Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Kanerva’s Occupational Dermatology pp 1–29Cite as

Pesticide-Related Dermatoses

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:

  • 203 Accesses

Abstract

Pesticides include chemicals, as well as biological and physical agents used to control a diverse array of pests. Although a number of occupational and nonoccupational situations affect the extent and route of exposure to pesticides, most skin effects are associated with a relatively small number of compounds. The highest exposures and risk of dermatitis involve individuals employed in agricultural pest control operations. The degree of pesticide contact may be lessened by use of protective clothing and engineering controls such as closed mixing and loading systems.

For evaluating the effects of pesticides on the skin, the most relevant tests include dermal absorption tests, the 72 hr Draize dermal irritation study, and sensitization studies. For the Draize irritancy test, a general protocol utilizing albino rabbits is provided. Suggested concentrations are also given for sensitization studies using the patch test methodology.

Registries for monitoring pesticide-related illness exist in numerous U.S. and worldwide jurisdictions. The most complete historical data derive from the California Pesticide Illness Surveillance Program. The following chapter briefly presents data on illnesses associated with individual classes of pesticides and pesticide mixtures, discussed separately as 5 categories (antimicrobials, fumigants, fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides), focusing on the principal causes of pesticide dermatitis reported in medical literature and in California use and surveillance data between 1982 and 2014.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

References

  • Anderson SE, Shane H, Long C, Lukomska E, Meade BJ, Marshall NB (2016) Evaluation of the irritancy and hypersensitivity potential following topical application of didecyldimethylammonium chloride. J Immunotoxicol 13(4):557–566. https://doi.org/10.3109/1547691X.2016.1140854

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Barnes RL, Wilkinson DS (1973) Epidermal necrolysis from clothing impregnated with paraffin. Br Med J 4(5890):466–467

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Berthet A, Heredia-Ortiz R, Vernez D, Danuser B, Bouchard M (2012) A detailed urinary excretion time course study of captan and folpet biomarkers in workers for the estimation of dose, main route-of-entry and most appropriate sampling and analysis strategies. Ann Occup Hyg 56(7):815–828. https://doi.org/10.1093/annhyg/mes011

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bonamonte D, Vestita M, Filoni A, Mastrolonardo M, Angelini G, Foti C (2016) Tobacco-induced contact dermatitis. Eur J Dermatol 26(3):223–231. https://doi.org/10.1684/ejd.2016.2771

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bowra GT, Duffield DP, Osborn AJ, Purchase IF (1982) Premalignant and neoplastic skin lesions associated with occupational exposure to “tarry” byproducts during manufacture of 4,4′-bipyridyl. Br J Ind Med 39(1):76–81

    PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bruze M, Fregert S (1982) Allergic contact dermatitis to chloridazon. Contact Dermatitis 8(6):427

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bruze M, Fregert S (1983) Allergic contact dermatitis from ethylene thiourea. Contact Dermatitis 9(3):208–212

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Clark DG, Hurst EW (1970) The toxicity of diquat. Br J Ind Med 27(1):51–55

    PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cotton F, Wilkinson G (1972) Advanced inorganic chemistry. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Cronin E (1980) Contact dermatitis. Health & Fitness, 1st edn. Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh

    Google Scholar 

  • Dannaker CJ, Maibach HI, O’Malley M (1993) Contact urticaria and anaphylaxis to the fungicide chlorothalonil. Cutis 52(5):312–315

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Daryani NE, Hosseini P, Bashashati M, Haidarali M, Sayyah A (2007) Butachlor-induced acute toxic hepatitis. Indian J Gastroenterol 26(3):135–136

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • DPR (2001) Product recommendation sheet. DPR, Sacramento

    Google Scholar 

  • DPR (2004) Use trends of cholinesterase-inhibiting pesticides 1994–2004. DPR, Sacramento

    Google Scholar 

  • DPR (2010) Use trends of cholinesterase-inhibiting pesticides 2001–2010. DPR, Sacramento

    Google Scholar 

  • DPR (2015a) Pesticide use reporting – 2015 summary data – top 100 pesticides by pounds. DPR, Sacramento

    Google Scholar 

  • DPR (2015b) Reports of pesticide sold in California 2015. Department of Pesticide Regulation, California Environmental Protection Agency. http://www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/mill/pdsd2015.pdf. 16 June 2016

