Inhibition of Erythrocyte Cholinesterase via Occupational Exposure to Organophosphate Insecticides in Chiapas, Mexico R. Tinoco-Ojanguren and D.C. Halpern.
Organophosphates are very toxic pesticides that are used on a wide variety of crops.
Their effectiveness arises from their ability to inhibit the enzyme cholinesterase which is required to transmit nerve impulses in the body. A good indicator of exposure to organophosphates is the level of erythrocyte cholinesterase in the red blood cells. Pesticides are responsible for 3 million cases of severe poisoning and 220,00 deaths each year. While most pesticides are used in developed countries, most poisonings from them occur in third world countries. The majority of poisoning deaths in the third world have been due to cholinesterase-inhibiting pesticides such as OPPs.