About PEST
The Pesticide Exposure Surveillance in Texas program maintains
a database of information on pesticide poisonings occurring in the
state of Texas. Pesticide poisonings includes poisonings by disinfectants,
sanitizers, sterilizers, and antimocrobials. Physicians and laboratories
are required to report occupation related pesticide
poisonings. Additional surveillance data are collected from other
state agencies and the Poison Control Network. The surveillance program
is responsible for conducting investigations of poisoning incidents
when appropriate and providing educational information.
The clinical symptoms of acute occupational pesticide poisoning
vary depending on the type of pesticide, the route of exposure,
and/or duration of exposure. It is important to determine exposure
history and/or occupational information. Please report all known
and/or suspected cases of acute occupational pesticide poisoning
to DSHS.
Occupations at risk of acute pesticide poisoning include:
- Ground Applicators
- Nursery Workers
- Farmers and Ranchers
- Harvesters or Field Workers
- Warehouse Workers who handle/transport pesticides
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- Pesticide Formulator or Manufacturers
- Fumigators
- Aerial Applicators
- Police and Fire Fighters
- Structural Pest Control Operators
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Occupations at risk of disinfectant poisoning include:
- Maintenance Workers and Janitors
- Swimming Pool Cleaners
- Chicken Farmers
- Hospital Workers
- Laundry Workers
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- Vet/Pet Shop Workers
- Cafeteria/Restaurant Workers
- Shipping Industry Workers
- Hotel Workers
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For information on farm workers see the National
Health Service Corps Migrant Health website, or the
Migrant Clinician's Network website.
Frequently Asked Questions
I was working in the field when a crop duster flew overhead
spraying the neighboring fields. I felt the mist and could taste
the chemical sprayed. What should I do?
- If you feel ill, seek medical attention immediately. You may
also contact the Texas
Poison Center Network toll free, 24 hours a day at 1
(800) 222-1222for chemical/health related information.
- Remove all clothing (hats and other accessories), separate it,
and shower.
- Call the Texas Department
of Agriculture (TDA) at 1 (800) TELL- TDA to report
the incident. Pesticide applicators have strict guidelines to
follow regarding all aspects of pesticide use and TDA regulates
agricultural-related pesticide use.
We recently moved into a duplex and I've noticed a strong pesticide
odor that won't go away. I've been experiencing headaches and nausea.
Could the pesticides be responsible for this?
- If you are experiencing health-related problems you should seek
medical attention. The odor in your home may or may not be pesticide-related.
The Structural Pest Control
Board (SPCB) of Texas regulates non-agricultural pesticide
applicators. Depending on the situation, SPCB may conduct an investigation
to determine if there are any pesticide-related problems in your
home. You may contact the SPCB at (512) 305-8270. For
information on the chemical content of certain household insecticides
see the Over-the-Counter
Insecticides page created by the Pesticide Education Office
at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
We have a pest problem in our home, however I have small children
and I really don't want to fill our home with pesticides. Are there
effective alternatives?
- There are many non-toxic or at least minimally toxic alternatives
to traditional pesticides. Check your local phonebook and/or see
the EPA
fact sheet: Safe Substitutes at Home: Non-toxic Household
Products for possible alternatives.
What are sterilizers, disinfectants, antimoicrobials, sanitizers?
- Sterilizers (Sporicides): Used to destroy or eliminate
all forms of microbial life including fungi, viruses, and all
forms of bacteria and their spores. Sterilization is critical
to infection control and is widely used in hospitals on medical
and surgical, instruments and equipment. Types of sterilizers
include steam under pressure (autoclaving), dry heat ovens, low
temperature gas (ethylene oxide), and liquid chemical sterilants.
Gaseous and dry heat sterilizers are used primarily for sterilization
of medical instruments. Liquid sterilants are primarily used for
delicate instruments which cannot withstand high temperature and
gases.
- Disinfectants: Used on hard inanimate surfaces and objects
to destroy or irreversibly inactivate infectious fungi and bacteria
but not necessarily their spores. Disinfectant products are divided
into two major types: hospital and general use. Hospital type
disinfectants are the most critical to infection control and are
used on medical and dental instruments, floors, walls, bed linens,
toilet seats, and other surfaces. General disinfectants are the
major source of products used in households, swimming pools, and
water purifiers. Examples are bleach and chlorine.
- Antiseptics and Germicides: Used to prevent infection
and decay by inhibiting the growth of microorganisms. Because
these products are used in or on living humans or animals, they
are considered drugs and are thus approved and regulated by the
Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
www.epa.gov/oppad001/ad_info.htm
I live along the US/Mexican border. I've noticed that shops
and street vendors in both countries sell pesticide products with
homemade labels, or sometimes no labels at all. I've heard from
others that these products are very effective at pest control and
are inexpensive. Do you have any idea what these pesticides contain,
and if they might be especially harmful to humans?
Use of several non-registered pesticide products have been reported.
Two of these pesticides are as follows:
- Polvo de avión
"Airplane powder" is a white powder often sold in
small plastic bags. The substance is actually methyl-parathion,
categorized as a severely hazardous pesticide formulation restricted
by the EPA and restricted to only certain outdoor commercial
use. The DSHS Region 9/10 Office of Border Health led a tri-state,
bi-national awareness campaign funded by EPA. Local, state and
federal agencies participated in this campaign to assess the
magnitude of the problem, educate the public and healthcare
providers, and prevent future exposures. For more information,
you may contact Blanca Serrano, MPH, RS at 1-800-693-6699.
Residents of the Western Texas Rio Grande Border or Permian
Basin Area may also contact the West Texas Poison Control Center
at 1-800-222-1222.
