N = 24), confirmed outcome (N = 64), exposure preceded the outcome (N = 44). Three of these studies were birth cohorts. There were 15 Relevant publications of adults which included 10 Agricultural Health Study cohort publications of self-reported permethrin. Overall, the majority of the reviewed studies used methods that did not permit a determination that pyrethroid exposure preceded the outcome, and/or did not utilize robust methods for exposure assessment and outcome ascertainment. There is an opportunity for investigators and research sponsors to build on the studies reviewed here and to incorporate more translational approaches to studying exposure/outcome associations related to pesticides and other chemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol J Burns
- Burns Epidemiology Consulting, LLC, Sanford, MI 48657, USA.
| | - Judy S LaKind
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Catonsville, MD 21228, USA
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Koelmel JP, Lin EZ, DeLay K, Williams AJ, Zhou Y, Bornman R, Obida M, Chevrier J, Godri Pollitt KJ. Assessing the External Exposome Using Wearable Passive Samplers and High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry among South African Children Participating in the VHEMBE Study. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:2191-2203. [PMID: 35089017 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c06481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Children in low- and middle-income countries are often exposed to higher levels of chemicals and are more vulnerable to the health effects of air pollution. Little is known about the diversity, toxicity, and dynamics of airborne chemical exposures at the molecular level. We developed a workflow employing state-of-the-art wearable passive sampling technology coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry to comprehensively measure 147 children's personal exposures to airborne chemicals in Limpopo, South Africa, as part of the Venda Health Examination of Mothers, Babies, and Their Environment (VHEMBE). 637 environmental exposures were detected, many of which have never been measured in this population; of these 50 airborne chemical exposures of concern were detected, including pesticides, plasticizers, organophosphates, dyes, combustion products, and perfumes. Biocides detected in wristbands included p,p'-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (p,p'-DDT), p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (p,p'-DDD), p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE), propoxur, piperonyl butoxide, and triclosan. Exposures differed across the assessment period with 27% of detected chemicals observed to be either higher or lower in the wet or dry seasons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy P Koelmel
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Elizabeth Z Lin
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Kayley DeLay
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Antony J Williams
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, United States
| | - Yakun Zhou
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Riana Bornman
- University of Pretoria Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control and School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
| | - Muvhulawa Obida
- University of Pretoria Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control and School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
| | - Jonathan Chevrier
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Québec H3A 1A2, Canada
| | - Krystal J Godri Pollitt
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
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Lin X, Pan W, Liu J. Variability of urinary pyrethroid biomarkers in Chinese young-aged men and women over one year. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 269:116155. [PMID: 33280923 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.116155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Revised: 11/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Pyrethroids are a class of the most commonly used insecticides. The urinary metabolites are usually used as biomarkers of pyrethroid exposures in humans. In this study, the temporal variability of urinary pyrethroid biomarkers was investigated among 114 Chinese young-aged adults who provided up to 4-11 urine samples over one year. The detection rates of four urinary pyrethroid biomarkers, 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3PBA), 4-fluoro-3-phenoxybenzoic acid (4F-3PBA), trans-2,2-(dichloro)-2-dimethylvinylcyclopropane carboxylic acid (trans-DCCA) and cis-2,2-(dichloro)-2-dimethylvinylcyclopropane carboxylic acid (cis-DCCA) were 100%, 8%, 69% and 44%, respectively. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) estimates for 3PBA indicated poor reproducibility (<0.15) in the spot urine samples of young-aged adults over a week, month and year. Log-transformed 3PBA used the least number of random spot urine samples (≥4) per person, which would provide a reliable biomarker estimate (ICC≥0.40) over a year. As the predictors of the top 33% yearly average 3PBA concentrations, the sensitivity and specificity of 3PBA ranged from 0.25 to 0.89, 0.58 to 0.96, respectively. Based on the results of this study, we recommend at least 4 urine samples collected 3 months apart for prospective assessment of pyrethroid exposure in the epidemiological studies to estimate exposure-response relationships between pyrethroids and health outcomes with relative long-term exposure periods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Lin
- Key Laboratory of Environment Remediation and Ecological Health, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China; Institute of Environmental Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Wuye Pan
- Key Laboratory of Environment Remediation and Ecological Health, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China; Institute of Environmental Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Key Laboratory of Environment Remediation and Ecological Health, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China; Institute of Environmental Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
