Re: Legalitis infects St. 's Medical Center

[Guest guest]

DITTO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Couldn't agree more!!

Sue:

This is one of the most disgusting articles I think I have read yet

and I didn't even finish it today will save it for later. I will be

writing this unintelligent ass. I hope others will also but I guess we

must be dignified.

>

> This doctor needs are wakeup call.

>

> Legalitis infects St. 's Medical Center

> Ventura County Star - Ventura county,CA*

>

> By Cary Savitch

> stophiv@...

> Sunday, July 29, 2007

>

> _http://www.venturachttp://wwwhttp://wwhttp://wwhttp://www.vehttp://w_

(http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2007/jul/29/legalitis-infects-)

> st-johns-medical- st

>

************************************** Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL at

http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour

[Guest guest]

This is one of the most disgusting articles I think I have read yet

and I didn't even finish it today will save it for later. I will be

writing this unintelligent ass. I hope others will also but I guess we

must be dignified.

>

> This doctor needs are wakeup call.

>

> Legalitis infects St. 's Medical Center

> Ventura County Star - Ventura county,CA*

>

> By Cary Savitch

> stophiv@...

> Sunday, July 29, 2007

>

> http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2007/jul/29/legalitis-infects-

> st-johns-medical-center/

>

[Guest guest]

Yes, this doctor needs a wake-up call on molds and he needs an

attitude change on the use of the legal system. But he does have one

thing right - the politics and apparent " backroom " deals for

experimenting on humans in a manner no longer allowed even for animal

research.

The use of chlorine dioxide, or any other fumigant, instead of first

fixing the leaks, is self-defeating. It is one thing the doctor did

get right.

Carl Grimes

Healthy Habitats LLC

-----

> This doctor needs are wakeup call.

>

> Legalitis infects St. 's Medical Center

> Ventura County Star - Ventura county,CA*

>

> By Cary Savitch

> stophiv@...

> Sunday, July 29, 2007

>

> http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2007/jul/29/legalitis-infects-

> st-johns-medical-center/

>

> Americans need to treat driving as though it were their job

> Do you feel lucky? Pick a card. Better yet, pick a fungus.

>

> A $20 million experiment is planned for St. 's Regional Medical

> Center in Oxnard. Hospital officials conclude the best way to fix

> the perception of a health problem is to shut down, evacuate and

> pump an explosive gas into its belly.

>

> The best-case scenario: Common sense prevails and the experiment is

> called off. The next-best scenario: Nothing fixed, but no injuries.

> The worst-case scenario: An explosion, and Catholic Healthcare West

> goes down.

>

> More than 200,000 patients have received care at St. 's since

> 1992. The number of emergency-room visits during this period is in

> excess of 400,000. There have been hundreds of thousands of

> visitors. Tens of thousands have worked there daily.

>

> During this 15-year period, there have been no identified health

> problems relating to any mold infestation at the hospital.

> Administrators have repeated there is no health problem, only

> the " perception " of a problem, and they want to bury the perception.

>

> The fumigation to rid the building of mold might just dig up a new

> can of worms, another infestation of lawyers. Expect someone to

> claim he has emphysema as a consequence of a five-day stint at the

> hospital three years ago for a femur fracture. Toxic mold exposure

> will be blamed for the leukemia that occurred two years after the

> appendix was removed.

>

> The obvious question, with judge and jury a few feet away: " If there

> was nothing wrong with your facility, why did you spend millions of

> dollars to fix it, and why did you wait so long? "

>

> Millions spent on litigation

>

> What is actually broken? There have been water leaks and some water

> damage. The result: millions of dollars already spent on litigation.

> Lawyers representing St. 's threw out a large net and anyone

> caught was fair game. Some subcontractors risked being hammered into

> extinction, even if they were innocent of any water damage.

> Insurance companies watched the coffers get drained. It appears from

> court records that any company touching this building got in

> trouble. Contractors subsequently hired to do building remediation

> have also been sucked into the legal vacuum cleaner.

>

> If one finds 100 years of free time, review case number CIV222353,

> Catholic Healthcare vs. Centex Rodgers Inc. So far, the most serious

> environmental problem I could identify is the number of trees cut

> down to provide paper for all the legal proceedings.