  • DPR (2015c) Use trends of cholinesterase-inhibiting pesticides 2007–2015. DPR, Sacramento

    Google Scholar 

  • English JS, Rycroft RJ, Calnan CD (1986) Allergic contact dermatitis from aminotriazole. Contact Dermatitis 14(4):255–256

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • EXTOXNET (1998) EXTOXNET Extension Toxicology Network. Cooperative Extension Offices of University of California-Davis, Oregon Sate University, Michigan State University, Cornell University, and University of Idahyo. http://extoxnet.orst.edu/ghindex.html. Accessed 6 July 2016

  • Fischer T (1984) Contact allergy to choline chloride. Contact Dermatitis 10(5):316–317

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Franzosa JA, Osimitz TG, Maibach HI (2007) Cutaneous contact urticaria to pyrethrum-real?, common?, or not documented?: an evidence-based approach. Cutan Ocul Toxicol 26(1):57–72. https://doi.org/10.1080/15569520601183880

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Galea KS, MacCalman L, Jones K, Cocker J, Teedon P, Sleeuwenhoek AJ, Cherrie JW, van Tongeren M (2011) Biological monitoring of pesticide exposures in residents living near agricultural land. BMC Public Health 11:856. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-11-856

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Galea KS, MacCalman L, Jones K, Cocker J, Teedon P, Cherrie JW, van Tongeren M (2015) Comparison of residents’ pesticide exposure with predictions obtained using the UK regulatory exposure assessment approach. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 73(2):634–643. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yrtph.2015.09.012

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Garnier R, Chataigner D, Efthymiou ML, Moraillon I, Bramary F (1994) Paraquat poisoning by skin absorption: report of two cases. Vet Hum Toxicol 36(4): 313–315

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gehlbach SH, Williams WA, Perry LD, Woodall JS (1974) Green-tobacco sickness. An illness of tobacco harvesters. JAMA 229(14):1880–1883

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hayes WJ (1982) Pesticides studied in man. Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore

    Google Scholar 

  • Hindson C, Diffey B (1984a) Phototoxicity of glyphosate in a weedkiller. Contact Dermatitis 10(1):51–52

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hindson TC, Diffey BL (1984b) Phototoxicity of a weedkiller: a correction. Contact Dermatitis 11(4):260

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hostynek JJ, Maibach HI (2004) Skin irritation potential of copper compounds. Toxicol Mech Methods 14(4):205–213. https://doi.org/10.1080/15376520490446365

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hostynek JJ, Patrick E, Younger B, Maibach HI (1989) Hypochlorite sensitivity in man. Contact Dermatitis 20(1):32–37

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • IARC (2017) IARC monographs on the evaluation of carcinogenic risks to humans, vol 1–118. International Agency for Research on Cancer, World Health Organization, Lyon, France

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirst HA (2010) The spinosyn family of insecticides: realizing the potential of natural products research. J Antibiot (Tokyo) 63(3):101–111. https://doi.org/10.1038/ja.2010.5

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lachapelle JM (1997) A proposed relevance scoring system for positive allergic patch test reactions: practical implications and limitations. Contact Dermatitis 36(1):39–43

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Leroux P, Fritz R, Debieu D, Albertini C, Lanen C, Bach J, Gredt M, Chapeland F (2002) Mechanisms of resistance to fungicides in field strains of Botrytis cinerea. Pest Manag Sci 58(9):876–888. https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.566

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liden C (1990) Facial dermatitis caused by chlorothalonil in a paint. Contact Dermatitis 22(4):206–211

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mark KA, Brancaccio RR, Soter NA, Cohen DE (1999) Allergic contact and photoallergic contact dermatitis to plant and pesticide allergens. Arch Dermatol 135(1): 67–70

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mathias CG (1983) Persistent contact dermatitis from the insecticide dichlorvos. Contact Dermatitis 9(3): 217–218

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Marzulli FN, Maibach HI (1974) Antimicrobials: Experimental contact sensitization in man. J soc Cosmet Chem 24(7):399–421

    Google Scholar 

  • McBride JS, Altman DG, Klein M, White W (1998) Green tobacco sickness. Tob Control 7(3):294–298

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • McCarl GW (1975) Letter: comments and questions on the neurotoxicity of hexachlorophene. Pediatrics 55(5): 742–744

