Unrevealed paraquat exposure cases in Rayong Province, Thailand
Unrevealed paraquat exposure cases in Rayong Province, Thailand
The prevalence of paraquat exposure and its health
effects have been described in many parts of the world. However unrevealed paraquat
exposure cases are still common in developing countries. Here we present cases of chemical keratoconjunctivitis due to occupational exposure to paraquat in Rayong Province, Thailand. All subjects were workers in
agricultural sectors whose job responsibilities
included mixing and
spraying paraquat without proper protective equipment. The subjects reported eye irritation and pain, chemical keratoconjunctivitis was ultimately diagnosed. This report presents unrevealed cases of occupational
exposure to paraquat in
Thailand, a country where occupational injury and illness recording and reporting
systems are not well established. It has not yet been established
whether paraquat exposure in the agricultural sectors has resulted in chronic
health effects in Thailand. Our data suggest that comprehensive health
check-ups for farmworkers and systems for the prevention of paraquat exposure
systems should be implemented to reduce the adverse health effects of this
chemical.
Keywords: Chemical keratoconjunctivitis, Occupational exposure, Paraquat,
Prevention
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