Genotoxicity and oxidative stress assessment among farmers occupationally exposed to pesticides in El-Behira Governorate, Egypt

Background Recently, pesticide usage has rapidly increased worldwide and consequently, there is a great worry about their adverse health effects. In literature, there is paucity of research regarding the relationship between occupational pesticide exposure and genotoxicity. The current study aimed t...

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Main Authors: Ahmed Hashish, Yehia M.A. Seida, Dorria E Melis, Sabah G El-Banna, Noha Selim
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-12-01
Series:Alexandria Journal of Medicine
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Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/20905068.2024.2414368
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author Ahmed Hashish
Yehia M.A. Seida
Dorria E Melis
Sabah G El-Banna
Noha Selim
author_facet Ahmed Hashish
Yehia M.A. Seida
Dorria E Melis
Sabah G El-Banna
Noha Selim
author_sort Ahmed Hashish
collection DOAJ
description Background Recently, pesticide usage has rapidly increased worldwide and consequently, there is a great worry about their adverse health effects. In literature, there is paucity of research regarding the relationship between occupational pesticide exposure and genotoxicity. The current study aimed to detect sociodemographic and occupational characteristics of the participants and to assess biomarkers of genotoxicity and oxidative stress and reveal their association with exposure to pesticides.Methods A comparative cross-sectional approach was carried out at a randomly selected village where 58 farmers exposed to pesticides were compared with another 58 individuals not exposed to pesticides. Participants were interviewed; blood samples were withdrawn for measuring the following: deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fragmentation percentage, serum thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) level, serum activity levels of glutathione reductase (GR), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) enzymes.Results Farmers had significantly higher levels of DNA fragmentation, TBARS, and SOD [8.07 ± 2.38, 1.42 (0.79), and 350.09 (30.03), respectively] than the comparison group [4.41 ± 1.35, 0.37 (0.72), and 281.25 (130.37), respectively]; While they had a lower GR, CAT, and BChE levels [14.53 ± 8.53, 21.7 (41.04), and 2707.77 ± 651.24, respectively] than the comparison group [24.92 ± 9.44, 37.8 (41.72), and 5694.3 ± 1175.76, respectively]. Exposure to pesticides was found to be independently associated with an increase in the percentage of DNA fragmentation by 3.146%; an increase in TBARS level by 0.717 nmol/dL; an increase in the SOD enzyme activity level by 72.614 IU/mL and a decrease in the GR enzyme activity level by 10.094 IU/mL.Conclusion Pesticide exposure is associated with genotoxicity and oxidative stress.
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spelling doaj-art-65f049c1786a42eabfd9e30d64816a582025-08-22T11:30:32ZengTaylor & Francis GroupAlexandria Journal of Medicine2090-50682090-50762025-12-01611142210.1080/20905068.2024.2414368Genotoxicity and oxidative stress assessment among farmers occupationally exposed to pesticides in El-Behira Governorate, EgyptAhmed Hashish0Yehia M.A. Seida1Dorria E Melis2Sabah G El-Banna3Noha Selim4Community Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, EgyptDepartment of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, EgyptDepartment of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, EgyptDepartment of Environmental Studies, Institute of Graduate Studies and Research, Alexandria University, EgyptDepartment of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, EgyptBackground Recently, pesticide usage has rapidly increased worldwide and consequently, there is a great worry about their adverse health effects. In literature, there is paucity of research regarding the relationship between occupational pesticide exposure and genotoxicity. The current study aimed to detect sociodemographic and occupational characteristics of the participants and to assess biomarkers of genotoxicity and oxidative stress and reveal their association with exposure to pesticides.Methods A comparative cross-sectional approach was carried out at a randomly selected village where 58 farmers exposed to pesticides were compared with another 58 individuals not exposed to pesticides. Participants were interviewed; blood samples were withdrawn for measuring the following: deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fragmentation percentage, serum thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) level, serum activity levels of glutathione reductase (GR), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) enzymes.Results Farmers had significantly higher levels of DNA fragmentation, TBARS, and SOD [8.07 ± 2.38, 1.42 (0.79), and 350.09 (30.03), respectively] than the comparison group [4.41 ± 1.35, 0.37 (0.72), and 281.25 (130.37), respectively]; While they had a lower GR, CAT, and BChE levels [14.53 ± 8.53, 21.7 (41.04), and 2707.77 ± 651.24, respectively] than the comparison group [24.92 ± 9.44, 37.8 (41.72), and 5694.3 ± 1175.76, respectively]. Exposure to pesticides was found to be independently associated with an increase in the percentage of DNA fragmentation by 3.146%; an increase in TBARS level by 0.717 nmol/dL; an increase in the SOD enzyme activity level by 72.614 IU/mL and a decrease in the GR enzyme activity level by 10.094 IU/mL.Conclusion Pesticide exposure is associated with genotoxicity and oxidative stress.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/20905068.2024.2414368Occupational pesticide exposurefarmersgenotoxicityoxidative stress
spellingShingle Ahmed Hashish
Yehia M.A. Seida
Dorria E Melis
Sabah G El-Banna
Noha Selim
Genotoxicity and oxidative stress assessment among farmers occupationally exposed to pesticides in El-Behira Governorate, Egypt
Alexandria Journal of Medicine
Occupational pesticide exposure
farmers
genotoxicity
oxidative stress
title Genotoxicity and oxidative stress assessment among farmers occupationally exposed to pesticides in El-Behira Governorate, Egypt
title_full Genotoxicity and oxidative stress assessment among farmers occupationally exposed to pesticides in El-Behira Governorate, Egypt
title_fullStr Genotoxicity and oxidative stress assessment among farmers occupationally exposed to pesticides in El-Behira Governorate, Egypt
title_full_unstemmed Genotoxicity and oxidative stress assessment among farmers occupationally exposed to pesticides in El-Behira Governorate, Egypt
title_short Genotoxicity and oxidative stress assessment among farmers occupationally exposed to pesticides in El-Behira Governorate, Egypt
title_sort genotoxicity and oxidative stress assessment among farmers occupationally exposed to pesticides in el behira governorate egypt
topic Occupational pesticide exposure
farmers
genotoxicity
oxidative stress
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/20905068.2024.2414368
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