>

> Not every fungus is created equal. Many fungi are benign, even

> healthy. We eat mushrooms. Other fungi are deadly. Candida on a

> heart valve kills. Cryptococcus in the brain kills. The yeast used

> to ferment wine makes you happy. The two fungi most in question at

> St. 's are Stachybotrys and Aspergillus.

>

> Stachybotrys

>

> What is Stachybotrys, the black mold fungus? In the U.S., this is

> the critter that has caused your homeowners insurance to jump up. It

> has the potential to produce a neurotoxin, but it takes a massive

> exposure to cause illness. In my career, I have never seen a single

> case of illness associated with this fungus. Most colleagues share a

> similar experience.

>

> Mycologists regard this fungus as a plant pathogen. Many lawyers

> regard this fungus as a winning Lotto ticket. Can it kill? Yes. How

> likely? Near zero.

>

> Stachybotrys is most common where there is high humidity. Many

> buildings sustain water damage, and this fungus may appear,

> unbeknownst to the inhabitants. Stachybotrys is more likely to get a

> black paint warning than a red alert. It is found in virtually every

> country in the world. Yet, it is a health concern in the U.S.

>

> Silicon and asbestos litigation began to dry up for U.S. lawyers.

> The unscrupulous ones needed to find something wet. They stumbled

> onto the wood in homes and workplaces — the perfect culture medium

> for black mold and new litigation. Science could be twisted and

> erroneous expert testimony could be purchased. Stachybotrys became

> the Boston strangler.

>

> If clinical science still matters, the position papers by the

> Institute of Medicine, the federal Centers for Disease Control and

> Prevention, the American College of Occupational and Environmental

> Medicine, and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology

> should clear up the misconception that Stachybotrys is a hazardous

> pathogen. According to Abba Terr, M.D., University of California,

> San Francisco, a review of the world's literature confirmed " no case

> of a human systemic or local infection caused by any species of

> Stachybotrys, even in immunosuppressed patients. "

>

> The fungus does produce a mycotoxin, and in Siberia in the 1930s,

> horses fed barley, corn and wheat stored under snow conditions

> ingested large doses of Stachybotrys. The horses developed

> gastrointestinal bleeding and some died. A few of the local farmers

> also became ill. There were no lawsuits by the farmers or the horses.

>

> What does all this mean? To the lawyers, lots of loot. To the rest

> of us who shell out the money through insurance premiums, less

> available resources for schools, healthcare and everything else we

> require for a better quality of life. I would rather be robbed by

> pirates.

>

> Aspergillus

>

> What about Aspergillus? This is certainly a more dangerous fungus

> and more likely to be associated with allergic reactions and

> occasionally death. While common in the air, especially in the

> outdoors and on plants, it is rare to cause disease.

>

> We are frequently exposed to Aspergillus. People who are severely

> immuno-compromised have the greatest chance of illness. The greatest

> exposure risks are on fruits and vegetables, and when the spores

> become aerosolized. Has there been a higher rate of infections

> caused by Aspergillus at St. 's than at other healthcare

> facilities? Not that it claims.

>

> Are the Aspergillosis counts from air samples significantly higher

> at St. 's than in other comparable buildings in Oxnard or

> Seattle? Please tell us.

>

> Maybe our communities would be safer fumigating the lawyers and

> leaving the mold alone.

>

> No one claims the physical structure at St. 's is mold-free. I

> also believe there is mold in the home in which I am writing this

> opinion and in the building in which you are reading it. This

> includes Stachybotrys and Aspergillus.

>

> One of my colleagues calls Stachybotrys the " hogwash fungus. " Yet,

> an army of attorneys has created an industry litigating over it. At

> this very moment, some of these fungulators (I made up the word, sue

> me) might be dining at a fancy garden restaurant, surrounded by

> plants and waterfalls and fungi. They might be served yeast-enriched

> sourdough (nice fungus) to accompany their blue cheese (colorful

> fungus) covered salad (mixed fungus). A few truffles (expensive

> fungus) on the steak wouldn't be so bad. They might even toast their

> good fortune with a bottle of wine fermented for years (work-horse

> fungus). Before bedtime, if they dare to take a sauna at a health

> club, with indoor pools and surrounding plants, they could be

> encased in the creeping crud.

