Re: Digest Number 1666

[Guest guest]

I wanted to share an article written for our sit by Inspector Penn. It was

written by Randy Penn from the Dallas TX area, at a time a few years ago

when I was trying to put the Mold puzzle together myself! I hope it can help

a few folks browsing this group! It explains Mycotoxins and V.O.C.'s

(Volatile Organic Compounds) in simple and straight forward terms!

Introduction

You can find a lot of information on mold, but trying to understand it

may be difficult to those who didn't take biology and chemistry.Even after

stumbling through the pronunciation of these words, not everyone can

comprehend what was meant by the statement.

" Satratoxin, a low-molecular weight non-volatile organically derived

agent, belongs to the macrocyclic trichothecene class of mycotoxins

generated from fungal microorganisms. "

As an aid to the homeowner, this overview is intended to explain a few

bad products of mold in a less scientific manner. It will focus on those

types of mold that have been considered as problematic to the " indoor mold

issue " and does not address other fungal organisms which may behave

differently. Analogies presented are not intended to be scientifically

accurate, but rather to illustrate complex behaviors in more simple terms.

The people who study mold (mycologists) have identified and described

over 100,000 species and many believe that this is only a partial listing

(estimates of 1.5 million species have been suggested). Try jotting down the

names of the first 100,000 people you know then describe each person's

behavior in a specific setting. You will begin to understand the

complexities of the problem facing these mold professionals.

Most people have associated mold with allergies and these reactions

are certainly prevalent with most all species found indoors. In addition to

causing an allergic response, molds can be irritating, infectious and even

toxic to humans. Understanding the general behavior of mold provides insight

into the adverse components produced by mold.

The Organism

Fungi can be considered nature's garbage disposal. Without them, the

term " biodegradable " would not be so significant to our planet and we would

have mountains of leaves, dead trees, and other organic materials sitting

around.all deposited since the beginning of time. This, in simple terms, is

the 'why' of mold.

For the moment, think of mold as a weed. This weed has a root system,

a vegetative stalk, and a seed pod. For mold, the root system is made up of

hyphae (high-fee). As hyphae grows into a mass during the vegetative state,

it becomes a mycelium (my-sill-ee-um). The spores, designed for

reproduction, are similar to seeds.

Like a weed, mold needs food and water to survive (yes, both need more

than that, however, we are simplifying things here). For mold, the food of

preference is organic matter (things that once were living). Indoors, those

things are wood, paper, organic dust and dirt, leather, skin flakes, body

oils, etc.

When mold spores that are floating around in the air land on a food

source, they sit there patiently waiting for water. If the item they land on

should contain sufficient moisture, or water comes from another source

(leaks, etc.), the spore germinates and hyphae grows. The hyphae branch out,

secrete enzymes to breakdown the food, form the mycelium, and absorb

nutrients to grow. As long as the food and water hold out, colonies will

continue to grow. Note that individual hyphae and spores are very, very

small and few can see them without a microscope. When you see visible mold,

you are generally seeing that mass of mycelium.

Hyphae can intertwine into the fibers of the substrate, penetrating

the pores. As it consumes the substrate, it can also create it's own route

by dissolving pathways into the material. This is one of the reasons it is

so difficult to kill and/or clean up mold on organic substrates. If you

remove the surface growth, those bits of hyphae within the substrate are

ready for re-growth upon the return of moisture.

As the organism matures, it develops spores intended for reproduction.

Spores vary in size, shape, weight and methods of distribution. Some are

light and buoyant so they float easily through the air. Others are wet and

sticky and may cling to insects, rodents, etc. as a mode of travel.

Volatile Organic Compounds

As mold " consumes " it's food, the chemical reactions of enzymes,

substrates and mold growth produce carbon dioxide, water, and volatile

organic compounds (VOC's). Because these items are a result of actions

essential to the growth of the organism, they are classified as primary

metabolites.

