Pesticide-related dermatoses in agricultural workers

We need to improve education of farm workers and their families to the potential hazards of exposure to the chemicals and other agents that they are in contact with on a daily basis. Simple measures such as showers in the fields and a change of clothes after work might lower the cutaneous reactions to these chemicals significantly. To that end, physicians can better educate themselves to highlight this area more intensely to residents in training, to offer lectures on the subject at dermatology conferences, and to foster better communication between our public health agencies and the pesticide industry itself. Companies are often cooperative when made aware of the benefits of irritant- and allergic-potential testing. Pesticide registration should require from the companies patch-testing before the product comes to market to determine the threshold irritant concentration and irritant potential of the vehicle.