Artículos científicos

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A participatory assessment of ecosystem services and human wellbeing in Rural Costa Rica using Photo-Voice
(Springer, 2012-03-09) Berbes-Blazquez, Marta
Human well-being is intricately connected to ecosystem services. A keystone contribution to the ecosystem service literature has been the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, MA, (Ecosystems and human well-being: a framework for assessment, Island Press, Washington, DC; 2003, 2005). Much of the work on ecosystem services to date has focused on the assessment and classification of environmental functions. The need for inclusion of community perspectives in ecosystem assessments has been widely recognized in order to better understand the distribution of impacts and benefits resulting from natural resource use. Communities can offer a direct route to understanding the complex relationships between ecosystems and human well-being and how environmental management affects their livelihoods. Photovoice has been made popular as a tool for participatory needs assessment but it has had limited use in ecosystem assessments to date. The purpose of this paper is twofold: (1) to present the results of a community-level assessment of environmental services in a watershed dominated by pineapple monoculture in Costa Rica; and (2) to evaluate the strengths and the limitations of photovoice as a tool for mapping the relationship between ecosystems and people. I argue that photovoice is an underutilized methodology that has the potential to complement biophysical ecosystem service assessments in the context of impoverished and resource-dependent communities, particularly, since assessing ecosystem services and acting upon that information requires integrating the knowledges of diverse stakeholders, recognizing power imbalances, and grappling with the complexity of social-ecological systems. Processes such as photovoice have the potential to catalyze community self-organization, which is a critical component for empowerment.
Acute health effects of organophosphorus pesticides on Tanzanian small-scale coffee growers
(Nature Publishing Group, 2001-07-01) Ngowi, Aiwerasia; Maeda, David; Partanen, Timo; Sanga, Michael
A cute health effects of organophosphorus (PP) pesticides on coffee farmworkers in 1991-1992 in Tanzania are reported to provide a basis for concern over farmworkers being overexposed during application. Workers exposed to OP pesticides (N = 133) were drawn from a population of about 240,000 coffee farmers. They were interviewed on symptoms and personal protection, and their erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase (ACHE) activity was determined during both spraying and nonspraying period. AChE activities during spraying and nonspraying period were comparable (mean 32.0, SD 7.8 vs. 33.0, SD 8.7 U/g HgB, P = 0.26). The prevalence of cough, headache, abdominal pain, excessive sweating, nausea, excessive salivation, diarrhea, and vomiting did not differ significantly between spraying and nonspraying periods. There was no suggestion of decreased AChE in exposed subjects who complained of OP-related symptoms compared to symptomless exposed subjects. Use of gloves, long boots, head cover, face cover, and coverall was not significantly associated with AChE activity. No marked AChE depression was found during spraying season, which may explain the lack of association between symptoms and ACHE. The fact that only moderately toxic OP pesticides were used may indicate that toxicity was not sufficiently high to cause depression. Experience, however, suggests that occupational poisoning remains a potential serious danger in coffee cultivation in Tanzania.
Acute, chronic and biochemical effects of chlorothalonil on Agalychnis callidryas, Isthmohyla pseudopuma and Smilisca baudinii tadpoles
(Springer, 2016-08-05) Méndez, Michael; Obando, Priscilla; Pinnock Branford, Margaret Verónica; Ruepert, Clemens; Castillo, Luisa E.; Mena, Freylan; Alvarado, Gilbert
Declines of amphibian populations have been a worldwide issue of concern for the scientific community during the last several decades. Efforts are being carried out to elucidate factors related to this phenomenon. Among these factors, pathogens, climate change, and environmental pollution have been suggested as possible causes. Regarding environmental pollutants, some pesticides are persistent in the environment and capable of being transported long distances from their release point. In Costa Rica, some pesticides have been detected in protected areas, at locations where amphibian populations have declined. Information about toxicity of pesticides used in Costa Rican agriculture to amphibians is still scarce, particularly for native species. Toxicity tests with chlorothalonil, a fungicide intensively used in Costa Rica, were carried out exposing tadpoles of three Costa Rican native species: Agalychnis callidryas, Isthmohyla pseudopuma, and Smilisca baudinii in order to evaluate acute and chronic toxicity as well as the biomarkers cholinesterase activity (ChE), glutathione-S transferase activity (GST), and lipid peroxidation (LPO). 96-h LC50: 26.6 (18.9–35.8) μg/L to A. callidryas, 25.5 (21.3–29.7) μg/L to I pseudopuma and 32.3 (26.3–39.7) μg/L to S. baudinii were determined for chlorothalonil. These three species of anurans are among the most sensitive to chlorothalonil according to the literature. Besides, GST was induced in S. baudinii after exposure to sub-lethal concentrations of chlorothalonil while evisceration occurred in S. baudinii and A. callidryas tadpoles exposed to lethal concentrations of the fungicide. Chronic exposure to sub-lethal concentrations accelerated development in S. baudinii and caused lesions in tail of S. baudinii and I. pseudopuma tadpoles. Our results demonstrate that chlorothalonil is highly toxic to native amphibian species and that low concentrations can cause biochemical responses related to phase II of biotransformation and effects on development.