For mold, many types of VOC's are produced and typically include

aldehydes, alcohols, keytones, and hydrocarbons. They have complex

structures and names like " 2-methyl-1-propanol " , so if you are going to dig

deeper into VOC's, get ready for chemistry class.

They are called volatile in that they evaporate easily at room

temperature and pressure. Fortunately, this volatility aids in dilution with

fresh air to minimize concentrated build-up of these chemicals. Testing for

VOC's is often accomplished by using vacuum cylinders to obtain samples of

the air with laboratory analysis obtained from sophisticated test

instruments (gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer).

When you smell a " musty-moldy " odor, it's generally the VOC's you are

noticing. VOC's are often considered irritants to mucus membranes, however,

are also capable of both short-term and long-term adverse health effects. If

you do smell these odors, it's a sure sign the mold is consuming and growing

and you need to take action. (Note that VOC's may also be derived from

non-mold sources including natural materials used in cleaning agents.)

Toxins

Many molds are capable of producing compounds called mycotoxins which

are toxic to other organisms, including people. Mycologists believe these

toxins are produced as protection against competing organisms and therefore,

humans are simply caught in the cross-fire of this fight for survival.

Since these toxins are not essential for growth, they are classified

as secondary metabolites. Toxic secondary metabolites require extra work on

the part of the organism so production does not occur at all times, or, with

all types of mold.

Scientists have identified over 400 mycotoxins and unlike VOC's, these

compounds are usually non-volatile (don't evaporate easily at room

temperature and pressure). One strain of mold may produce multiple toxins

and one type of toxin may be produced by multiple strains of mold. Research

has indicated that the type of substrate (nutrients), the growing

conditions, together with the species of mold, will impact which toxins are

created.

Some of these toxic substances are considered extremely hazardous to

people, unfortunately, quantified human dose-response data is limited. Lab

and field studies have shown these compounds to produce severe toxic effects

in both animals and humans and therefore, the general recommendation is to

minimize exposure to potentially toxigenic mold. Symptoms from toxic

exposure range from flu-like symptoms, skin rashes and lesions, bleeding,

fatigue, difficulty breathing, depression, etc. to longer-term nerve and

organ problems, altered immunity, and cancer.

Not all secondary metabolites are considered bad for people.the

antibiotics such as penicillin have beneficial use. However, from the

mycological standpoint, antibiotics are considered mycotoxins since they too

are generated by mold to ward off microorganisms (i.e. competing bacteria).

When the organism is producing toxins, the toxins are known to be

present in the cell wall of spores and hyphae. It's relatively easy to test

for spores and hyphae, however, testing these components to see if they

contain toxins is significantly more complex. Whereas a single spore can be

viewed under a microscope, identifying what compounds are contained in the

cell wall is difficult.

In order to identify these toxic compounds, laboratories must have a

sufficient quantity of toxin-containing spores and carefully process them

through sophisticated and expensive equipment that is capable of isolating

chemicals down to billionths of an gram (remember, mold spores are

microscopic so what is contained within it's cell wall is extremely small).

This testing is made even more difficult since there are a few hundred

toxins to analyze and the behavior of mold is such that a toxin-producing

mold in the field doesn't necessarily produce the same type and quantity of

toxins in the lab.

Generally speaking, identifying a mold type that is known to be

capable of producing toxins is sufficient information to warrant precautions

and avoid exposure without submitting for toxic analysis. However, if trying

to confirm specific adverse health effects, obtaining an analysis of both

VOC's and toxins can be beneficial but often expensive.

Randy Penn is an independent licensed real estate inspector (Texas

#5491) who specializes in mold testing and specimen recovery. He has a

Bachelor of Science degree in engineering, is a member of the Indoor Air

Quality Association, has invested hundreds of hours in researching and

training on fungal microorganisms, has completed IAQA's workshop on mold

remediation and has provided mold related presentations to homeowners and

real estate professionals.

Jimmy Mc

http://www.StartRemodeling.com

Jimmy@...

http://www.ToxicMoldUSA.com

McMoldMan@...

