Clinical-pathological evaluation and aspects of cellular immunity of neotropical primates in the face of prolonged exposure of pesticides: a case study in Southern Amazonia

Abstract

Nowadays, Brazil is one of the world's largest food producer, at the same time, holds the position of the greater consumer of agricultural pesticides. The intensive use of pesticides by aerial or manual spraying, even in full compliance with established laws, it leads to contamination of non-target species, including wild populations of neotropical primates. Some carbamate and organophosphorus pesticides, such as carbofuran and glyphosate, have been widely used in national crops and have known cumulative effects on the tissues of various species. The primate population selected for this study, are located on the banks of Teles Pires River, in the area of direct influence of the Sinop Hydroelectric Power Plant, part of a context of intense environmental changes, in the State of Mato Grosso. The clinical and pathological effects of pesticide drift on adjacent primate populations of soy, cane, wheat and corn crops are still unknown. Thus, this study aims to verify the relationship between the presence of toxic agents and respective clinical and pathological findings, through hematological, biochemical, histopathological, toxicological evaluation and immunophenotyping of lymphocyte subpopulations. A presence of pesticide residues in neotropical primate samples will assist understanding of bioaccumulation processes, including in endangered species. These results may also subsidize restrictive or regulatory public policies regarding spraying of pesticides, both locally and nationally. (AU)