Aerial application of mancozeb and urinary ethylene thiourea (ETU) concentrations among pregnant women in Costa Rica: the Infants' Environmental Health Study (ISA)
(Environmental Health Perspectives, 2014-12-01) van Wendel de Joode, Berna; Mora, Ana Maria; Cordoba, Leonel; Cano, Juan Camilo; Quesada, Rosario; Faniband, Moosa; Wesseling, Catharina; Ruepert, Clemens; Öberg, Mattias; Eskenazi, Brenda; Mergler, Donna; Lindh, Christian
Background: Mancozeb and its main metabolite ethylene thiourea (ETU) may alter thyroid function; thyroid hormones are essential for fetal brain development. In Costa Rica, mancozeb is aerially sprayed at large-scale banana plantations on a weekly basis. Objectives: Our goals were to evaluate urinary ETU concentrations in pregnant women living near large-scale banana plantations, compare their estimated daily intake (EDI) with established reference doses (RfDs), and identify factors that predict their urinary ETU concentrations. Methods: We enrolled 451 pregnant women from Matina County, Costa Rica, which has large-scale banana production. We visited 445 women up to three times during pregnancy to obtain urine samples (n = 872) and information on factors that possibly influence exposure. We determined urinary ETU concentrations using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. Results: Pregnant women’s median urinary ETU concentrations were more than five times higher than those reported for other general populations. Seventy-two percent of the women had EDIs above the RfD. Women who lived closest (1st quartile, < 48m) to banana plantations on average had a 45% (95% CI: 23, 72%) higher urinary ETU compared with women who lived farthest away (4th quartile, ≥ 565m). Compared with the other women, ETU was also higher in women who washed agricultural work clothes on the day before sampling (11%; 95% CI: 4.9, 17%), women who worked in agriculture during pregnancy (19%; 95% CI: 9.3, 29%), and immigrant women (6.2%; 95% CI: 1.0, 13%). Conclusions: The pregnant women’s urinary ETU concentrations are of concern, and the principal source of exposure is likely to be aerial spraying of mancozeb. The factors predicting ETU provide insight into possibilities for exposure reduction.
Agricoh: A consortium of agricultural cohorts
(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute(MDPI), Switzerland., 2011-04-29) Leon, Maria; Beane Freeman, Laura; Douwes, Jeroen; Hoppin, Jane; Kromhout, Hans; Lebailly, Pierre; Christian Nordby, Karl; Schenker, Marc; Schüz, Joachim; Waring, Stephen; Alavanja, Michael; Annesi Maesano, Isabella; Baldi, Isabelle; Aqiel Dalvie, Mohamed; Ferro, Giles; Fervers, Beatris; Langseth, Hilde; London, Leslie; Lynch, Charles; McLaughlin, John; Merchant, James; Pahwa, Punam; Sigsgaard, Torben; Stayner, Leslie; Wesseling, Catharina; Keun-Young, Yoo; Zahm, Sheila; Straif, Kurt; Blair, Aaron
AGRICOH is a recently formed consortium of agricultural cohort studies involving 22 cohorts from nine countries in five continents: South Africa (1), Canada (3), Costa Rica (2), USA (6), Republic of Korea (1), New Zealand (2), Denmark (1), France (3) and Norway (3). The aim of AGRICOH, initiated by the US National Cancer Institute (NCI) and coordinated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), is to promote and sustain collaboration and pooling of data to investigate the association between a wide range of agricultural exposures and a wide range of health outcomes, with a particular focus on associations that cannot easily be addressed in individual studies because of rare exposures (e.g., use of infrequently applied chemicals) or relatively rare outcomes (e.g., certain types of cancer, neurologic and auto-immune diseases). To facilitate future projects the need for data harmonization of selected variables is required and is underway. Altogether, AGRICOH provides excellent opportunities for studying cancer, respiratory, neurologic, and auto-immune diseases as well as reproductive and allergic disorders, injuries and overall mortality in association with a wide array of exposures, prominent among these the application of pesticides. © 2011 by the authors.
