A comprehensive review of pesticides and the immune dysregulation: mechanisms, evidence and consequences

Abstract

Nowadays, in many communities, there is a growing concern about possible adverse effects of pesticides on human health. Reports indicate that during environmental or occupational exposure, pesticides can exert some intense adverse effects on human health through transient or permanent alteration of the immune system. There is evidence on the relation between pesticide-induced immune alteration and prevalence of diseases associated with alterations of the immune response. In the present study, direct immunotoxicity, endocrine disruption and antigenicity have been introduced as the main mechanisms working with pesticides-induced immune dysregulation. Moreover, the evidence on the relationship between pesticide exposure, dysregulation of the immune system and predisposition to different types of psychiatric disorders, cancers, allergies, autoimmune and infectious diseases are criticized.

• Allergy
• autoimmune disease
• cancer
• infectious disease
• immune alteration
• pesticide
• psychiatric disorder
• review

Acknowledgements

Authors thank assistance of Iran National Science Foundation and National Elite Foundation.

The work presented here was carried out in collaboration between all the authors. A.M. and M.R.F. searched the literature, designed and drafted the article. M.A.R. defined the review theme, participated in the idea and editing the article. M.A. gave the idea, conceived the study and edited the article.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

This article is the outcome of an in-house financially non-supported study.