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mikoczy Z, Tinnerberg H, Bjork J, Albin M (2011) Cancer incidence and mortality in Swedish sterilant workers exposed to ethylene oxide: updated cohort study findings 1972-2006. Int J Environ Res Public Health 8(6): 2009–2019. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph8062009

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell JC, Dupuis G, Towers GH (1972) Allergic contact dermatitis from pyrethrum (Chrysanthemum spp.). The roles of pyrethrosin, a sesquiterpene lactone, and of pyrethrin II. Br J Dermatol 86(6):568–573

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nagy L, Orosz M (1984) Occupational asthma due to hexachlorophene. Thorax 39(8):630–631

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Nater JP, Grosfeld JC (1979) Allergic contact dermatitis from Betanal (phenmedipham). Contact Dermatitis 5(1):59–60

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Newhouse M, McEvoy D, Rosenthal D (1978) Percutaneous paraquat absorption. An association with cutaneous lesions and respiratory failure. Arch Dermatol 114(10): 1516–1519

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • NIOSH (2017) Pesticide Illness and Injury Surveillance. Atlanta, Georgia

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Malley M (2010) Chapter 28: Regulatory evaluation of the skin effects of pesticides. In: Krieger R (ed) Hayes’ handbook of pesticide toxicology, vol 1, 3rd edn. Academic, Amsterdam, p 2000

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Malley MA, Carpenter AV, Sweeney MH, Fingerhut MA, Marlow DA, Halperin WE, Mathias CG (1990) Chloracne associated with employment in the production of pentachlorophenol. Am J Ind Med 17(4): 411–421

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • O’Malley M, Rodriguez P, Maibach HI (1995) Pesticide patch testing: California nursery workers and controls. Contact Dermatitis 32(1):61–63

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • O’Malley M, Barry T, Verder-Carlos M, Rubin A (2004) Modeling of methyl isothiocyanate air concentrations associated with community illnesses following a metam-sodium sprinkler application. Am J Ind Med 46(1):1–15. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.20037

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • O’Malley M, Barry T, Ibarra M, Verder-Carlos M, Mehler L (2005) Illnesses related to shank application of metam-sodium, Arvin, California, July 2002. J Agromedicine 10(4):27–42. https://doi.org/10.1300/J096v10n04_06

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Osimitz TG, Franzosa JA, Maibach HI (2009) Pyrethrins and pyrethrosin content in commercial allergen extracts. Dermatitis 20(6):338–340

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Parsons PP (2001) Mammalian toxicokinetics and toxicity of chlorothalonil. In: Handbook of pesticide toxicology. Academic, San Diego

    Google Scholar 

  • Paulsen E (1998) Occupational dermatitis in Danish gardeners and greenhouse workers (II). Etiological factors. Contact Dermatitis 38(1):14–19

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Penagos HG (2002) Contact dermatitis caused by pesticides among banana plantation workers in Panama. Int J Occup Environ Health 8(1):14–18. https://doi.org/10.1179/oeh.2002.8.1.14

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Penagos H, O’Malley M, Maibach HI (2000) Pesticide Dermatoses. CRC Press, Boca Raton

    Google Scholar 

  • Penagos H, Ruepert C, Partanen T, Wesseling C (2004) Pesticide patch test series for the assessment of allergic contact dermatitis among banana plantation workers in Panama. Dermatitis 15(3):137–145

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pesticide Illness & Injury Surveillance https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/pesticides/overview.html. Accessed July 2017

  • Praditsuwan P, Taylor JS, Roenigk HH Jr (1995) Allergy to Unna boots in four patients. J Am Acad Dermatol 33(5 Pt 2):906–908

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ramu J, Konak T, Paule MG, Hanig JP, Liachenko S (2016) Longitudinal diffusion tensor imaging of the rat brain after hexachlorophene exposure. Neurotoxicology 56:225–232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuro.2016.08.011

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rose AL, Wisniewski HM, Cammer W (1975) Neurotoxicity of hexachlorophene: new pathological and biochemical observations. J Neurol Sci 24(4):425–435

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Saleeon T, Siriwong W, Maldonado-Perez HL, Robson MG (2015) Green tobacco sickness among Thai traditional tobacco farmers, Thailand. Int J Occup Environ Med 6(3):169–176