>

> Common sense is on life support.

>

> Before the great rush to gas, what is the actual mold problem in the

> facility? One can ask the remediators of the building, who are

> receiving millions of dollars, if there is a mold problem and, no

> doubt, the answer will be yes. How else can they justify doing the

> work? But, how much mold? How does this hospital differ from other

> healthcare facilities anywhere else? Are the mold counts different?

> What are the controls and normal values?

>

> Before any experimentation with chlorine dioxide, show all the data.

> The way the courts are settling this case, it appears " show me the

> money " comes before " show me what's wrong. "

>

> How does one justify the expenditure of millions of insurance

> dollars obtaining laboratory information, but give no thought to

> interpreting the data? Hiring a microbiologist just to tell you that

> one day this fungus could possibly be a problem is not good science,

> but it is certainly ammunition for winning a court battle. Is there

> a higher mold count indoors than outdoors at St. 's?

>

> If the mold counts return to similar numbers in a year from now,

> does the hospital get regased? If a hospital across the county turns

> up with similar mold counts, should it be gased, chelated,

> pasteurized or just left alone? If our homes show similar mold

> counts, do we move out?

>

> Every structural engineer and fumigation expert I have spoken with,

> regardless of their opinion on the health risks of Stachybotrys or

> the safety risks of chlorine dioxide gas, agree on one thing: You do

> not fumigate any structure unless the envelope is sealed. If there

> are still any leaks, you fix the leaks first. Then you decide on

> whether anything more needs to be done. Are all the leaks fixed at

> St. 's?

>

> A done deal?

>

> St. 's regards the fumigation plan as a done deal. Hospital

> employees and county officials have been told exact dates when

> hospital services will be halted and when the hospital will be

> vacated, tented, gased and then reopened.

>

> So, who gets to do the gas job? The community has been informed

> Sabre Oxidation Technologies has been chosen. We were told it did

> the anthrax cleanup in the Senate Hart Building in Washington, D.C.

> A little background check is in order. The General Accounting Office

> reported on the anthrax cleanup. More than $27 million was spent on

> the operation. Sabre's share was less than $20,000 — $19,850, to be

> exact. Included in the government report on page 39 is the job

> description of Sabre: " Provide engineering support during the

> assessment of the feasibility and design of the systems for

> fumigating air handling return system. "

>

> While everyone is gearing up for the gasing, I am still left asking

> exactly what role did Sabre play in the anthrax cleanup.

>

> The use of chlorine gas as a fumigant is not currently approved in

> California. The industry recognizes it as corrosive and explosive.

> Experimentation at any concentration may be dangerous. Yet, St.

> 's officials tell us the green light is on, the gasing will

> happen. It has yet to receive the 24C special-need permit issued by

> the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. When asked about

> the permit status Friday, DPR Communications Director Glenn Brank

> said: " We have NOT issued any permit, period. We are working

> cooperatively with the hospital contractor, but at the same time, we

> can't put public health and safety at risk to meet an artificial

> deadline. We are not second-guessing anyone, but this is an unusual

> situation, and we have a public duty to go through the regulatory

> process in an orderly, thoughtful, and responsible manner. "

>

> State pesticide regulators are concerned about public safety. Unless

> an unusual life-threatening problem exists that cannot be remediated

> any other way, experimental fumigation is not permitted. There are

> circumstances that may warrant extreme measures.

>

> But, anthrax is not the problem at St. 's Hospital. It is

> dealing with what many of us have in our own homes and gardens.

> Fifteen years have passed without a single confirmed health problem

> relating to the water leaks. The need for any fumigation is in

> question. The need for chlorine gas is absurd.

>

> How many tax dollars, and how much time has been spent by Ventura

> County agencies (fire, police, sheriff, ambulance) on support and

> contingency plans? Will this money ever be returned if the gas

> valves are never turned on? There has been a breach of public trust.

>

> Does St. 's plan to return any of the insurance payoffs if the

> gasing does not take place? These are the bucks insurance companies

> collect from all of us when we pay for homeowners insurance. I want

> to be paid back.

