Organochlorine pesticide contamination of foods in Africa: incidence andpublic health significance

[摘要] Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) have been used worldwide, particularly in Africa, forseveral decades. Although many are banned, several African countries still use OCPsespecially for the prevention and control of malaria. OCPs are characterized by theirbio-accumulation in the environment, especially in the food chain, where they find theirway into the human body. Despite no clear epidemiological studies confirming hazardouseffects of these chemicals on human health, many studies have reported positiveassociations between the use of OCPs and neurological and reproductive disorders, andcancer risk. There is a clear gap in published reports on OCPs in Africa and theirpotential health hazards. Thus, the aim of this review is to summarize the incidence ofOCP contamination in various foods in Africa, to demonstrate the potential transmission ofthese chemicals to people and to discuss their possible health hazards.

[学科分类] 兽医学

[关键词] Africa;food;health hazards;OCPs