Asthmatic symptoms after exposure to ethylenebisdithiocarbamates and other pesticides in the Europit field studies.

We conducted a multicenter prospective study to assess the effects of occupational exposure to ethylenebisdithiocarbamate fungicides and/or other pesticides on self-reported asthma and asthmatic symptoms. This multicenter study was conducted among 248 workers exposed to pesticides and 231 non-exposed workers from five field studies. The five field studies were carried out in The Netherlands, Italy, Finland, and two studies in Bulgaria.

Occupational exposure to ethylenebisdithiocarbamates in agriculture and allergy: results from the EUROPIT field study.

This epidemiological study was carried out to evaluate the possible association between occupational exposure to ethylenebisdithiocarbamates (EDBC) and allergy. The study was conducted in four countries in the European Union: The Netherlands, Finland, Italy and Bulgaria. A total of 248 workers exposed to EDBC and 231 non-occupationally exposed subjects entered the study.

Toxicological evaluation of the immune function of pesticide workers, a European wide assessment.

In this study, the prolonged low-dose exposure of mixtures of pesticides has been examined on hematological parameters and components of the immune defense in occupationally exposed humans. This investigation was carried out in five field studies in: the Netherlands (flower bulb growers, mainly re-entry workers), Italy (vineyard workers), Finland (potato farmers), and Bulgaria (workers from a zineb factory and greenhouse workers). Immunotoxicity was studied by measuring hematological parameters, complement, immunoglobulins, lymphocyte subpopulations, natural killer cells, autoimmunity, and antibody responses to hepatitis B vaccination.

Immune effects and exposure to ethylenebisdithiocarbamate pesticides in re-entry workers in the Netherlands.

Ethylenebisdithiocarbamates are widely used as fungicides in agriculture. Although EBDC's have a low acute toxicity, they are suspected to have immune effects at low doses. However, little human studies on these effects have been published.

Biological monitoring and questionnaire for assessing exposure to ethylenebisdithiocarbamates in a multicenter European field study.

This study deals with pesticide exposure profile in some European countries with a specific focus on ethylenebisdithiocarbamates (EBDC). In all, 55 Bulgarian greenhouse workers, 51 Finnish potato farmers, 48 Italian vineyard workers, 42 Dutch floriculture farmers, and 52 Bulgarian zineb producers entered the study. Each group was matched with a group of not occupationally exposed subjects.

Effects of pesticide exposure on the human immune system.

Epidemiological evidence from Western countries indicates that the prevalence of diseases associated with alterations in the immune response, such as asthma, certain autoimmune diseases and cancer, are increasing to such an extent that it cannot be attributed to improved diagnostics alone. There is some concern that this trend could be, at least, partially attributable to new or modified patterns of exposures to chemicals, including pesticides. The purpose of this article is to review the evidence on pesticide immunotoxicity in humans.

Changes in serum markers indicative of health effects in vineyard workers following exposure to the fungicide mancozeb: an Italian study.

The aim of this study was to investigate the health effects induced by exposure to the fungicide mancozeb in Italian vineyard workers. Ninety-three Italian subjects entered the study - 48 vine-growers intermittently exposed to mancozeb and 45 healthy controls. The subjects were investigated three times: before the seasonal application of pesticides (T0), 30 days after the beginning of the application period (T30), and 45 days after T0 (T45).

Single day treatment--a feasible tool in revealing not dependent on maternal toxicity teratogenic potential.

The aim of this study is to explore the applicability of single day treatment for separation of development effects as an intrinsic property from those related to maternal toxicity. The fungicides paclobutrazole and benomyl were administered to pregnant rats on days 6 to 15 and on 7, 9, 11 and 13 day of gestation. After a single treatment higher percentage of fetuses were with external and visceral anomalies.

Toxicological evaluation of agromet (Metalaxyl) preparation.

A complex toxicological study was carried out in relation to the hygienic standardization of the fungicide preparation Ridomil, whose forthcoming production in this country will be under the name Metalaxyl. The study was performed on sexually mature white rats of both sexes, at oral, dermal and inhalation exposure, acute, subacute and chronic experiments, according to the Bulgarian State Standard. Besides the routine toxicological studies were carried also studies for establishing the long-term effects of the preparation (gonadotropic, embryotoxic and teratogenic, cardiovascular).

Behavioral teratology--results achieved and perspectives of development.

The objective of behavioral teratology is to throw light on the consequences of prenatal effect of the agent on varying aspects of the functional state of the nervous system. In the present paper, the author proposes Carbendazim as a model of Type 1 behavioral teratogen (agent provoking morphological anomalies in the CNS). On this model, the author studied the sensitivity of a group of primary screening tests proposed in the literature, introducing semiquantitative and quantitative criteria for determining the level of response.

[Experimental study of the teratogenicity and embryotoxicity of endodan].

An experiment was carried out on albino rats for the assessment of the effect, during gestation, of the fungicide endodan (ethylene - thiuram monosulphide) on the intrauterine and postnatal development of the progeny. A low teratogenic and embryotoxic activity was established after a single treatment with I/2 LD50 on 13 th gestation day. The preparation is with a pronounced cumulative effect in a daily administration of 1/5, 1/10 and 1/20 LD50, manifested by clinical symptomatics and lethality of a part of the pregnant animals.

[Current methodologic approaches to the study of various delayed effects of pesticides].

Studies on the possibilities of origination of remote sequelae (embryotoxic and teratogenic, gonadotropic, mutagenic, carcinogenic, alterations in cardiovascular system, etc) under the effect of the wide application of pesticides in the practice is one of the most important aspects of the present-day toxicology. Numerous of our studies in that field are directed to the pesticides, to fungicides in particular, the greater part of them being with mechanisms of biological activity, triggering changes in DNA synthesis and disturbances in cellular respiration. The results from our experimental studies are presented in the communication, with an aspect of alterations in the gonads, embryotoxicity and teratogenicity, of representatives of various groups of chemical preparations for plant protection.

[Assessment of the potential risk for progeny in work with endodan (experimental studies)].

An experimental assessment was made on endodan (ETM) effect, dithiocarbamate preparation, on the reproductive function of the parent generation albino rats, perorally intoxicated (by a sound) with doses 1/10 and 1/100 LD50, daily in the course of 6 months (LD50 = 380 mg/kg). The postnatal development of the three successive generations (F1, F2, F3) was studied. For that purpose, a complex of integral toxicological methods was used: weight, neurobehavioural activity, nortality (by 1st, 5th, 21st day), with the calculation of the indices of survival and lactation, and fertility with calculation of the indices of fertility and gestation and biochemical and clinical laboratory methods for the assessment of the functional state of liver, brain and testes.

Study on the long-term effects of some pesticides.

The hygienic significance of the studies on pesticides from the aspect of their "long-term" effects upon the individual and the generations are emphasized. The basic methods and approaches used in the Laboratory of long-term effects with chemical etiology at the IHOH, Sofia, are discussed, namely for detecting the changes in gonads, reproduction and generation, embryotoxic and teratogenic effects, and changes in cardiovascular system. The results are discussed, namely: fundasol--the effect on gonads, generations, embryotoxic and teratogenic effects, changes in the cardiovascular system; endodan--changes in gonads, reproduction, embryotoxicity; basfungin--embryotoxic and teratogenic effects.

Experimental studies on the chronic toxic effects of vinyl chloride in rats.

Male rats were exposed to vinyl chloride at the concentrations of 50, 500, and 20 000 ppm, 5 hours daily, 5 days a week for 10 months. Morphological lesions in the liver and the testes detected by light and electron microscope and depression in body weight increase intensified with the duration of exposure. Increased relative weights of some organs and slight hematological and biochemical changes in blood during the course of the experiment were also observed.

[Potential teratogenic action of the mycelium of the higher fungus, Polyporellus squamosus].

The influence on the embryonic development of food with only source of protein derived from the mycelium of the higher fungus Polyporellus squamosus, was studied in a group of 90 pregnant rats. Animals fed caseine and standard food pressed into briquettes as source of protein served as controls. On the 17-th and 18-th gestation day 8 animals were examined and the number of of lutein bodies and fetuses was checked up.