在農業從業人員中農藥暴露是已知的健康危害之一，而一般果農在使用時又常混合多種以上不同之農藥，且噴灑時通常無適當防護措施，簡單棉質或紗布口罩及長袖衣物之防護常不足以保護其健康，農忙時噴灑次數頻繁，常有中毒事件發生，因此針對其暴霞做危害調查有其意義所在。本研究以臺南縣楠西鄉果農為對象，探討果農農業從業人員長期農藥暴露對神經系統功能的影響。從 80 年 12 月至 81 年 4 月期間共收集到研究對象 205 人，經過濾排除會導致神經病變之危險因子， 計有暴露組果農 109 名和對照組居民 38 人合計 147 名符合研究條件進入分析。 以問卷及農藥使用手冊調查其使用的農藥種類及每公頃用藥有成份量劑量並做神經理學和神經電生理學檢查，由多變數迴歸分析結果顯示在果農尺感覺神經遠端電位振幅及腓腸感覺神經遠端電位振幅上有明顯振幅降低現象出現，其原因可能因長期受到農藥暴露所引起的輕度慢性神經病變。至於這些病變的臨床意義如何，尚須進一步研究以探討。

　　　　　Exposure to pesticides is known as a healthhazard to agricultural workers. Fruit farmers frequently applied combinations ofpesticides without adequate work practice, protective equipment and clothingduring the operation. We studied the fruit farmers' occupational exposure andneurological effects in Nan-Si town in Tainan County. Questionnarie was used toobtain information of general health, pesticide use, work practice, and the useof protective equipment and clothing. Physical examination was performed forassessing more apparent neurological abonormalities. Nerve conduction velocity,proximal and distal latencies, F-wave latency, and amplitude of evoked potentialwere measured using a Neurostar MS-92B Complete Clinical EMG System. A total of109 farmers who had been exposed to pesticides and 38 control subjects from thesame town who had nerver applied pesticides participated in the investigation.The fruit farmers used more than a hundred brand names of pesticides, includingthose reported to cause delayed peripheral neuropathy. during mixing andapplication of pesticides, and harvesting the fruits, protective equipment orclothing was not used adequately. In the sensory nerve studies, the exposedgroup had reduced distal amplitude in ulnar and sural nerves compared with thecontrols. We conlcude that fruit farmers had work exposure to many kinds ofpesticides and had changes in peripheral nervous system compared with thecontrols by nerve conduction studies.