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Saunders LD, Ames RG, Knaak JB, Jackson RJ (1987) Outbreak of Omite-CR-induced dermatitis among orange pickers in Tulare County, California. J Occup Med 29(5):409–413

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sharma VK, Kaur S (1990) Contact sensitization by pesticides in farmers. Contact Dermatitis 23(2):77–80

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shuman RM, Leech RW, Alvord EC Jr (1974) Neurotoxicity of hexachlorophene in the human: I. A clinicopathologic study of 248 children. Pediatrics 54(6): 689–695

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smith JG (1988) Paraquat poisoning by skin absorption: a review. Hum Toxicol 7(1):15–19

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Smith CR (1991) Dissipation of dislodgeable propargite residues on nectarine foliage. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 46(4):507–511

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Spencer J, O’Malley M (2006) Pyrethroid illnesses in California, 1996–2002. Rev Environ Contam Toxicol 186:57–72

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Steenland K, Stayner L, Deddens J (2004) Mortality analyses in a cohort of 18 235 ethylene oxide exposed workers: follow up extended from 1987 to 1998. Occup Environ Med 61(1):2–7

    PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tomlin CDS (ed) (1997) The pesticide manual: a world compendium, 11th edn. British Crop Protection Council Farnham, Surrey

    Google Scholar 

  • Tucker SB, Flannigan SA, Ross CE (1984) Inhibition of cutaneous paresthesia resulting from synthetic pyrethroid exposure. Int J Dermatol 23(10):686–689

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • U.S. EPA (1999) Reregistration eligibility decision (RED) – Chlorothalonil, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • U.S. EPA (2011) Pesticide industry sales and usage – 2006 and 2007 market estimates, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • U.S. EPA (2014) Label review manual, Chapter 7: precautionary statements

    Google Scholar 

  • U.S. EPA (2017) Pesticides industry sales and usage 2008–2012 market estimates. Office of Pesticide Programs, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Underhill FP (1919) The physiology and experimental treatment of poisoning with the lethal war gases. Arch Intern Med 23:753–770

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Verder-Carlos M, O’Malley M (2002) Evaluating pesticide effects on ecosystems and human health: the rotenone application at Lake Davis. In: Managing healthy ecosystems, proceedings of symposium on ecotoxicology and ecosystem health. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida

    Google Scholar 

  • Verma G, Sharma NL, Shanker V, Mahajan VK, Tegta GR (2007) Pesticide contact dermatitis in fruit and vegetable farmers of Himachal Pradesh (India). Contact Dermatitis 57(5):316–320. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0536.2007.01229.x

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wang JD, Li WE, Hu FC, Hu KH (1987) Occupational risk and the development of premalignant skin lesions among paraquat manufacturers. Br J Ind Med 44(3): 196–200

    PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wesseling C, Hogstedt C, Picado A, Johansson L (1997) Unintentional fatal paraquat poisonings among agricultural workers in Costa Rica: report of 15 cases. Am J Ind Med 32(5):433–441

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou Q, Kan B, Jian X, Zhang W, Liu H, Zhang Z (2013) Paraquat poisoning by skin absorption: two case reports and a literature review. Exp Ther Med 6(6): 1504–1506. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2013.1320

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Health and Environment, UC Davis, Davis, CA, USA

    Michael O’Malley

  2. Department of Pesticide Regulation, California Environmental Protection Agency, Sacramento, CA, USA

    Michael O’Malley & Mai A. Ngo

  3. University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Howard I. Maibach

Authors
  1. Michael O’Malley
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mai A. Ngo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Howard I. Maibach
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mai A. Ngo .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, University of Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Niedersachsen, Germany

    Swen Malte John

  2. Department of Dermato-allergology, Gentofte Hospital, Hellerup, Denmark

    Jeanne Duus Johansen

  3. Dept. of Dermatology and Allergology, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Thomas Rustemeyer

  4. Dept. of Dermatology and Allergology, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Thüringen, Germany

    Peter Elsner

  5. Department of Dermatology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA

    Howard I. Maibach

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

O’Malley, M., Ngo, M.A., Maibach, H.I. (2018). Pesticide-Related Dermatoses. In: John, S., Johansen, J., Rustemeyer, T., Elsner, P., Maibach, H. (eds) Kanerva’s Occupational Dermatology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40221-5_68-2

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40221-5_68-2

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-40221-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-40221-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference MedicineReference Module Medicine

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation