Effects of toxic exposure to molds and mycotoxins

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1: Arch Environ Health. 2003 Jul;58(7):399-405.

Related Articles,Links

Effects of toxic exposure to molds and mycotoxins in building-related

illnesses.

Rea WJ, Didriksen N, Simon TR, Pan Y, Fenyves EJ, Griffiths B.

Environmental Health Center-Dallas, Dallas, Texas 75231-4262, USA. wjr@...

The authors studied 100 patients who had been exposed to toxic molds in their

homes. The predominant molds identified

were Alternaria, Cladosporium, Aspergillus, Penicillium, Stachybotrys,

Curvularia, Basidiomycetes, Myxomycetes, smuts,

Epicoccus, Fusarium, Bipolaris, and Rhizopus. A variety of tests were performed

on all, or on subgroups of, these

patients. Sensitivities and exposures were confirmed in all patients by

intradermal skin testing for individual molds

(44-98% positive), and by measurement of serum antibodies. Abnormalities in T

and B cells, and subsets, were found in

more than 80% of the patients. The findings of trichothecene toxin and

breakdown products in the urine, serum antibodies

to molds, and positive intradermal skin tests confirmed mycotoxin exposure.

Respiratory signs (e.g., rhinorrhea, sinus

tenderness, wheezing) were found in 64% of all patients, and physical signs and

symptoms of neurological dysfunction

(e.g., inability to stand on the toes or to walk a straight line with eyes

closed, as well as short-term memory loss)

were identified in 70% of all patients. Objective abnormal autonomic nervous

system tests were positive in all 100

patients tested. Brain scans, conducted using triple-head single photon

emission computed tomography, were abnormal in

26 (86%) of 30 (subgroup of the 100) patients tested. Objective

neuropsychological evaluations of 46 of the patients who

exhibited symptoms of neurological impairment showed typical abnormalities in

short-term memory, executive

function/judgment, concentration, and hand/eye coordination.

Publication Types:

Clinical Trial

PMID: 15143852 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve & db=pubmed & dopt=Abstra\

ct & list_uids=15143853

1: Arch Environ Health. 2003 Jul;58(7):406-9.

Related Articles,Links

Use of functional brain imaging in the evaluation of exposure to mycotoxins and

toxins encountered in Desert

Storm/Desert Shield.

Simon TR, Rea WJ.

Functional Imaging of Texas, P.A., Dallas, Texas 75202, USA.

theodorersimon@...

In this retrospective analysis the authors compared brain scintigrams,

performed using triple-head single- photon

emission computed tomography (tripleSPECT), of subjects who were judged

clinically impaired from exposure to toxins

during the Desert Storm/Desert Shield military action, and of subjects exposed

to mycotoxins, with those of normal

controls. The scintigrams for both exposed groups exhibited similar patterns of

abnormalities, which were consistent

with neurotoxic impairment. The authors conclude that further study is needed

to determine whether mycotoxin exposure

may be a cause of abnormalities seen in tripleSPECT images.

PMID: 15143853 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]