Assessment of dermal exposure to bitumen condensate among road paving and mastic crews with an observational method
(Oxford University Press, 2011-05-19) Agostini, Michela; Wouter, Fransman; De Vocht, Frank; Van Wendel de Joode, Berna; Kromhout, Hans
Objective: To assess dermal exposure to bitumen condensate among road pavers and indoor mastic workers in multiple crews using a semi-quantitative observational method [DeRmal Exposure Assessment Method (DREAM)].Methods: Two skilled observers assessed dermal exposure to bitumen condensate among 85 asphalt workers from 12 crews from nine companies active within four European countries using the DREAM methodology, which produces an estimate of exposure expressed in dimensionless DREAM units. Both observers independently evaluated each crew member's job (N = 14 jobs) for road paving and mastic applications. Potential and actual dermal exposures were estimated for hands and for the rest of the body separately, taking into account the effect of protective clothing. To evaluate the reproducibility of the observational method intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) were estimated. The exposures in DREAM units were modelled using linear mixed models to estimate average relative scores for each job. Correlations between dermal exposure parameters were evaluated by estimating Pearson correlation coefficients.Results: A total of 170 observations were completed by two observers independently (n = 118 and n = 52 for 59 road pavers and 26 mastic workers, respectively) in 11 days. The mean ICCs (for potential and actual exposure in DREAM units) varied between 0.74 and 0.80 with values for actual units being slightly higher. Geometric mean potential dermal exposure units of mastic workers were higher than for road pavers (factor 3 for hands and factor 4 for rest of the body). Differences for actual dermal exposure units were smaller for hands (factor 2) and larger for actual exposure units of rest of the body (factor 5). Differences in dermal exposure at the hands between jobs within a paving crew were much larger than between jobs within a mastic crew. Within paving crews, a consistent pattern for all exposure units emerged with 'screed man' and 'raker' as the two highest exposed jobs. Within mastic crews, 'driver dumper truck' and 'spreader of mastic' were scored as the two jobs with the highest exposure units. Potential and actual exposure units were highly correlated. Hands were more profoundly exposed than the rest of the body, with transfer from contaminated surface to the hands as the most important route.Conclusions: DREAM observations were reproducible and showed a consistent dermal exposure pattern among the observed crews. The study provided a clear picture of dermal exposure among road pavers and indoor mastic workers, with the mastic workers being considerably more highly exposed. The most important route of exposure appeared to be transferred from contaminated surfaces to the hands. © The Author 2011.
Assessment of pesticide exposure in the agricultural population of Costa Rica
(British Occupational Hygiene Society, 2005) Monge, Patricia; Partanen, Timo; Wesseling, Catharina; Bravo, Viria; Ruepert, Clemens; Burstyn, Igor
We describe a model for the retrospective assessment of parental exposure to 26 pesticides, selected by toxicity-based prioritization, in a population-based case–control study of childhood leukaemia in Costa Rica (301 cases, 582 controls). The model was applied to a subset of 227 parents who had been employed or self-employed in agriculture or livestock breeding. It combines external data on pesticide use for 14 crops, 21 calendar years and 14 regions, and individual interview data on determinants (task and technology, personal protective equipment, field reentry, storing of pesticides, personal hygiene) of exposure. Recall was enhanced by use of checklists of pesticides in the interview. An external database provided information on the application rate (proxy for intensity of potential exposure) for each pesticide. The calendar time was individually converted to five time windows (year before conception, first, second and third trimester, and first year of the child). Time-windowed individual data on determinants of exposure and their expert-based general weights and their category-specific hazard values jointly provided an individual determinant score. This score was multiplied by the application rate to obtain an individual index of exposure intensity during application. Finally, average exposure intensity during entire time windows was estimated by incorporating in the model the individual time fraction of exposure during application. Estimates of exposure intensities were proxies assumed to be proportional to dermal exposure intensity, which represents the major pathway of occupational exposure to pesticides. A simulated sensitivity analysis resulted in a correlation coefficient of 0.91 between two sets of 10 000 values of individual exposure indices, based on two different but realistic sets expert-assigned weights. Lack of measurement data on concurrent exposures in comparable circumstances precluded direct validation of the model.
