Higher Mortality Risk of Lungs Carcinoma in Vineyard Sprayers

Abstract

This study investigated mortality rate of lungs carcinoma in professional vineyard sprayers. Clinical investigation was performed in 187 professional vineyard sprayers who had been exposed to the inhalation of the particles of Bordeaux mixture for 24 years on average. Bordeaux Mixture is used for prevention against mildew attacking vineyards. The control group was composed of 187 inhabitants of the same area who did not have any contact with the mentioned substance. A cytological investigation of the sputum specimens obtained from 104 tested inhabitants was performed. The sputum specimens were stained with standard haematoxylin-eosin method and also with special method (rubeanic acid) to prove the incidence of copper granules in macrophages. The findings show a considerable statistical difference in the frequency of occurrence of lungs carcinoma between the group of vineyard sprayers smokers and the control group (X2=4.77,p<0.01). The risk of lungs carcinoma in the vineyard sprayers was three times higher compared to the risk of smokers in the control group, with a statistical probability of 95% in the scope from 1.16<RR<7.78. Mortality risk of lungs carcinoma in the professional vineyard sprayers is significantly higher (p<0.01) compared to the risk in the control group.

Copper in grape and wine industry: Source, presence, impacts on production and human health, and removal methods

“…Young adults were found to have a reduced antioxidant capacity and immune function when they consumed excessive amounts of copper for a long period of time, according to a study by the American Society of Clinical Nutrition (Turnlund et al., 2004). Vineyard workers were reported to be at high risk for severe acute/chronic respiratory diseases, mainly due to the chronic inhalation of copper‐based pesticides (especially Bordeaux mixture) (Santić et al., 2005). Above all, the current attention to the risk of copper in the wine industry is far from sufficient, and more research is urgently needed.…”

Rare occupational respiratory diseases

“…Pierwszy z nich nie zgłaszał żadnych objawów i został zdiagnozowany z powodu ujawnionych na zdjęciu radiologicznym rozsianych obustronnych zmian węzłowo-guzkowych, natomiast u drugiego pracownika występowały typowe objawy kliniczne w układzie oddechowym -produktywny kaszel z odksztuszaniem gęstej i żółtawej wydzieliny [32]. Do przewlekłych objawów tego schorzenia ze strony układu oddechowego należą: kaszel, uczucie ucisku w klatce piersiowej, duszność i zaburzenia wentylacji płuc z dominującym zmianami restrykcyjnymi [33,34].…”

“…W przebiegu choroby ziarniniaki mogą być także zlokalizowane w innych narządach, np. w wątrobie [32,34].…”

“…Ponadto Šantić i wsp. opublikowali doniesienie o zwiększonym ryzyku rozwoju raka płuc u osób z płucem opryskiwaczy winnic, wskazując na związek pomiędzy zmianami płucnymi w tej chorobie a rozwojem nowotworu [32,34].…”