A case-control study was performed in southwestern France in order to assess the relationship between pesticide exposure and Parkinson’s disease (PD) in the elderly. During the period from 1997 to 1999, 84 cases were recruited together with 252 population-based controls. Experts in occupational health reviewed job codes and provided pesticide exposure levels, making it possible to calculate cumulated exposure lifelong for individuals. Environmental pesticide exposure was considered in relation to the place of residence. A positive association was found with occupational pesticide exposure (odds ratio = 2.2, 95% confidence interval 1.1–4.3) in conditional logistic multiple regression analysis taking into account age, sex, educational level and smoking; however, no clear dose relationship was found. Our results support the hypothesis of an association between occupational pesticide exposure and PD and point to the need to investigate the role of fungicides, for which toxicological hypotheses exist.

Background: Brain tumours are often disabling and rapidly lethal; their aetiology is largely unknown. Among potential risk factors, pesticides are suspected. Objective: To examine the relationship between exposure to pesticides and brain tumours in adults in a population-based case-control study in southwestern France. Methods: Between May 1999 and April 2001, 221 incident cases of brain tumours and 442 individually matched controls selected from the general population were enrolled. Histories of occupational and environmental exposures, medical and lifestyle information were collected. A cumulative index of occupational exposure to pesticides was created, based on expert review of lifelong jobs and tasks. Separate analyses were performed for gliomas and meningiomas. Results: A non-statistically significant increase in risk was found for brain tumours when all types of occupational exposure to pesticides were considered (OR = 1.29, 95% CI 0.87 to 1.91) and slightly higher but still non-statistically significant when gliomas were considered separately (OR = 1.47, 95% CI 0.81 to 2.66). In the highest quartile of the cumulative index, a significant association was found for brain tumours (OR = 2.16, 95% CI 1.10 to 4.23) and for gliomas (OR = 3.21, 95% CI 1.13 to 9.11), but not for meningiomas. A significant increase in risk was also seen for the treatment of home plants (OR = 2.24, 95% CI 1.16 to 4.30) owing to environmental exposure to pesticides. Conclusions: These data suggest that a high level of occupational exposure to pesticides might be associated with an excess risk of brain tumours, and especially of gliomas.

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Our results provide insight into factors possibly conferring susceptibility to the acute effect of urban air pollution.