Basic questionnaire and methodological criteria for Surveys on Working Conditions, Employment, and Health in Latin America and the Caribbean
(Cadernos de Saúde Pública, Rio de Janeiro, 2016-09-01) Benavides, Fernando; Merino Salazar, Pamela; Cornelio, Cecilia; Avila Assunção, Ada; Agudelo Suárez, Andrés; Amable, Marcelo; Artazcoz, Lucía; Astete, Jonh; Berhó, Fabián; Carmenate Milián, Lino; Delclòs, George; Funcasta, Lorena; Gerke, Johanna; Gimeno, David; Itatí Iñiguez, María José; Lima, Eduardo de Paula; Martínez Iñigo, David; Medeiros, Adriane Mesquita de; Orta, Lida; Pinilla, Javier; Rodrigo, Fernando; Rojas, Marianela; Sabastizagal, Iselle; Vallebuona, Clelia; Vermeylen, Greet; Villalobos, Gloria; Vives, Alejandra; Barraza, Douglas
El objetivo de este trabajo es presentar un cuestionario básico y criterios metodológicos mínimos, para ser considerados en futuras Encuestas sobre Condiciones de Trabajo, Empleo y Salud (ECTES) en América Latina y el Caribe. Para ello, se llevó a cabo un proceso de consenso, tanto virtual co mo presencial, con la participación de un grupo internacional de expertos que, para definir la propuesta, partieron de las encuestas disponibles en la región hasta 2013. El cuestionario final incluyó 77 preguntas agrupadas en seis dimensiones: características sociodemográficas del trabajador y la empresa; condiciones de empleo; condiciones de trabajo; estado de salud; recursos y actividades preventivas; y características familiares. Entre los criterios metodológicos mínimos destacan el domicilio de la persona en trevistada como lugar de la entrevista y los relacionados con la calidad del trabajo de campo. Estos resultados pueden ayudar a mejorar la compara bilidad de las futuras ECTES en América Latina y el Caribe, lo que contri buiría a mejorar la información en salud laboral en la región
Biomarkers of manganese exposure in pregnant women and children living in an agricultural community in California
(American Chemical Society, 2014) Gunier, Robert; Mora, Ana María; Smith, Donald; Arora, Manish; Austin, Christine; Eskenazi, Brenda; Bradman, Asa
Manganese (Mn) is an essential nutrient but at high exposure levels is a neurotoxicant. There is no wellvalidated biomarker to assess perinatal Mn exposure. A total of 75 mother-child pairs provided blood, urine, and/or deciduous tooth samples. We analyzed Mn in dentin and enamel of shed teeth; maternal, cord, and child blood; and maternal and child urine and examined the interrelationships of Mn levels in all matrices. We observed higher Mn levels in prenatal than postnatal dentin (geometric mean (GM) = 0.51 vs 0.16 Mn:Ca, p < 0.001), maternal blood at delivery than 26 weeks gestation (GM = 20.7 vs. 14.6 μg/L, p = 0.001), and cord blood than child blood at 24 months of age (39.9 vs 25.0 μg/L, p = 0.005). There were no significant correlations between Mn in dentin and Mn concentrations in maternal blood or maternal or child urine. Levels of Mn in prenatal dentin, prenatal maternal blood, and 24 month urine were higher (p < 0.05) among mothers and children living with a farm worker. Prenatal Mn levels in dentin were correlated with Mn loadings and concentrations in prenatal house dust. Levels of Mn measured in tooth dentin constitute a promising biomarker of perinatal exposure.