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Xu Q, Zhu B, Dong X, Li S, Song X, Xiao X, Zhang C, Lv Y, Zhang X, Li Y. Pyrethroid pesticide exposure during early pregnancy and birth outcomes in southwest China: a birth cohort study. J Toxicol Sci 2020; 45:281-291. [PMID: 32404560 DOI: 10.2131/jts.45.281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Despite the developmental toxicity reported in animals, few epidemiologic studies have investigated the potential effects of prenatal exposure to pyrethroid pesticides (PYRs) on fetal growth. A birth cohort study was conducted to examine the association between prenatal exposure to PYRs and birth outcomes, and a nested case-control study was conducted in this cohort to evaluate the effects of PYR on congenital defects. The assessment of PYR exposure was based on self-reported household pesticide use and urinary PYR metabolite levels. We found that pregnant women in this region were ubiquitously exposed to low-level PYRs, although few reported household pesticide use. Women who often ate bananas or cantaloupes had a higher level of urinary 3-(2,2-dibromovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (DBCA), and the number of fruit types consumed by pregnant women was positively related to the concentrations of 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3PBA) and total PYR metabolites (P < 0.05). Increased urinary 4-fluoro-3-phenoxybenzoic acid (4F3PBA), DBCA, and total PYR metabolites were associated with increased birth weight, length, and gestational age, and with decreased risk of small for gestational age (SGA) and/or premature birth. However, maternal household pesticides use was related to congenital anomalies. Thus, although prenatal exposure to low-dose PYRs promoted the fetal growth, the beneficial effects of fruit intake may outweigh the adverse effects of pesticide exposure. This study provided us an insight into the biological mechanisms for the effect of prenatal PYR exposure on fetal development, and suggested that further investigations in a larger study population with low-dose PYR exposure is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinghua Xu
- School of Public Health, Kunming Medical University, China
| | - Baosheng Zhu
- The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, China
| | - Xudong Dong
- The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, China
| | - Suyun Li
- The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Song
- School of Public Health, Kunming Medical University, China
| | - Xia Xiao
- School of Public Health, Kunming Medical University, China
| | - Chao Zhang
- School of Public Health, Kunming Medical University, China
| | - Yan Lv
- School of Public Health, Kunming Medical University, China
| | - Xiong Zhang
- School of Public Health, Kunming Medical University, China
| | - Yan Li
- School of Public Health, Kunming Medical University, China
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Huq F, Obida M, Bornman R, Di Lenardo T, Chevrier J. Associations between prenatal exposure to DDT and DDE and allergy symptoms and diagnoses in the Venda Health Examination of Mothers, Babies and their Environment (VHEMBE), South Africa. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 185:109366. [PMID: 32299029 PMCID: PMC7336873 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Revised: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane (DDT) is an organochlorine insecticide that is banned internationally except for use as part of Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) programs to control malaria. Although animal studies show that DDT and its breakdown product dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethylene (DDE) affect the immune system and may cause allergies, no studies have examined this question in populations where IRS is conducted. The aim of our study was to investigate whether prenatal exposure to DDT and DDE is associated with allergy symptoms and diagnose among South African children living in an area where IRS is conducted. To accomplish this aim, we used data from the Venda Health Examination of Mothers, Babies and their Environment (VHEMBE), an ongoing birth cohort study of 752 children born between 2012 and 2013 in the rural Vhembe district of Limpopo, South Africa. We measured maternal peripartum serum concentrations of DDT and DDE, and administered a questionnaire to the caregivers of 658 children aged 3.5 years to collect information on allergy symptoms and diagnoses as well as potential confounders using validated instruments. Using multiple logistic regression models, we found positive associations between DDT and DDE serum concentrations and most of the allergy symptoms and diagnoses. Maternal DDT (Odds Ratio [OR] = 1.5 per 10-fold increase, 95% Confidence interval, CI = 1.0, 2.3) and DDE (OR = 1.4, 95% CI = 0.8, 2.4) serum concentrations were most strongly associated with caregiver report of wheezing or whistling in the chest. Concentrations of DDT and/or DDE were also associated with increased odds of children's chests sounding wheezy during or after exercise, itchy rashes coming and going for at least six months, diagnosis of food allergy, and diagnosis of dust or dust mites allergy but confidence intervals crossed the null. Results suggest that prenatal exposure to DDT, and possibly DDE, is associated with elevated odds of wheezing among children from an IRS area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fahmida Huq
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Muvhulawa Obida
- University of Pretoria School of Health Systems and Public Health, and Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Riana Bornman
- University of Pretoria School of Health Systems and Public Health, and Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Thomas Di Lenardo
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Jonathan Chevrier
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.
