Agro pesticides are increasingly used worldwide to increase crop production. However, health hazards resulting from human exposure to these chemicals, especially from agricultural areas of developing countries have been a growing concern. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of occupational exposure to agro pesticides on the health of farmers in the Buea subdivision, which is one of the major agrarian areas in Cameroon. The study was transversal and involved 90 participants including 58 farmers using pesticides and a reference population of 32 men not involved in occupational use of agro pesticides. The participants were interviewed on agro pesticide use and their health status. Thereafter, blood samples were collected from the participants and used for the assessment of biochemical markers of the liver (alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase) and the kidney (creatinine and uric acid) function. Results revealed that farmers frequently used insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides in their farming activities. Farmers reported several acute health symptoms related to pesticides use with the common ones being skin rash, eye irritation, and face burn. When compared to the reference population, the farmers showed significantly elevated (p<0.01) alanine aminotransferase activity. However, other parameters investigated were not affected significantly. These results suggested that farmers were exposed to 3 different classes of agro pesticides, which induced eye and skin affections. Pesticides exposure resulted in alterations of the liver function hence the increased serum alanine aminotransferase activity. Therefore, there is a need to sensitize the farmers on toxicity and liver alteration potential of agro pesticides and the importance of appropriate protective equipment that may minimize exposure.

The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of heat that induces oxidative stress on reproduction organ weight and serum biochemical, testes structure, and function in male guinea pig (Cavia porcellus). Forty-eight male guinea pigs with an average weight of 330.56 ± 23.62 g, aged 3–4 months, were distributed into four groups of 12 animals each. One group (control) was maintained to ambient temperature (20–25°C), while other groups (Groups 2–4) were exposed daily for 6 h, to 32 ± 1°C, 39±1°C, and 46 ± 1°C, respectively. All animals were sacrificed after 60 days' exposure and their reproductive characteristics values were determined. Results revealed a significant decrease (p < 0.05) of the weight of testes, epididymis, vas deferens, and accessory glands in cavies exposed to the highest temperature investigated (46 ± 1°C), compared to the control animals. There was a significant (p < 0.05) reduction of serum testosterone and LH levels in all heat stress-exposed groups (≥46 ± 1°C) when compared to the control group. Heat stress significantly (p < 0.05) decreased sperm mobility, sperm count, and testicular antioxidant enzymes, while increasing testicular malondialdehyde content. However, the serum level of HSP-40 increased in the animals exposed to 39 ± 1°C and decreased when the cavies were exposed to 46 ± 1°C. In conclusion, exposure to heat-induced oxidative stress results in impairment of reproduction organ weight and serum biochemical, testes structure, and function in male cavies.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the toxicity induced by the increasing doses of potassium dichromate in rabbit doe. Twenty-eight adult does of 6 months of age were divided into four groups (A, B, C, and D; n = 7), with comparable average body weight (bw). Group A rabbits received only distilled water daily and served as a control, while groups B, C, and D received, respectively, 10 mg/kg bw, 20 mg/ kg bw, and 40 mg/kg bw of potassium dichromate via gavage for 28 days, after which animals were anesthetized with ether vapor and sacrificed. Blood samples were obtained via cardiac puncture and collected without anticoagulant for biochemical dosages and with anticoagulant (EDTA) for complete blood count. Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and estradiol (E2) were dosed in serum and in homogenates of ovary with the help of AccuDiag^TM ELISA kits from OMEGA DIAGNOSTICS LTD (Scotland, England) while respecting the immuno-enzymatic method. Activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), and concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) in liver, kidney, ovary and uterus were measured. Hematology revealed a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in mean values of hemoglobin and platelets while white blood cells and lymphocytes showed a significant (p < 0.05) increase in exposed groups. No significant (p > 0.05) difference was registered in monocytes, red blood cells, hematocrits, and plaquetocrits values with respect to the control. No matter the organ considered, no significant (p > 0.05) change was recorded in weight and volume. Nephrotoxicity analysis registered a significant (p < 0.05) increase in urea and creatinine, unlike renal tissue protein, which decreased significantly (p < 0.05). However, hepatotoxicity registered no significant (p > 0.05) variation in aspartate aminotransferase but total protein, alanine aminotransferase, and total cholesterol increased significantly (p < 0.05), while hepatic tissue protein revealed a significant (p < 0.05) decrease. Analysis on reproductive parameters showed a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in ovarian and uterine tissue proteins, as well as in follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and estradiol. Oxidative stress markers recorded no significant (p > 0.05) difference in glutathione reductase except in ovary where a significant (p < 0.05) decrease was seen when compared with the control, while catalase revealed a significant (p < 0.05) decrease, except in liver where there was no significant (p > 0.05) change. Superoxide dismutase and malondialdehyde recorded a significant (p < 0.05) decrease and increase respectively, with respect to the control. Results obtained from this study showed that the reduction process of chromium in tissues may cause the generation of reactive oxygen species, which are involved in hematoxic, nephrotoxic, hepatotoxic, and reproductive toxicity effects.

The reproductive toxicity of propoxur (2-isopropoxy-phenyl-N-methylcarbamate), a carbamate pesticide, was investigated in adult male Wistar rats exposed to 0, 1.73, 2.6, and 5.2 mg/kg body weight/day for 90 successive days. Results obtained from this study showed a significant (p < 0.05) concentration-dependent increase in food consumption, relative weights of testis, epididymis and kidneys with maximum effects observed at the highest dose of propoxur (5.2 mg/kg) compared to the control. On the contrary, there was a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in the body weight gain, sperm density, serum and intratesticular total cholesterol concentrations, and intratesticular total proteins in rats treated with propoxur at the dose of 5.2 mg/kg body weight. Propoxur had no significant effect on gestation, fertility and parturition indices, average birth weight, litter size and pups sex ratio of untreated female rats mated with treated males rats. These results suggested that propoxur increased food consumption, relative weight of reproductive and detoxication organs, decreased body weight gain and sperm density per gram of cauda epididymis without affecting the reproductive performances.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted to investigate the knowledge, attitudes, practices and zoonotic risk perception of Q fever among 484 selected cattle farmers (438) and veterinary personnel (46) in three northern regions of Cameroon. Data collection was conducted using questionnaires and responses were recoded into binary scale. An ANOVA test was used to assess significant differences in mean knowledge, attitude, practice and zoonotic risk perception (KAPP) scores between regions, while Linear regression was done to explore the relationship between demographic characteristic and KAPP. Overall, surveyed had low mean scores for knowledge (0.02 ± 0.11), desirable attitude (0.30 ± 0.16), appropriate practice (0.43 ± 0.13) and negative perception of zoonotic risks (0.05 ± 0.11). The means knowledge, attitude, practice and risks perception scores of cattle farmers were lower than those of veterinary personnel. The nature of respondent was negatively associated to knowledge and risks perception, while regions were negatively correlated to attitude and practice. These results revealed significant knowledge gaps, low levels of desired attitudes, and high-risk behavioral practices. To improve awareness, control programs are needed to update knowledge on medical personnel and to prevent animal-to-human transmission.