Caesarean delivery and risk of childhood leukaemia: a pooled analysis from the Childhood Leukemia International Consortium (CLIC)
(The Lancet, 2016-04-07) Marcotte, Erin; Thomopoulos, Thomas P; Infante Rivard, Claire; Clavel, Jacqueline; Schuz, Joachim; Ezzat, Sameera; Dockerty, John; Metayer, Catherine; Magnani, Corrado; Scheurer, Michael; Mueller, Beth; Mora, Ana M; Wesseling, Catharina; Skalkidou, Alkistis; Rashed, Wafaa; Francis, Stephen; Ajrouche, Roula; Erdmann, Friederike; Orsi, Laurent; Spector, Logan G
Results from case-control studies have shown an increased risk of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) in young children born by caesarean delivery, and prelabour caesarean delivery in particular; however, an association of method of delivery with childhood leukaemia subtypes has yet to be established. We therefore did a pooled analysis of data to investigate the association between childhood leukaemia and caesarean delivery. Methods: We pooled data from 13 case-control studies from the Childhood Leukemia International Consortium done in nine countries (Canada, Costa Rica, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, New Zealand, and the USA) for births from 1970-2013. We analysed caesarean delivery overall and by indications that probably resulted in prelabour caesarean delivery or emergency caesarean delivery. We used multivariable logistic regression models, adjusted for child's birthweight, sex, age, ethnic origin, parental education, maternal age, and study, to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs for the risk of ALL and acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) in children aged 0-14 years at diagnosis. Findings: The studies provided data for 8780 ALL cases, 1332 AML cases, and 23 459 controls, of which the birth delivery method was known for 8655 (99%) ALL cases, 1292 (97%) AML cases, and 23 351 (>99%) controls. Indications for caesarean delivery were available in four studies (there were caesarean deliveries for 1061 of 4313 ALL cases, 138 of 664 AML cases, and 1401 of 5884 controls). The OR for all indications of caesarean delivery and ALL was 1Â·06 (95% CI 0Â·99-1Â·13), and was significant for prelabour caesarean delivery and ALL (1Â·23 [1Â·04-1Â·47]; p=0Â·018). Emergency caesarean delivery was not associated with ALL (OR 1Â·02 [95% CI 0Â·81-1Â·30]). AML was not associated with caesarean delivery (all indications OR 0Â·99 [95% CI 0Â·84-1Â·17]; prelabour caesarean delivery 0Â·83 [0Â·54-1Â·26]; and emergency caesarean delivery 1Â·05 [0Â·63-1Â·77]). Interpretation: Our results suggest an increased risk of childhood ALL after prelabour caesarean delivery. If this association is causal, maladaptive immune activation due to an absence of stress response before birth in children born by prelabour caesarean delivery could be considered as a potential mechanism. Funding: National Cancer Institute. Â© 2016 Elsevier Ltd.
Cambios en la superficie sembrada de palma aceitera en el cantón de Osa, Puntarenas. Período 2014-2018
(Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica, 2020-06-29) Salas González, Denis Mauricio
El cultivo de palma aceitera muestra un acelerado crecimiento a nivel mundial. Según datos oficia-les, solo en la región latinoamericana se evidencia un crecimiento del 150,8% en el área cultivada de palma de aceite al pasar de 443 000 hectáreas en 2001 a 1 111 000 hectáreas sembradas en 2014, de las cuales 818 000 se encontraban en etapa productiva aportando cerca del 6% del aceite de palma producido en el mundo (González, 2016). Estas plantaciones han impactado los paisajes tro-picales por la disminución de la vegetación natural, pastos o por el reemplazo de otros cultivos. La expansión del cultivo de palma de aceite aumentó en Costa Rica y de acuerdo con la tendencia de los últimos años, seguirá en aumento. En los últimos años se han realizado censos y encuestas agro-pecuarias que muestran el crecimiento general, pero no detallan las áreas geográficas donde se da ese crecimiento y el consecuente impacto a la dinámica natural de las áreas cultivadas, información clave para los procesos de ordenamiento territorial regional y local que tenemos en el país. Por tal motivo, los objetivos de esta investigación fueron: analizar el cambio en la superficie sembrada con palma aceitera en el cantón de Osa, provincia de Puntarenas en el periodo 2014-2018 y evaluar la expansión del cultivo de palma aceitera en los distritos del cantón. Para esto, se analizaron datos de instituciones gubernamentales y se identificaron y digitalizaron las plantaciones de palma aceitera de los seis distritos del cantón de Osa.
Can a mixture of agrochemicals (glyphosate, chlorpyrifos and chlorothalonil) mask the perception of an individual chemical? A hidden trap underlying ecological risk
(Elsevier, 2022-01) Mena, Freylan; Romero, Adarli; Blasco, Julián; Araújo, Cristiano VM
As aquatic environments associated with conventional agriculture are exposed to various pesticides, it is important to identify any possible interactions that modify their effects when in a mixture. We applied avoidance tests with Danio rerio, exposing juveniles to three relevant current use pesticides: chlorpyrifos (CPF), chlorothalonil (CTL) and glyphosate (Gly), individually and in binary mixtures (CPF-Gly and CTL-Gly). Our goal was to identify the potential of contaminants to trigger the avoidance response in fish and detect any changes to that response resulting from binary mixtures. Avoidance was assessed for three hours using an open gradient system with six levels of increasing concentrations. Fish avoided environmentally relevant concentrations of the three compounds. The avoidance of CPF [AC50 = 7.95 (3.3–36.3) μg/L] and CTL [AC50 = 3.41 (1.2–41.6) μg/L] was evident during the entire period of observation. In the case of Gly, the response changed throughout the experiment: initially (until 100 min) the fish tolerated higher concentrations of the herbicide [AC50 = 52.2 (12.1–2700) μg/L] while during the later period (after 100 min) a clearer avoidance [1.5 (0.8–4.2) μg/L] was observed. The avoidance recorded using CPF and CTL alone was attenuated by the presence of Gly. Applying an additive concentration model, Gly initially acted synergistically with the other two compounds, although this interaction was not observed during the later period. Avoidance gives us an idea of how the distribution of populations may be altered by contamination, our results suggest that in some mixtures this response may be inhibited, at least temporarily, thus masking the ecological risk of the exposure.
