A team of researchers from the Granada Biosanitary Research Institute (ibs.GRANADA) and the Universities of Granada and Almería have analyzed the impact of chronic exposure to pesticides on the health of greenhouse farmers. The results show alterations in immunoregulatory proteins related to allergic inflammation and low-grade systemic inflammation, which could increase the risk of developing chronic diseases in these workers.
The study included 175 farmers exposed to pesticides and 91 unexposed individuals as a control group. During the same agricultural campaign, levels of 27 cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors were analyzed at two key times: periods of high and low exposure to pesticides. The results showed a significant increase in interleukins such as IL-4, IL-,6 and IL-13 in exposed workers, especially during the period of highest exposure. This type 2 inflammatory pattern, commonly associated with allergic inflammation, was accompanied by increases in the levels of IL-1β, VEGF, and Rantes, markers of chronic low-grade inflammation that could have negative consequences for long-term health.
According to the authors, these effects could be due to the particular conditions of greenhouses, such as their closed structure and the intensive use of pesticides that expose workers to higher concentrations of these products, which affects the balance of cytokines in the immune system and favors the development of chronic diseases with an immunological basis.
"Our findings show that exposure to pesticides in greenhouses not only affects workers' immune systems but may also increase their risk of developing chronic diseases in the long term. It is crucial to improve working conditions, strengthen protective measures, and promote regular health assessments for these workers," said Antonio Hernández, co-investigator in charge of group E07-Research in Environmental Health and Childhood at ibs.GRANADA and principal investigator of the study. They also suggest the implementation of direct exposure monitoring methods and the development of early interventions to reduce long-term risks.
This study, funded by the Andalusian Government, expands knowledge on the effects of occupational exposure to pesticides on human health and highlights the need to adapt public health policies to protect agricultural workers.
Source: IBS Granada