In January 2009, a farming couple contacted CRIIGEN because two of their three children were born with congenital malformations. One had a somatotropic deficiency, an imperforate anus and a small atrial septal defect at birth. Due to the absence of known familial antecedents, and lack of genetic origins evidenced to date, the hypothesis of an environmental origin can be explored. In particular, many pesticides were used by this family around pregnancies.

Source: oem.bmj.com

Abstract

In January 2009, a farming couple contacted us because two of their three children were born with congenital malformations. One had a somatotropic deficiency, an imperforate anus and a small atrial septal defect at birth. Another was suffering from hypospadias, had a micropenis, a total deficiency of growth hormone and presented also an imperforate anus. All these disorders are rarely encountered in the same person or family. Yet, in some cases these symptoms with others have been grouped under the Stratton-Parker syndrome, whose etiology remains unknown. They noticeably overlap our cases. Only males are affected up to date and all cases occurred sporadically, some authors have therefore proposed an X-linked recessive inheritance. Due to the absence of known familial antecedents, and lack of genetic origins evidenced to date, the hypothesis of an environmental origin can be explored. In particular, many pesticides were used by this family around pregnancies. The father sprayed, without protection, more than 1.3 tons of pesticides per year including 300 liters of glyphosate based herbicides. Among them are well-known endocrine disruptors such as carbendazim, 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, glyphosate, ioxynil, linuron, trifluralin and vinclozolin. The whole family had close contact with the father, consumes products of their garden and can be exposed through the consumption of pigs and poultry fed with the farm harvest.

Authors

Mesnage R, Clair E, Spiroux de Vendômois J, Seralini GE