Respiratory diseases are today an important clinical problem for agricultural workers since many studies have demonstrated a significantly increased risk of respiratory morbidity and mortality. This is also important as a public health problem, specially in many developing countries where over half of the work force is involved in agriculture. The rural workers have potential inhalatory exposure to a very wide range of agents like organic and inorganic dust, decomposition gases, pesticides, disinfectants, etc. The impact on the respiratory system varies considerably and may affect all the airways and the pulmonary interstitium and may be associated to rhinitis, asthma, asthma-like syndrome, chronic airway disease, organic dust toxic syndrome, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and interstitial fibrosis.
respiratory tract diseases; occupational diseases; agricultural worker's diseases; environmental exposure