| |
[Method]
The PubMed database (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi)
provided by National Library of Medicine was searched with a
strategy "(Sperm Count OR Spermatozoa OR Semen) AND
(Insecticides OR Pesticides OR Chlorinated Hydrocarbons OR PCBs
OR Bisphenol OR Phenol OR Phthalate OR Styrene OR Furan OR
Organotin OR Diethylstilbestrol OR Ethinyl Estradiol)". From
among 1639 citations retrieved, 145 epidemiologic studies on
human populations were selected, from which original papers
concerning semen quality were chosen and to which other articles
cited in these papers or reviews were added. The final number of
reviewed articles was 30.
[Results]
1. Pesticides
Padungtod et al. (1999) conducted a synchronic study in Anquin,
China, to investigate effects of organophosphate pesticides on
sperm chromosomes. Male workers in a pesticide plant (exposed
group) were compared with male workers in a textile plant in the
same area (unexposed group). The exposed group showed lower
median of sperm concentration and motility as well as 1.51 times
higher risk of chromosomal aberration than the unexposed group.
Padungtod et al. (2002) compared the same groups for seminal
parameters by linear regression analysis and found significantly
lower sperm concentration and motility, suggesting moderate
influence of exposure to ethyl parathion and methamidophos on
semen quality. A synchronic study by Recio (2001) on farm
workers in the rural Mexico indicated possible increase of risk
of genetic diseases such as Turner's syndrome associated with
sperm chromosomal aberration due to exposure to organophosphate
pesticides. A synchronic study by the same group (Sanchez-Pena,
2004) suggests effects on male fertility, as exposure to
organophosphate pesticides increases DNA fragmentation ratio in
sperm nuclei. Kamijima (2004) reported no difference in usual
sperm findings between exposed and unexposed groups in Japan,
but found significant increase in the ratio of decreased
motility in the exposed group in summer in which pesticides were
sprayed.
|