Caregiving and infants' neurodevelopment in rural Costa Rica: Results from the Infants’ Environmental Health Study (ISA)
(Elsevier, 2019-09) Till, Christine; Dudani, Ameeta; Cordoba, Leonel; Cano, Juan Camilo; Green, Rivka; Menezes-Filho, José; Schnaas, Lourdes; Smith, Donald R.; Lindh, Christian; van Wendel de Joode, Berna
Early caregiving is one of the strongest influences on children's development, and among the most significant modifiable environmental factor. The aim of this study was to explore the association between quality of caregiver-infant interactions and neurodevelopment of infants living in banana-growing communities in rural Costa Rica characterized as having environmental toxic exposures. Home visits were conducted with 94 caregiver-infant dyads from the Infants’ Environmental Health Study (ISA), living within Matina county, Limón province. One-year infant neurodevelopmental outcomes were assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development®, Third Edition (Bayley-III). Quality of caregiver-infant interaction was assessed with a standardized observational task: Nursing Child Assessment Satellite Training Teaching scale (NCATS) at around two years of age. Multiple regression analyses examined associations between components of caregiver-infant interactions and neurodevelopmental outcomes, adjusting for mancozeb and manganese exposure and other potential confounders. Compared to NCATS normative data for U.S. Hispanic mothers, 35% of the sample had overall caregiving interaction scores ≤10th percentile cut-off, indicating less than optimal interactions. Higher quality of caregiver-infant interaction was associated with higher expressive communication ability in infants [ß = 0.03 (95% CI: 0.01, 0.06)], controlling for pesticide exposure and confounders. Aspects of caregiving such as stimulation and growth-fostering of infants were most strongly associated with language outcomes. Results suggest an association between positive caregiving on language development for infants living in a rural agricultural area in Costa Rica, and highlight aspects of caregiving that could be targeted to improve resilience of these children who live in vulnerable conditions
Central nervous system tumours in children in Costa Rica: 1981–96
(Blackwell Science, 2002) Reutfors, Johan; Kramárová, Eva; Weiderpass, Elisabete; Monge, Patricia; Wesseling, Catharina; Ahlbom, Anders
Incidence rates of malignant central nervous system (CNS) tumours in children in Costa Rica are presented in an international perspective. For the 16-year period 1981–96, a total of 256 CNS tumours were registered in children below age 15 years by the National Tumour Registry of Costa Rica. The age-standardised incidence rate was 15.2 per million person–years, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.4. The median age-standardised incidence rates of selected registries in other Latin American countries were 19.3, in other developing countries 12.0 and in industrialised countries 29.6 per million person–years. The comparatively low incidence rates in Costa Rica were evident in all diagnostic subgroups, most notably in the youngest age group and for tumours in the brain stem. In the Central Valley, where the capital and the only specialised paediatric hospital are situated, the crude incidence rate was 18.1 [95% CI 15.1, 21.1] compared with 10.5 [95% CI 8.3, 12.8] per million person–years in the rest of the country (RR = 1.7, 95% CI 1.3, 2.3). There was no evidence of any increase over time. The data in this study cannot exclude under-diagnosis and, to a lesser degree, under-registration as a partial explanation of the low incidence rates of malignant CNS tumours in children in Costa Rica.
