**4. Conclusions**

The results found in this study indicate that the exposed group symptoms are due to pesti‐ cide exposure through agricultural activities, and residence on areas near the fields. Some serum biochemical and biometric indicators such as erythrocytes, VCM, RDW, and cholines‐ terase were affected by pesticide exposure. The most frequent detected pesticide found in semen on the case group was DDT; amongst the indicators affected on the exposed group were sperm mobility, viability and morphology. Although urine analysis did not show sig‐ nificant differences between groups, chlorpyrifos and malathion residues were higher in urine from the exposed group.

The pesticide detected in highest concentration in breast milk was p,p'-DDE (9.0 µg/kg), and the most frequent metabolite was p,p'-DDE.

There were significant differences between groups for some exposure indicators, mainly for erythrocyte count, mean corpuscular hemoglobin and RDW. Also, there was a significant as‐ sociation between exposure time (working or living near agricultural fields) and erythrocyte count. However, associations between pesticide residues in blood or urine with changes on the main pesticide exposure indicators were none significant.

It is important to train field workers on how to protect themselves when handling or being exposed to pesticides, and also inform them about the possible health ill effects caused by inadequate and frequent exposure to pesticides.

On the analytic part, it is recommended to use erythrocyte cholinesterase, because is a better and more specific indicator on chronic pesticide intoxications.