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Saillenfait AM, Malard S. Human Risk Associated with Long-Term Exposure to Pyrethroid Insecticides. THE HANDBOOK OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/698_2019_427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Di Lenardo TZ, Ward BJ, Pillet S, Mann K, Bornman R, Obida M, Chevrier J. Exposure to lead and vaccine-specific IgG titers in South African children participating in the Venda Health Examination of Mothers, Babies and their Environment (VHEMBE): A longitudinal study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 180:108794. [PMID: 31655331 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.108794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Revised: 10/02/2019] [Accepted: 10/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND While successes have been achieved in reducing global exposure to lead, few studies have investigated the potential health effects of low-level exposure (e.g. blood lead levels [BLLs] below the CDC reference level of 5 μg/dL), particularly among children from low- and middle-income countries. In addition, lead is immunotoxic in animals but human data on immune response to vaccines is limited. Our aim was to determine whether low-level exposure to lead is associated with humoral response to vaccines among rural South African children. METHODS We used data from the Venda Health Examination of Mothers, Babies and their Environment (VHEMBE), a birth cohort study conducted in Limpopo, South Africa. BLLs were measured in whole blood collected at age 1 year and IgG titers for measles, tetanus and Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) were determined at age 3.5 years among 425 fully-vaccinated children. RESULTS BLLs were low (median = 1.90 μg/dL) and 94% of children had a BLL below 5 μg/dL. Overall, BLLs were associated with higher risks of having IgG titers below the protective limit for tetanus (RR = 1.88 per 10-fold increase; 95%CI = 1.08, 3.24) but not measles (RR = 1.02; 95%CI = 0.26, 3.95) or Hib (RR = 0.96; 95%CI = 0.54, 1.71). BLLs were also associated with low Hib IgG titers among children exposed to HIV in utero and with low measles IgG titers among females. In contrast, the association with measles IgG titers was positive among males. CONCLUSION Low-level exposure to lead may compromise the humoral response to vaccines. Children exposed to HIV in utero and females may be particularly susceptible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Z Di Lenardo
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Brian J Ward
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Division of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Stéphane Pillet
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Koren Mann
- Division of Experimental Medicine, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Gerald Bronfman Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Riana Bornman
- University of Pretoria Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control and School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Muvhulawa Obida
- University of Pretoria Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control and School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Jonathan Chevrier
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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Environmental health research challenges in Africa: Insights from symposia organized by the ISEE Africa Chapter at ISES-ISEE 2018. Environ Epidemiol 2019; 3:e074. [PMID: 33778343 PMCID: PMC7939437 DOI: 10.1097/ee9.0000000000000074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text.
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Chevrier J, Rauch S, Obida M, Crause M, Bornman R, Eskenazi B. Sex and poverty modify associations between maternal peripartum concentrations of DDT/E and pyrethroid metabolites and thyroid hormone levels in neonates participating in the VHEMBE study, South Africa. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2019; 131:104958. [PMID: 31284115 PMCID: PMC6728182 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.104958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Revised: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS), the application of insecticides on the inside walls of dwellings, is used by 84 countries for malaria control. Although effective in preventing malaria, this practice results in elevated insecticide exposure to >100 million people, most of whom are Africans. Pyrethroid insecticides and dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane (DDT) are currently used for IRS. Animal and in vitro studies suggest that pyrethroids and DDT interfere with thyroid hormone homeostasis but human studies are inconsistent and no prior study has investigated this question in a population residing in an area where IRS is conducted. Our objective was thus to evaluate whether prenatal exposure to pyrethroids, DDT or DDT's breakdown product dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethylene (DDE) is associated with altered thyroid hormone levels among neonates from Limpopo, South Africa, where pyrethroids and DDT are used annually to control malaria. We measured serum DDT/E and urinary pyrethroid metabolite concentrations in maternal peripartum samples from 717 women participating in the Venda Health Examination of Mothers, Babies and their Environment (VHEMBE), a birth cohort study conducted in Limpopo's Vhembe district. We measured total thyroxine (T4) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in dried blood spots collected via heel stick. We found that all pyrethroid metabolites were positively associated with TSH; trans-DCCA and 3-PBA showed the strongest associations with a 12.3% (95%CI = 3.0, 22.3) and 14.0% (95%CI = 0.5, 30.2) change for each 10-fold increase in biomarker concentration, respectively. These associations were substantially stronger among children from households below the South African food poverty line. DDT and DDE were associated with lower total T4 among boys only (β = -0.27 μg/dL per 10-fold increase; 95%CI = -0.47, -0.04). Results suggest that prenatal exposure to DDT, DDE and pyrethroid insecticides is associated with changes in neonatal thyroid hormones consistent with hypothyroidism/hypothyroxinemia and that sex and poverty modify associations. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and examine whether they have implications for child development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Chevrier
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.
