A cross sectional study was conducted to investigate the effects of pesticide exposure (organophosphate and carbamate) using nerve conductive velocity, current perception threshold (CPT). Cluster random sampling was employed to recruit 64 paddy farmers and 22 fishermen in June 2006. The duration of pesticide exposure was between (5-20) years. The CPT values were measured using Neurometer CPT/Eagle, on the index finger and the great toe with three neuroselective frequencies range (2000, 250, and 5 Hz). The results showed that at the three different frequencies, the CPT values were significantly elevated among farmers on both the medial and peroneal nerves (P < .002). The measurement of CPT can be used as a biomarker to determine and monitor the effects of organophosphate and carbamate exposure among workers who may have been exposed.
A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the effects of acute and chronic pesticide exposure on the plasma beta-glucuronidase enzyme activity among five patients of acute pesticide poisoning in Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital, Klang, 230 farmers in the MADA area, Kedah and 49 fishermen in Setiu, Terengganu. The duration of pesticide exposure among the patients was unknown, but the plasma samples from patients were collected on day one in the hospital. The duration of pesticide exposure among the farmers was between 1 and 45 years. The beta-glucuronidase activity was compared with plasma cholinesterase activity in the same individual. The plasma cholinesterase activity was measured using Cholinesterase (PTC) Reagent set kit (Teco Diagnostics, UK) based on colorimetric method, while the plasma beta-glucuronidase activity was measured fluorometrically based on beta-glucuronidase assay. The plasma cholinesterase activity was significantly reduced (p<0.05) among the patients (1386.786+/-791.291 U/L/min) but the inhibition in plasma cholinesterase activity among the farmers (7346.5+/-1860.786 U/L/min) was not significant (p>0.05). The plasma beta-glucuronidase activity among the farmers was significantly elevated (p<0.05) (0.737+/-0.425 microM/h) but not significant among the patients (p>0.05). The plasma cholinesterase activity was positively correlated with the plasma beta-glucuronidase activity among the farmers (r=0.205, p<0.01) but not among the patients (r=0.79, p>0.05). Thus, plasma beta-glucuronidase enzyme activity can be measured as a biomarker for the chronic exposure of pesticide. However, further studies need to be performed to confirm whether plasma beta-glucuronidase can be a sensitive biomarker for anticholinesterase pesticide poisoning.