Pesticides contribute to nasal woes

Recent research shows pesticide exposure may contribute to a common affliction - itchy, runny and stuffy noses.

Past studies have linked exposure to certain pesticides with upper respiratory symptoms like wheezing. To investigate whether pesticides might cause rhinitis (nasal inflammation), researchers looked at 2,245 commercial pesticide applicators in grape farmers in Greece, of which 74 percent had suffered an episode of rhinitis in the previous year. This is much higher than the rate of rhinitis seen in the general population, which tops out at around 30 percent.

Exposure to five of the 34 pesticides that the researchers included in their analysis was associated with a higher risk of rhinitis. This included two very commonly used pesticides, 2,4-D and glyphosate; 45 percent and 52 percent of the study participants reporting rhinitis had been exposed to them, respectively. The risk of rhinitis increased with the number of days a person used petroleum oil or diazinon.

The above findings indicate that chemicals contribute to the development of allergic rhinitis. The exposure to these chemicals in homes and gardens is much lower than concentrations faced by pesticide exposure in farming, but could be a serious health concern nonetheless.