- Miraculous Chalk
Like its name, this product looks like chalk and is applied
as such. Persons often apply the pesticide chalk as a border
to eating utensils or on the floor at the entrance of their
home. Samples of these insecticidal chalks have indicated synthetic
pyrethroids as the active ingredient. Small children are often
exposed to the chalk because of its bright, attractive appearance.
In addition to the harmful effects the chalk can have on human
health, packaging has been found to contain lead.
Reporting Information:
Who is responsible for reporting occupational conditions?
- Physicians
- Health Professionals
- Any persons in charge of a clinical or hospital laboratory,
blood bank, mobile unit or other facility in which a laboratory
examination reveals evidence of the reportable disease.
How do you obtain forms to report occupational conditions?
How do you report occupational conditions?
- Cases can be reported directly to the Environmental and Injury
Epidemiology and Toxicology Branch, DSHS, by calling our toll-free
number 1 (800) 588-1248.
- Case reports can be faxed to (512) 458-7169.
- Case reports can be mailed to the Environmental and Injury
Epidemiology and Toxicology Branch.
- Case reports can also be made to the local or regional staff
of the health department who will transmit the information directly
to the DSHS central office.
Educational Materials
Pesticide Postcards:
Pesticide Exposure brochure
"pdf" (100KB)
Possible Pesticide Exposure
of Employees at a Government Agency, Disease Prevention News Article
"pdf" (77KB)
Pesticide Safety in the Workplace
factsheet "pdf"
(775KB)
Publications
Texas SENSOR, Final Progress
Report, 2002-2006
Acute Pesticide Poisoning
in the U.S. Retail Industry, 1998-2004 "pdf"
(126.3KB)
Acute Pesticide-Related
Illnesses Among Working Youths, 1988-1999
"pdf" (114KB)
Acute Occupational Pesticide-Related
Illnesses in the US, 1998-1999: Surveillance Findings From the
SENSOR - Pesticides Program
"pdf" (167KB)
Acute Pesticide-Related
Illness Among Emergency Responders, 1993-2002
"pdf" (151KB)
Acute Illness Associated
With Pesticide Exposures at Schools
"pdf" (144KB)
External Links
Illness
Associated with Occupational Use of Flea-Control Products - California,
Texas, and Washington, 1989-1997
Surveillance
for Acute Insecticide - Related Illness Associated with Mospuito
Control Efforts - Nine States, 1999-2002
Unintentional
Topical Lindane Ingestions - United States, 1998-2003
Other State-Based Pesticide Poisoning Surveillance
Programs
Arizona:
Pesticde Poisoning Prevention Program
http://www.hs.state.za.us/phs/oeh/invsurv/pesticide/
California: Department of Pesticide
Regulation
http://www.cdpr.ca.gov/
California: Department
of Health Services, Agricultural Health and Safety Section
http://www.dhs.ca.gov/ohb/Aginjury/
Florida:
Pesticide Exposure Surveillance Program
http://www.myfloridaeh.com/community/pesticide/
Iowa:
Pesticide Expoure Surveillance Program
http://www.idph.state.ia.us/eh/toxicology_env_health.asp#pesticide
Louisiana:
Health-related Pesticide Incident Report Program
http://www.dhh.louisiana.gov/offices/page.asp?id=205&detail=6679
Michigan
Department of Community Health: Division of Environmental and
Occupational Epidemiology
http://www.michigan.gov/mdch/0,1607,7-132-2945_5105-127397--,00.html
New York:
Pesticide Poisoning Registry
http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/pest/pesticid.htm
Oregon:
Pesticide Poisoning Prevention Program
http://www.dhs.state.or.us/publichealth/pesticide
Washington: Pesticide
Program
http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/ts/Pest/
General Pesticide Resources
Pesticide Resource
Management Guide - An EPA compendium of electronic resoureces
that can be searched by subject, title, source, or full text.
http://www.epa.gov/oppfead1/pmreg/
Pesticide Action Network
Pesticide Database - Includes peer-reviewed scientific information
culled from many sources on pesticide products and active ingredients.
http://www.pesticideinfo.org/
Right
to Know Hazardous Substance Fact Sheets - Fact Sheets by the
New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services. http://web.doh.state.nj.us/rtkhsfs/indexfs.aspx
Recognition and Management of Pesticide Poisoning
National Pesticide Information
Center (NPIC) - An EPA-funded resource that provides information
on pesticide toxicology, enviromental chemistry, product-specific
information as well as recognition and management of pesticide
poisoning. NPTN's website provides ready access to EXTONET, the
Agriculture Extension Service's library of information on pesticide
toxicology, and to public consumer oriented EPA publications.
http://npic.orst.edu/
EPA
Pesticide Poisoning Handbook
http://www.epa.gov/oppfead1/safety/healthcare/handbook/handbook.htm
National Strategies
for Health Care Providers: Pesticides Initiative - This initiative
identifies and implements strategies for educating health care
providers on how to recognize, diagnose and manage pesticide-related
health conditions. This link leads to the initiative's implementation
plan. http://www.neetf.org/Health/providers/
Integrated Pest Management in Schools
Environmental Protection
Agency, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in Schools.
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/ipm/
Healthy Schools
Network, INC. (HSN)
http://www.healthyschools.org/index.html
Pesticide Alternatives
Beyond Pesticides
http://www.beyondpesticides.org
Treatment and management phone
numbers:
National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC)
1 (800) 858-7378
Structural Pest Control Board
512-305-8270
Texas Poison Center Network
1 (800) 222-1222
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