研究發現農藥與自閉症有關Study finds link between pesticides and autism

A California study out Monday found that pregnant women who lived near farms where pesticides are applied had a two-thirds higher risk of having children with autism.

週一公布的加州研究成果發現，懷孕婦女居住在有噴灑殺蟲劑的農場旁，生出自閉症兒的風險高出3分之2。

The findings in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives examine the association between living near commercial pesticide applications and having offspring with autism, but do not show cause-and-effect.

這項刊登於「環境衛生觀點」期刊的研究發現，檢視居住環境附近有商業農藥噴灑，與後代有自閉症之間的關聯性，但並未顯示因果關係。

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that ranges in severity and has been on the rise in recent years. Health authorities say it now affects as many as one in 68 children in the United States.

自閉症是神經發展疾病，嚴重性各異，近年來比率逐漸攀升。衛生當局表示，美國現在每68名兒童中，就有1人罹患自閉症。

The latest research was based on data about commercial pesticide applications in California, combined with residential addresses of about 1,000 participants in a study of families with an autistic child.

這項最新研究是根據加州的商業殺蟲劑噴灑數據，以及一份有自閉症兒家庭的研究中約1000名參與者的住址。

"What we saw were several classes of pesticides more commonly applied near residences of mothers whose children developed autism or had delayed cognitive or other skills," said principal investigator Irva Hertz-Picciotto, vice chair of the Department of Public Health Sciences at University of California, Davis.

「我們看到的是，許多等級的殺蟲劑使用的地點，更普遍應用在孩子有自閉症或認知等技能遲緩的母親住處附近。」加州大學公共衛生系副主任、研究主要調查員赫茲—皮奇奧多說。

新聞辭典

apply：動詞，使用。例句：He wants a job in which he can apply his foreign languages.（他想找一份可以用上外語能力的工作。）

offspring：名詞，後代。例句：Tom’s sister came round on Saturday with her numerous offspring.

（湯姆的姊姊週六帶著她一大群子女過來串門子。）

principal：形容詞，最主要的。例句：That was my principal reason for moving.（那是我搬家最主要的原因。）