CKD of unknown origin in Central America: The case for a mesoamerican nephropathy
(National Kidney Foundation, 2014-01-13) Correa-Rotter, Ricardo; Wesseling, Catharina; Johnson, Richard
An epidemic of chronic kidney disease of unknown origin has emerged in the last decade in Central America and has been named Mesoamerican nephropathy. This form of chronic kidney disease is present primarily in young male agricultural workers from communities along the Pacific coast, especially workers in the sugarcane fields. In general, these men have a history of manual labor under very hot conditions in agricultural fields. Clinically, they usually present with normal or mildly elevated systemic blood pressure, asymptomatic yet progressive reduction in estimated glomerular filtration rate, low-grade non-nephrotic proteinuria, and often hyperuricemia and or hypokalemia. Diabetes is absent in this population. Kidney biopsies that have been performed show a chronic tubulointerstitial disease with associated secondary glomerulosclerosis and some signs of glomerular ischemia. The cause of the disease is unknown; this article discusses and analyzes some of the etiologic possibilities currently under consideration. It is relevant to highlight that recurrent dehydration is suggested in multiple studies, a condition that possibly could be exacerbated in some cases by other conditions, including the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents. At present, Mesoamerican nephropathy is a medical enigma yet to be solved.
Classification of aquatic macroinvertebrates in flow categories for the adjustment of the LIFE Index to Costa Rican rivers
(Elsevier, 2020-08-26) Quesada-Alvarado, Francisco; Umaña-Villalobos, Gerardo; Springer, Monika; Picado Barboza, Jorge
The LIFE Index can be useful to determine the effect of changes in river flow on the community of aquatic macroinvertebrates and as a tool for the implementation of environmental flows. This study demonstrates how to classify aquatic macroinvertebrates into a flow category in order to adjust the LIFE Index to Costa Rica. A panel of experts was surveyed to classify the most common genera into a water velocity category, based on their experience. Also, for one-year, aquatic macroinvertebrates were collected in the low and middle basin of the Naranjo River under different velocities, and by using the TITAN2 package, their respective thresholds for current velocity were determined. Variation was observed in the responses of the expert panel; however, several taxa overlapped by more than 60% between the expert classification and the TITAN2 test results. The TITAN2 test assigned a velocity threshold to 32 genera, with the inflection point being 0.1 m/s. The expert panel served as a tool to assign a category to those genera that the TITAN2 test did not contemplate. Organisms without morphological adaptations to survive fast flowing conditions decreased in frequency above 0.1 m/s, while genera related to moderate and high velocities increased in frequency. Through the panel of experts and the TITAN2 test, it was possible to assign the most common genera in the country to a current velocity category and therefore adjust the LIFE index.
Climate Change, workplace heat exposure, and Occupational Health and productivity in Central America
(Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica, 2011) Kjellstrom, Tord; Crowe, Jennifer
Climate change is increasing heat exposure in places such as Central America, a tropical region with generally hot/humid conditions. Working people are at particular risk of heat stress because of the intrabody heat production caused by physical labor. This article aims to describe the risks of occupational heat exposure on health and productivity in Central America, and to make tentative estimates of the impact of ongoing climate change on these risks. A review of relevant literature and estimation of the heat exposure variable wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) in different locations within the region were used to estimate the effects. We found that heat stress at work is a real threat. Literature from Central America and heat exposure estimates show that some workers are already at risk under current conditions. These conditions will likely worsen with climate change, demonstrating the need to create solutions that will protect worker health and productivity.
Colonización de macroinvertebrados acuáticos en tres tipos de sustratos artificiales, en un río tropical
(Universidad de Costa Rica, Costa Rica, 2020-10) Quesada-Alvarado, Francisco; Solano-Ulate, Darha
Introduction: Different methodologies exist for sampling aquatic macroinvertebrates, however, some of these (e.g., kick-net, Surber) are not well suited for deep, contaminated rivers or rivers with presence of crocodiles, which represent a risk to the person who must take the sample. One alternative is to use artificial substrates. The use of artificial substrates to evaluate the aquatic macroinvertebrate biodiversity in wetlands has been studied previously in Costa Rica, but no research has been conducted to determine which types of substrates are most effective. The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of three artificial substrates (i.e., stones, leaves and wood). Methods: Samples of the three substrates were taken bi-monthly between 2013 and 2017 in four sites of the Parismina River. A Kruskal-Wallis test was applied to determine differences between the macroinvertebrate abundance among substrate type. Beside to determine if there is a difference between substrates per site, a two-way PERMANOVA test was applied and a multiple correspondence analysis was used to correlate the substrate type with the macroinvertebrate community. Results: A total of 1 159 organisms were collected, with Diptera and Ephemeroptera being the most abundant. Wood and leaves were the substrates with greatest biodiversity and abundance of organisms; in addition the two sites with greatest vegetation were the most diverse. Conclusions: Most of the organisms were registered on any of the three types of artificial substrates, thus we recommend the joint use of the three types of substrates for biomonitoring or taxa richness studies.