[Guest guest]

There are a couple of Kim's who are post-op. I had my surgery on November 3

in Joplin Missouri and do consider myself a slow loser. I agree that I don't

have as much to lose as some people but I'm also a short 5'1 " so relatively

speaking I definitely had a total of 95 pounds to lose to reach the goal set by

the doctor.

I've decided to up the exercise a little to see if that might jolt me. I'm

also taking one Glutamine tablet a day and I may increase it to two to see how

that works. I feel like I'm taking more volume in vitamins and meds than I am

in food, but I'm willing to do what it takes to lose weight and do it the

healthy and right way.

I'll keep my head up and try to bump it up a little. I was at this weight

for about 2 years a while ago so there may be some truth to the theory that our

bodies feel like they should stay where they've been before. We shall see.

Kim in KC

205/164

Dr. Hargroder 11/3/03

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 3/23/2004 8:54:15 AM Eastern Standard Time,

writes:

From: " workboricua " <workboricua@...>

Subject: Lymph Nodes

I was wondering.. Does anyone know of anything that will clean the

LYMPHATIC SYSTEM? What is good to reduce the swelling? Does anyone

know of a good herb to help this out?

Thanks

Boricua

>>>>>> Red clover, burdock, dandelion, come immediately to mind.

mjh

http://foxhillfarm.us/FireBasil/

[Guest guest]

About Strayhorn: Her previous husband Hugh Rylander was Director of the

Texas Autism Society in Austin for many years until it went under due to

budget cuts. Martha Moyer

FW: TAKING IT TO VACCINE COURT - MYRON LEVIN 8/7/04

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/la-fi-vaccine7aug07,1,2801186,print

..story

COLUMN ONE

Taking It to Vaccine Court

Parents say mercury in shots caused their children's autism, and they want

drug firms to pay. The industry calls its defense rock-solid.

By Myron Levin

Times Staff Writer

August 7, 2004

As parents of two severely autistic boys, and Cheryl Dass of Kansas

City, Mo., face a world of heartache and worry.

Last year , a FedEx driver, and Cheryl, a part-time hairdresser, spent

$27,000 on therapy for their sons. Financially exhausted, they are gnawed by

these questions:

How will they continue the special help that Dillon and , their 4 1/2

-year-old twins, so desperately need? Will the boys - who barely speak, are

not toilet-trained and go bonkers when taken out in public - ever be able to

live on their own? If not, what will become of them when and Cheryl

are gone?

" It's torn our life apart, it really has, " Dass says.

And, he insists, it didn't have to happen. The boys were born prematurely

and alarmingly small. Yet at 3½ months, Dass says, they were given four

shots in a single day, including three containing small amounts of mercury,

a neurotoxin.

" They were still in the hospital on oxygen, staying alive, and they put this

poison in them, " Dass says. " They were fried. They were totally fried. "

Like many anguished parents of autistic kids, the Dasses blame the condition

on thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative that until recently was added to

many routine children's shots.

Thimerosal was used to keep bacteria out of vaccines sold in multi-dose

vials. But there were no studies beforehand of its possible effects on the

developing brains of infants. And health officials, who aggressively

expanded immunizations during the 1990s, did not consider that mercury

exposure for millions of children would exceed federal guidelines.

Now, in a dispute overflowing with bitterness and rancor, more than 4,200

families, including the Dasses, are demanding compensation to help pay for

their kids' special needs. Their claims have inundated an obscure branch of

the U.S. Court of Federal Claims in Washington, sometimes called the

" vaccine court. "

The parents are pushing a disturbing theory: that their children were

casualties of the war on disease, suffering brain damage from thimerosal by

itself or in combination with measles virus in the measles-mumps-rubella

vaccine. They blame mercury from vaccines and other sources for an epidemic

rise in autism and related neurological disorders.

They theorize that their children were devastated because they were less

able than most kids to clear mercury from their bodies.

Vaccine makers and health officials strenuously dispute the claims. While

voicing compassion for the children and their families, they say there is no

proof that tiny exposures - typically 1 part mercury per 10,000 parts of

vaccine - can cause brain damage.