| | - Stephen Rauch
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Muvhulawa Obida
- University of Pretoria School of Health Systems and Public Health, and Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Madelein Crause
- University of Pretoria School of Health Systems and Public Health, and Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Riana Bornman
- University of Pretoria School of Health Systems and Public Health, and Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Brenda Eskenazi
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
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Joubert BR, Berhane K, Chevrier J, Collman G, Eskenazi B, Fobil J, Hoyo C, John CC, Kumie A, Nicol M, Ramsay M, Smith J, Steyn A, Tshala-Katumbay D, McAllister K. Integrating environmental health and genomics research in Africa: challenges and opportunities identified during a Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa) Consortium workshop. AAS Open Res 2019; 2:159. [PMID: 32382703 PMCID: PMC7194141 DOI: 10.12688/aasopenres.12983.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals with African ancestry have extensive genomic diversity but have been underrepresented in genomic research. There is also extensive global diversity in the exposome (the totality of human environmental exposures from conception onwards) which should be considered for integrative genomic and environmental health research in Africa. To address current research gaps, we organized a workshop on environmental health research in Africa in conjunction with the H3Africa Consortium and the African Society of Human Genetics meetings in Kigali, Rwanda. The workshop was open to all researchers with an interest in environmental health in Africa and involved presentations from experts within and outside of the Consortium. This workshop highlighted innovative research occurring on the African continent related to environmental health and the interplay between the environment and the human genome. Stories of success, challenges, and collaborative opportunities were discussed through presentations, breakout sessions, poster presentations, and a panel discussion. The workshop informed participants about environmental risk factors that can be incorporated into current or future epidemiology studies and addressed research design considerations, biospecimen collection and storage, biomarkers for measuring chemical exposures, laboratory strategies, and statistical methodologies. Inclusion of environmental exposure measurements with genomic data, including but not limited to H3Africa projects, can offer a strong platform for building gene-environment (G x E) research in Africa. Opportunities to leverage existing resources and add environmental exposure data for ongoing and planned studies were discussed. Future directions include expanding the measurement of both genomic and exposomic risk factors and incorporating sophisticated statistical approaches for analyzing high dimensional G x E data. A better understanding of how environmental and genomic factors interact with nutrition and infection is also needed. Considering that the environment represents many modifiable risk factors, these research findings can inform intervention and prevention efforts towards improving global health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bonnie R Joubert
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Kiros Berhane
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Gwen Collman
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | | | | | - Chandy C John
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Abera Kumie
- Addis Abada University, Addis Abada, Ethiopia
| | - Mark Nicol
- University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Michèle Ramsay
- Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | | | - Adrie Steyn
- Africa Health Research Institute, Durban, South Africa
| | | | - Kimberly McAllister
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, USA
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A community-based education programme to reduce insecticide exposure from indoor residual spraying in Limpopo, South Africa. Malar J 2019; 18:199. [PMID: 31200704 PMCID: PMC6570908 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-019-2828-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Indoor residual spraying (IRS), the coating of interior walls of houses with insecticides, is common in malaria-endemic areas. While important in malaria control, IRS potentially exposes residents to harmful insecticides. The World Health Organization recommends steps to minimize exposure; however, no programme has focused on educating populations. Methods A dramatic presentation and song were developed by study personnel and performed by lay performers in order to spread awareness of the importance of IRS and to minimize insecticide exposure. Performances were staged at 16 sprayed villages in the Vhembe District of Limpopo, South Africa, at which 592 attendees completed short questionnaires before and after the performance about behaviors that might limit insecticide exposure. Overall indices of the attendees’ change in knowledge of precautions to take prior to and after spraying to prevent insecticide exposure were analyzed using hierarchical mixed models to assess the