Comparative Analysis of Pesticide Use Determinants Among Smallholder Farmers From Costa Rica and Uganda
(SAGE Publications Inc., 2020-12-14) Staudacher, Philipp; Fuhrimann, Samuel; Farnham, Andrea; Atuhaire, Aggrey; Niwagaba, Charles; Stamm, Christian; Eggen, Rik IL; Winkler, Mirko S; Mora, Ana Maria
Pesticides are used globally in agriculture and pose a threat to the health of farmers, communities, and the environment. Smallholder farmers in lowand middle-income countries have generally a low socio-economic status and educational level. Consequently, they are particularly vulnerable to negative impacts of pesticides on their health, yields, or land. In a Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices study, we compared the pest management practices between a market-oriented farming system in Zarcero County, Costa Rica, and a subsistence-based farming system in Wakiso District, Uganda. We conducted a cross-sectional survey among smallholder farmers from Costa Rica (n = 300) in 2016 and from Uganda (n = 302) in 2017. We enrolled conventional and organic farmers, but also farmers with mixed practices and non-applicators of any pest management strategy. We found that the majority of pesticides used in both case studies are classified as highly hazardous by the World Health Organization. While more than 90% of smallholder farmers from both countries were aware of the negative health effects of pesticide exposure, <11% in Costa Rica and <2% in Uganda reported using personal protective equipment every time they handled or applied pesticides. Hygiene and other safe use practices were not adopted by all farmers (<61%), especially among farmers applying more hazardous pesticides. Conventional farmers from Costa Rica (14%) and Uganda (19%) reported disposing pesticide residuals into rivers. Using a logistic regression we found that organic farmers were more likely to having been trained on safe pesticide use practices. Using a robust regression, we observed that smallholder household income was primarily driven by education and not directly by the use of synthetic pesticides. Our results suggest that negative effects of pesticides can be managed over the whole life cycle, from purchase, via storage and application to residual and waste management by fostering professionalization of farmers. We advise future safe use and handling interventions to consider the pesticide use-related socioeconomic and demographic findings highlighted in this paper
Decreased Kidney Function Among Agricultural Workers In El Salvador
(Elsevier, 2012-04) Peraza, Sandra; Wesseling, Catharina; Aragon, Aurora; Leiva, Ricardo; García-Trabanino, Ramón; Torres, Cecilia; Jakobsson, Kristina; Elinder, Carl-Gustaf; Hogstedt, Christer
Background: An epidemic of chronic kidney disease of unknown cause has emerged along the Pacific coast of Central America, particularly in relatively young male sugarcane workers. In El Salvador, we examined residence and occupations at different altitudes as surrogate risk factors for heat stress. Study Design: Cross-sectional population-based survey. Setting & Participants: Populations aged 20-60 years of 5 communities in El Salvador, 256 men and 408 women (participation, 73%): 2 coastal communities with current sugarcane and past cotton production and 3 communities above 500 m with sugarcane, coffee, and service-oriented economies. Predictor: Participant sex, age, residence, occupation, agricultural history by crop and altitude, and traditional risk factors for CKD. Outcomes: Serum creatinine (SCr) level greater than the normal laboratory range for sex, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 mL/min/1.73 m 2, and proteinuria categorized as low (protein excretion <30-<300 mg/dL) and high grade (<300 mg/dL). Results: Of the men in the coastal communities, 30% had elevated SCr levels and 18% had eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m 2 compared with 4% and 1%, respectively, in the communities above 500 m. For agricultural workers, prevalences of elevated SCr levels and eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m 2 were highest for coastal sugarcane and cotton plantation workers, but were not increased in sugarcane workers at 500 m or subsistence farmers. Women followed a weaker but similar pattern. Proteinuria was infrequent, of low grade, and not different among communities, occupations, or sexes. The adjusted ORs of decreased kidney function for 10-year increments of coastal sugarcane or cotton plantation work were 3.1 (95% CI, 2.0-5.0) in men and 2.3 (95% CI, 1.4-3.7) in women. Limitations: The cross-sectional nature of the study limits etiologic interpretations. Conclusion: Agricultural work on lowland sugarcane and cotton plantations was associated with decreased kidney function in men and women, possibly related to strenuous work in hot environments with repeated volume depletion.

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