" There's simply no reliable scientific evidence " that thimerosal causes

autism, said Loren , assistant general counsel for GlaxoKline,

the global pharmaceutical giant.

Dr. Cochi, head of the national immunization program at the U.S.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, argues that only " junk

scientists and charlatans " support the thimerosal-autism link.

In May, a committee of the national Institute of Medicine declared that

evidence " favors rejection " of the thimerosal-autism link. Opposing studies,

the panel said, were riddled with " serious methodological flaws. "

In response, parent activists point out that some studies have indicated a

link. They also charge that data were manipulated in one key study cited by

the Institute of Medicine, and that authors of other studies had ties to

vaccine makers.

At stake are not only vast sums of money but reputations and careers.

Vaccine makers face a potential litigation nightmare. And the allegations

confront two agencies: the Food and Drug Administration, which licenses

vaccines, and the CDC, which is in charge of seeing that children are

immunized against everything from polio to whooping cough.

The immunization program has been hailed as a spectacular success,

responsible for saving countless children from illness and death. But if the

parents are right, thousands of their children have become collateral

damage.

_____

For now, the main battleground is a tiny tribunal most people have never

heard of.

The vaccine court was created in 1986 as Congress' response to a liability

crisis. In rare cases, vaccines were being blamed for catastrophic injuries

and even death. Makers were threatening to quit the business, which in turn

threatened the vaccine supply.

The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Act shielded the industry from

civil litigation by instituting a system of no-fault compensation. Under the

law, aggrieved families file petitions, which are heard by special masters

in the vaccine court. Successful claims are paid from a trust fund fed by a

75-cent surcharge per vaccine dose. The Department of Health and Human

Services oversees the fund, with the Justice Department acting as its

lawyer.

The autism case is approaching a crucial stage: a hearing within the next

few months in which experts will joust over whether mercury causes autism.

If the verdict is no, the case ends there. If the special master finds for

the parents, individual claims will be heard. A flood of successful claims

could exhaust the $2-billion fund.

Big vaccine makers such as Merck, Wyeth and Aventis-Pasteur, along with

Glaxo, are watching with trepidation. Though safe from liability in the

vaccine court, they are anxious because claims have begun to leak into the

civil courts.

Under the law, petitioners who have gone more than 240 days without a ruling

in the vaccine court can opt out and file a civil suit. More than three

dozen families who've waited long enough have opted out, and more are sure

to follow. A handful of suits are set for trials next year in Texas,

Pennsylvania, land and Georgia.

A legal Catch-22 could doom many claims in both the vaccine court and civil

courts. The compensation law requires that petitions be filed within three

years of the first sign of injury. In many cases, by the time children were

diagnosed with autism and parents learned of their mercury exposure, the

deadline had passed. This technicality could cause as many as 60% of the

petitions to be discarded in the vaccine court, lawyers for the parents say.

And some civil courts have decreed that people who did not file on time in

the vaccine court can't pursue civil litigation.

" The parents are going through hell. The children are going through hell, "

said Saville, a lawyer for some of the parents. " What we're trying

to avoid . is a situation in which no court ever hears their complaint. "

Even so, families who reach the civil courts may gain some advantages there.

They will have access to internal industry documents that are not available

in the vaccine court. Moreover, whereas the vaccine court pays medical and

living costs and up to $250,000 for pain and suffering, civil juries can

award punitive damages as well.

Vaccine makers insist that their defense is rock-solid.

The evidence " is so overwhelmingly one-sided that we are confident that

juries will overcome their natural sympathy for plaintiffs and decide these

cases as science dictates, " said J. ch, lead outside counsel

for Wyeth.

Privately, however, some industry figures conceded that when it comes to

sick children and brokenhearted parents, science doesn't always win the day.

The companies " are terrified " of huge jury awards because " the injuries are

so grave, " said Conway, a lawyer for parents. " It's not just the kids,

it's the parents, it's the siblings. These people just live emotionally

exhausted and financially devastated lives. "

Even if the companies are exonerated, victory will not come cheap. An

industry representative, who predicted vaccine makers will win every case,

said it could cost them hundreds of millions of dollars to do so.

