Organic solvent exposure and depressive symptoms among licensed pesticide applicators in the Agricultural Health Study.

Purpose: Although organic solvents are often used in agricultural operations, neurotoxic effects of solvent exposure have not been extensively studied among farmers. The current analysis examined associations between questionnaire-based metrics of organic solvent exposure and depressive symptoms among farmers.

Methods: Results from 692 male Agricultural Health Study participants were analyzed.

Lifetime organophosphorous insecticide use among private pesticide applicators in the Agricultural Health Study.

Organophosphorous insecticides (OPs) are the most commonly used insecticides in US agriculture, but little information is available regarding specific OP use by individual farmers. We describe OP use for licensed private pesticide applicators from Iowa and North Carolina in the Agricultural Health Study (AHS) using lifetime pesticide use data from 701 randomly selected male participants collected at three time periods. Of 27 OPs studied, 20 were used by >1%.

Peripheral nervous system function and organophosphate pesticide use among licensed pesticide applicators in the Agricultural Health Study.

Background: Evidence is limited that long-term human exposure to organophosphate (OP) pesticides, without poisoning, is associated with adverse peripheral nervous system (PNS) function.

Objective: We investigated associations between OP pesticide use and PNS function by administering PNS tests to 701 male pesticide applicators in the Agricultural Health Study (AHS).

Methods: Participants completed a neurological physical examination (NPx) and electrophysiological tests as well as tests of hand strength, sway speed, and vibrotactile threshold.

High pesticide exposure events and central nervous system function among pesticide applicators in the Agricultural Health Study.

Purpose: While acute pesticide poisoning can be associated with persistent adverse central nervous system (CNS) effects, little is known about the effect of one or more episodic and unusually high pesticide exposure events (HPEE) that typically do not result in acute poisoning. The objective of this investigation was to examine the association between ever having an HPEE and CNS function among licensed pesticide applicators enrolled in the Agricultural Health Study (AHS).

Methods: In 2006-2008, 693 male participants with no history of a physician-diagnosed pesticide poisoning completed nine neurobehavioral tests to assess memory, motor speed, sustained attention, verbal learning, and visual scanning and processing.

Neurobehavioral function and organophosphate insecticide use among pesticide applicators in the Agricultural Health Study.

Although persistent decrements in cognitive function have been observed among persons who have recovered from clinically overt organophosphate (OP) pesticide poisoning, little is known about the cognitive effects of chronic OP exposures that do not result in acute poisoning. To examine associations between long-term pesticide use and neurobehavioral (NB) function, NB tests were administered to licensed pesticide applicators enrolled in the Agricultural Health Study (AHS) in Iowa and North Carolina. Between 2006 and 2008, 701 male participants completed nine NB tests to assess memory, motor speed and coordination, sustained attention, verbal learning and visual scanning and processing.

Multi-year study of human metapneumovirus infection at a large US Midwestern Medical Referral Center.

Background: Because of its recent identification, few multi-year epidemiologic studies of hMPV infection have been reported.

Objective: We sought to retrospectively describe hMPV infections among patients evaluated by a large US Midwestern referral laboratory.

Study Design: Clinical specimens were submitted to a large US Midwest referral hospital from 1 October 2001 to 18 May 2004.