Recent Advances in Research on Environmental Toxicology of the Agricultural Occupations

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Abstract
Less than 20 years ago, the main toxic agents recognized in agriculture were lead arsenate and nicotine. Now, there are many potentially toxic chemicals used, and it has come to be realized that there are as well, toxic hazards from plants, animals and physical agents. Lately, cases of ill-effects to agricultural workers from these causes have increased as chemicals and mechanical equipment have become more and more widely applied. For instance, in California in recent years compensable occupational disease from pesticides has run at an incidence around 10 times as high as in the general work population. Furthermore, changes in social attitudes toward the health care of agricultural workers have had the effect of bringing to light other toxic conditions suffered by workers in this class. The result is that a substantial body of knowledge on toxicological problems in the field of agriculture has developed in the past few years, particularly in relation to environmental factors. It is the purpose of this paper to assess the current state of knowledge of ill-effects from the new pesticides and their interactions with one another as well as environmental associates, drugs and alcohol. Recent findings will be presented on other aspects of the environmental toxicology of agriculture such as farmers lung, silo filler''s disease, contact dermatitis from plants, zoonotic infections and climate.

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