Pesticides and disease

Together, two common pesticides may increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease

The risk of Parkinson's disease increases in people who live near farm fields sprayed with a combination of pesticides.

A recent study conducted in California’s Central Valley found that people who lived near fields sprayed with a combination of pesticides used on crops such as potatoes, dry beans and tomatoes had an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease.

The scientists found that people who live within 500 meters of a field sprayed with the pesticides maneb and paraquat in combination, but not individually, had a 75 percent higher risk of Parkinson’s disease relative to controls. Being exposed to the mixture at a younger age resulted in an even higher risk. Individuals potentially exposed to these pesticides when they were 60 years old or younger were 5 times more likely to be diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

In combination? Let's avoid them separately as well.

Maneb, used to control blight,...

...is moderately toxic to humans (29). Occasional signs of local irritation or inflammation of the skin, eyes, or respiratory tract have been experienced upon contact with maneb. Acute inhalation of large amounts of maneb dust or spray may cause irritation of the mucous membranes, resulting in a scratchy throat, sneezing, cough, and inflammation of the linings of the nose and upper respiratory tract. Signs of poisoning from large amounts of maneb may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, headache, confusion, drowsiness, coma, slowed reflexes, respiratory paralysis and death

Paraquat, an herbicide, ...

causes skin and eye irritation in rabbits (severe for some of the formulated products) and also has caused skin sensitization in guinea pigs in some formulations [87]. Effects due to high acute exposure to paraquat may include excitability and lung congestion, which in some cases leads to convulsions, incoordination, and death by respiratory failure [87]. If swallowed, burning of the mouth and throat often occurs, followed by gastrointestinal tract irritation, resulting in abdominal pain, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea [8]. Other toxic effects include thirst, shortness of breath, rapid heart rate, kidney failure, lung sores, and liver injury [32]. Some symptoms may not occur until days after exposure. Persons with lung problems may be at increased risk from exposure. Many cases of illness and/or death have been reported in humans.

Time to rethink how we grow our foods, what we put on our lawns, how we grow flowers...