_____

Autism is the most severe of a range of neurological conditions called

autism spectrum disorders. It limits the ability to communicate, form

relationships and respond appropriately to the environment. Symptoms can

include loss of language and eye contact, extreme withdrawal, violent or

repetitive behavior, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound.

One in every 166 U.S. children suffers from an autism spectrum disorder,

according to an estimate by the CDC and American Academy of Pediatrics. In

California, the number of cases rose 273% from 1987 to 1998, according to

the state Department of Developmental Services.

It's been suggested that broader definitions and better reporting are behind

the apparent spike. But a study in 2002 by the MIND Institute at UC

found that these are at most minor factors, and that the increase is real.

In the search for a cause, thimerosal only recently became a suspect.

The compound is 49.6% ethyl mercury, not the methyl mercury found in fish

and power plant emissions. Both forms are toxic, though some research

suggests ethyl mercury is more quickly purged from the body.

Developed 75 years ago by Eli Lilly & Co., thimerosal has been used in

vaccines since the 1930s and was the main ingredient in Merthiolate, an

antiseptic daubed on millions of skinned knees before it was taken off the

market 20 years ago.

Medical literature includes reports of thimerosal poisoning at a sufficient

dose - along with advice to curb its use. Perhaps most alarming was a 1977

report on the thimerosal-linked deaths of 10 babies in Canada.

According to the article in Archives of Disease in Childhood, the antiseptic

had been used to treat exomphalos, a type of umbilical hernia. Tissue and

blood tests revealed high mercury levels in the dead infants. Moreover, the

authors said, it " is extremely unlikely " that babies who survive the

treatment " escape neurological damage, which may be subtle. "

Mercurial antiseptics should be tightly restricted or banned from hospitals,

they wrote, " as the fact that mercury readily penetrates intact membranes

and is highly toxic seems to have been forgotten. "

However, thimerosal remained the most popular of several preservatives used

by vaccine makers to avoid the risk of bacteria from repeated needle

insertions into multi-dose vials. Vaccines also come in single-dose vials or

disposable syringes that do not require preservative. But doctors and

clinics traditionally preferred multi-dose vials because they were cheaper

and easier to store.

No one would have cared but for this confluence of trends: autism rates were

rising, while more mercury was being injected into kids.

The CDC sets the country's immunization schedule, which, in effect, has the

force of law, since in many places children can't enter day care or school

or qualify for public assistance unless their shots are up to date.

Mercury exposure increased markedly in 1991, when the CDC added hepatitis B

and Haemophilus influenza type b, or Hib, vaccines to the schedule.

Because these were mostly sold in multi-dose vials, children whose dutiful

parents stayed current with their shots received as many as nine injections

with as much as 187.5 micrograms of mercury in their first six months of

life - exposures well above Environmental Protection Agency guidelines.

This was disclosed in 1999 in a federal review, which showed that health

authorities had ignored the rising exposures as they added shots.

In e-mails to colleagues at the time, Dr. Patriarca, a senior FDA

official, acknowledged that the agencies were open to attack. The FDA could

be charged with " being 'asleep at the switch' for decades by allowing a

potentially hazardous compound to remain in many childhood vaccines, and not

forcing manufacturers to exclude it from new products, " he said in a June

29, 1999, e-mail later disclosed at a congressional hearing.

It didn't take " rocket science " to track the rising exposures, Patriarca

wrote. Critics may wonder " what took the FDA so long to do the calculations?

Why didn't CDC and the advisory bodies do these calculations when they

rapidly expanded " childhood immunizations?

In July 1999, the CDC and American Academy of Pediatrics called on vaccine

makers to remove thimerosal as a precaution. Manufacturers began switching

to single-dose containers. By 2002, thimerosal was present only in trace

amounts in routine vaccines.