effect of the performance on change in participants’ knowledge. Results Approximately half of attendees lived in homes that had been sprayed for malaria and 62% were female. Over 90% thought it better to allow IRS prior to the presentation, but knowledge of proper precautions to prevent exposure was low. The proportion answering correctly about proper distance from home during spraying increased from 49.4% pre-performance to 62.0% post-performance (RR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.13, 1.41), and the proportion reporting correctly about home re-entry interval after spraying increased from 58.5 to 91.1% (RR = 1.54, 95% CI 1.35, 1.77). Attendees improved in their knowledge about precautions to take prior to and after spraying from mean of 57.9% correct to a mean of 69.7% (β = 12.1%, 95% CI 10.9, 13.4). Specifically, increased knowledge in closing cupboards, removing food and bedding from the home, covering immoveable items with plastic, and leading animals away from the home prior to spraying were observed, as was increased knowledge in sweeping the floors, proper disposal of dead insects, and discarding dirty washrags after spraying. Conclusions A dramatic presentation and song were able to increase the attendees’ knowledge of precautions to take prior to and after spraying in order to limit their insecticide exposure resulting from IRS. This approach to community education is promising and deserves additional study.
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RE: "ASSOCIATIONS OF MATERNAL EXPOSURE TO DICHLORODIPHENYLTRICHLOROETHANE AND PYRETHOIDS WITH BIRTH OUTCOMES AMONG PARTICIPANTS IN THE VENDA HEALTH EXAMINATION OF MOTHERS, BABIES AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT RESIDING IN AN AREA SPRAYED FOR MALARIA CONTROL". Am J Epidemiol 2019; 188:261. [PMID: 31222225 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwy226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2018] [Accepted: 09/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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22
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Verner MA, Chevrier J, Ngueta G, Rauch S, Bornman R, Eskenazi B. Early-life exposure to p,p'-DDT and p,p'-DDE in South African children participating in the VHEMBE study: An assessment using repeated serum measurements and pharmacokinetic modeling. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2018; 119:478-484. [PMID: 30036731 PMCID: PMC6150710 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2018.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Revised: 05/29/2018] [Accepted: 07/06/2018] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The World Health Organization recommends indoor residual spraying (IRS) of insecticides (including dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane [DDT]) to fight malaria vectors in endemic countries. There is limited information on children's exposure to DDT in sprayed areas, and tools to estimate early-life exposure have not been thoroughly evaluated in this context. OBJECTIVES To document serum p,p'-DDT/E levels in 47 mothers and children participating in the Venda Health Examination of Mothers, Babies and their Environment (VHEMBE), a study conducted in an area where IRS insecticides are used annually, and to evaluate the precision and accuracy of a published pharmacokinetic model for the estimation of children's p,p'-DDT/E levels. METHODS p,p'-DDT/E levels were measured in maternal serum at delivery, and in children's serum at 12 and 24 months of age. A pharmacokinetic model of gestational and lactational exposure was used to estimate children's p,p'-DDT/E levels during pregnancy and the first two years of life, and estimated levels were compared to measured levels. RESULTS The geometric means of children's serum p,p'-DDT/E levels at 12 and 24 months were higher than those of maternal serum levels. Regression models of measured children's p,p'-DDT/E levels vs. levels estimated with the pharmacokinetic model (which only accounted for children's exposure through placental transfer and breastfeeding) had coefficients of determination (R2) ranging from 0.75 to 0.82. Estimated p,p'-DDE levels were not significantly different from measured levels, whereas p,p'-DDT levels were overestimated by 36% at 12 months, and 51% at 24 months. CONCLUSION Results indicate that children living in a sprayed area have serum p,p'-DDT/E levels exceeding their mothers' during the first two years of life. The pharmacokinetic model may be useful to estimate children's levels in the VHEMBE population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc-André Verner
- Université de Montréal Public Health Research Institute (IRSPUM), Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
| | - Jonathan Chevrier
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Gérard Ngueta
- Université de Montréal Public Health Research Institute (IRSPUM), Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Stephen Rauch
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Riana Bornman
- School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; University of Pretoria Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Brenda Eskenazi
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
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