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An epidemiological study on cutaneous diseases of agricultural workers authorized to use pesticides
1Clinica Dermatologica Università degli Studi, Ancona, Italia.
Background:
There is an increased risk for agricultural workers to acquire skin problems, but data so far published are still very scarce.
Objective:
To individualize skin disorders that involved this class of workers.
Methods:
Between 1990 and 1992, 426 agricultural workers, authorized to use pesticides, were examined. The control group consisted of 100 nonagriculture workers, who were age and sex matched.
Results:
Some common dermatological diseases, such as vitiligo, psoriasis and seborrheic dermatitis, had an incidence overlapping with that found in the controls. Irritant plant dermatoses (2.5%), episodes of acute systemic intoxication from pesticides (6.8%), onychopathies due to chronic trauma (16%), contact dermatitis of the hands (12%), chilblains (7%) and Favre-Racouchot syndrome (2.5%) showed a higher prevalence in the study group.
Conclusion:
Farmers were affected mainly by diseases caused by the direct action of chemical agents, either natural or industrial, in addition to climatic and physical agents.