Now it is making something of a comeback. This year, the CDC added flu shots

to the vaccine schedule for children 6 months and older. Aventis, the only

producer of flu vaccine for infants and toddlers, makes it both in

single-dose and mercury-containing multi-dose vials. The CDC has spurned

appeals to recommend thimerosal-free shots for all children and pregnant

women - fearing parents might refuse a shot for their kids if they couldn't

get it mercury-free.

Exasperated by the agency's stance, lawmakers have filed bills in Congress

and several states, including California, to ban thimerosal from pediatric

vaccines.

Cochi of the CDC says such bills are ill conceived. He says children die of

the flu, including more than 140 last year, while the risks of thimerosal

are at most theoretical. He blames the uproar on those eager " to capitalize

on the tragedy of parents with children who have autism, because they see a

huge pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. "

" That's the other side of this story, " Cochi said, " that it has the

potential to be a gigantic scam on the American taxpayer. "

_____

Of all the resentments of the parents, the idea that they are out for a buck

seems to gall them the most.

And when they talk about their lives - the social isolation, financial

distress and bleak prospects of their children - many can't help but weep.

At such times, it's easy to see why vaccine makers would rather not face

them in court.

and Dillon Dass arrived three months early in January 2000 - weighing 1

pound, 7 ounces and 2 pounds, 15 ounces, respectively. That was six months

after the appeal to remove thimerosal from vaccines.

, their father, keeps a copy of an advisory sent to doctors by the

Academy of Pediatrics shortly before his sons were born. " If there are

limited supplies of thimerosal-free products available, priority should be

given to use in premature infants, " it says.

At 3 1/2 months, the boys got four shots in one day. Three contained

thimerosal, according to medical records the Dasses later obtained.

At the time, the couple had never heard of thimerosal, but Cheryl Dass said

she questioned giving several shots to her tiny babies. She did not put up a

fight, however, deciding, " Oh well, you know what you're doing because you

save lives everyday. "

Lyn Redwood, who lives near Atlanta, says her son Will began receiving doses

while still in the womb.

Redwood, a former nurse, had amniocentesis during pregnancy. Because her

blood was Rh negative, after the procedure she was given shots of gamma

globulin to protect her fetus from an illness called Rh incompatibility

disease.

Years later, Redwood said, she was amazed to learn that the two gamma

globulin shots during pregnancy, and a third when she was breast-feeding,

contained thimerosal.

Will, who has pervasive development disorder, a milder form of autism, had

received an additional 237.5 micrograms of mercury in vaccines by the time

he was 1 1/2 , Redwood said.

Even so, he seemed to progress nicely until his first birthday. Redwood

recalled that he started to walk, talk and generally do things on time -

before suddenly regressing and slipping away. " He stopped looking at us. He

stopped playing.. It was like 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers,' " she said.

" Somebody had taken away my baby's soul and just left a shell of him in

there. "

The bizarre and disruptive behavior of many autistic children can make their

families virtual prisoners in their homes.

Going out in public " is a train wreck, " said Cheryl Dass. It's impossible to

do the family things others take for granted, like going to a movie or

church or " even to pick out a pumpkin. "

Kerns of Lenexa, Kan., who has an autistic daughter and twin sons,

said, " We're not the families that are doing baseball and birthday parties.

" I'm a mother that lives in a tunnel, " she said. " I haven't been to a family

reunion in four years. My family doesn't understand. They wouldn't

understand.

" I used to be a decent person, and I just have acid rolling from my lips

every time I open my mouth, " Kerns said. " I ask God every day what did I do

to deserve this. What did these kids do to deserve what they got? "

Some parents are hopeful, though not holding their breath, for help from the

vaccine court. Others say they'd just as soon get a chance to bloody the

industry in a civil trial.

Said Georgia Mueller of Kansas City, who has an autistic son: " I want it to

hurt " the manufacturers, because they " never did the research to make sure

this was safe. "

If you want other stories on this topic, search the Archives at

latimes.com/archives <http://www.latimes.com/archives> .

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