Sperm chromatin integrity in DDT-exposed young men living in a malaria area in the Limpopo Province, South Africa

Abstract

The results suggest that non-occupational environmental DDT exposure may have a negative impact on sperm chromatin integrity in young South African males.

Prenatal exposure to DDT in malaria endemic region following indoor residual spraying and in non-malaria coastal regions of South Africa

“…Most of the reported data on IRS and DDT concentration in humans are mainly associated with occupational exposure of male personnel directly engaged in spraying operations of the Malaria Control Programmes (Bimenya et al, 2010;Bouwman et al, 1991a;Bouwman et al, 1991b;Dalvie et al, 2004;de Jager et al, 2009). …”

High levels of DDT in breast milk: Intake, risk, lactation duration, and involvement of gender

“…It is especially the first-born infants that will be exposed to higher ΣDDT levels; therefore experiencing greater risk when compared with their sibs. Research conducted in the same region as Dididi identified DDT-associated effects on male urogenital parameters and reduction of retinol binding protein (Aneck-Hahn et al, 2007;De Jager et al, 2009;Bornman et al, 2010;Delport et al, 2011).…”

“…Now, 24 years later, it is disconcerting that the highest ΣDDT level in breast milk yet measured from South Africa (5.2 mg/l wm and 140 mg/kg mf; Table 1) was found in a breast milk sample collected about 60 km away from the previous highest ΣDDT. Despite numerous scientific assessments recommending that safe and sustainable alternatives to DDT should be urgently investigated and deployed (De Jager et al, 2006;De Jager et al, 2009;Eskenazi et al, 2009;Bornman et al, 2010;Bouwman et al, 2011), a relatively affluent African country is in a position to do much more to reduce exposures or to move away from DDT. It must be acknowledged however, that a previous attempt to switch from DDT to pyrethroids failed (Hargreaves et al, 2003;Maharaj et al, 2005), and that the expectations of proof of safety and sustainability of alternatives have probably increased due to that failure.…”

First report of the concentrations and implications of DDT residues in chicken eggs from a malaria-controlled area

“…In addition, being a homemaker instead of being employed further increased the risk of having a baby with a urogenital birth defect (odds ratio: 1.41, 1.13-1.77). A weak association between DDT/DDE plasma concentration and the incidence of sperm with chromatin defects in men from Limpopo was found by de Jager et al (2009). Aneck-Hahn et al (2007) found that nonoccupational exposure to DDT was associated with impaired semen parameters in men, also from Limpopo.…”

“…DDT concentrations in breast milk and blood of inhabitants of dwellings treated with DDT for malaria vector control (at 2 g/m 2 on indoor surfaces, resulting in 64-128 g per dwelling per year (Bouwman et al, 2012)) exceed maximum residue limits up to 45 times and is a great human health concern (Aneck-Hahn et al, 2007;de Jager et al, 2009;Manaca et al, 2011;Bouwman et al, 2012). DDT has been reintroduced for malaria control in South Africa in 2000 when alternative insecticides failed (Bouwman et al, 2006).…”