>

> Duty to question

>

> Sister Carmelita remains my friend in spirit. She died of cancer

> several years ago. She is still alive in my heart, and I am sure she

> is looking down from heaven. We worked together at the old and new

> St. 's hospitals. We both regard St. 's as a guardian of

> public health and safety. I have no hesitation having my family

> cared for by the excellent staff there. While the hospital does many

> things right, on this issue, I believe it is dangerously wrong.

> Perhaps it has been blinded by its own litigation. The treatment

> plan offered is more dangerous than the illness.

>

> I know Sister would be upset if any of her medical staff felt there

> was a threat to public safety and remained silent.

>

> This world is not perfect. St. 's Hospital may just have to limp

> along with some water and some mold as it has for the past 15 years.

>

> While America stews in lawsuits, the rest of the world is

> engineering our future. Until common sense is restored in this

> nation, litigation will continue to trump health and safety.

>

> — Cary Savitch, M.D., of Ventura, is a board-certified infectious

> disease specialist. His e-mail address is stophiv@....

>

>

>

>

>

> FAIR USE NOTICE:

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

, such words,lol's. I don't know if people like this are worth

waisting a letter on. I can see him hitting delete without a second

thought. reminds me of some attitudes I've came across and left

knowing they knew exactly what was going on but well never admit it.

maybe a search on his name would explain his sorry attitude..

> >

> > This doctor needs are wakeup call.

> >

> > Legalitis infects St. 's Medical Center

> > Ventura County Star - Ventura county,CA*

> >

> > By Cary Savitch

> > stophiv@

> > Sunday, July 29, 2007

> >

> > http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2007/jul/29/legalitis-

infects-

> > st-johns-medical-center/

> >

>

[Guest guest]

,

I agree with you. I also want to remind the group that there are

other issues here that the good doctor also is mistaken about. Use of

the legal system is one. Yes, it can be misused but it is more often

the last remedy because people like him won't act until forced by

law. Why is he so scared of it? We win, what, 1 out of 100 cases?

But, there is one that he is dead-on correct: The use of chlorine

dioxide, the agreement with Sabre Technology and the obstinate

defense of the decision for a procedure that is not even

experimental, but just plain wrong. Nothing works unless you first

fix the leaks.

His opinion piece and the whole situation illustrates one of the

fundamental reasons we find it so hard to determine what to do and

what not to do. For every person with an opinion there is a different

truth and in the midst of wrongness, there is some truth. Then, while

we are sick we have to sort it all out and make critical decisions

while being ostracized and blamed. This is a tough nut to crack.

Carl Grimes

Healthy Habitats LLC

-----

> This is one of the most disgusting articles I think I have read yet

> and I didn't even finish it today will save it for later. I will be

> writing this unintelligent ass. I hope others will also but I guess we

> must be dignified.

> >

> > This doctor needs are wakeup call.

> >

> > Legalitis infects St. 's Medical Center

> > Ventura County Star - Ventura county,CA*

> >

> > By Cary Savitch

> > stophiv@...

> > Sunday, July 29, 2007

> >

> > http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2007/jul/29/legalitis-infects-

> > st-johns-medical-center/

> >

>

>

>

>

> FAIR USE NOTICE:

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Everyone should try " googling " this doctor. He is an AIDS activist and

many links make him " seem " compasionate. Check out this one:

http://www.familyrightsassociation.com/books/legal_abuse/

Not only might this book interest folks here, but Dr. Savitch seems to

agree with the author that being involved with the legal system is bad

for one's health. (Look at the bottom of the page for his comments

about the book.) Maybe Dr. Savitch has some personal issues about mold

or about the hospital involved. Very strange to me.

[Guest guest]

This paper is worth reading to get a feel for what chlorine dioxide can and

can't do..

Effect of Chlorine Dioxide Gas on Fungi and Mycotoxins Associated with Sick

Building Syndrome

S. C. , C. Wu, L. A. Andriychuk, J. M. , T. L. Brasel, C. A.

Jumper, and D. C. Straus

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/picrender.fcgi?artid=1214660 & blobtype=pdf

..

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Seems to me he thinks that mold victims are frauds, or somehow

misguided in their belief's about mold related illness. And that the

lawyers are capitalizing on this hysteria. Can't imagine where he got

this notion. I think he sited a few sources in his article, ACOEM,

AAAAI, etc.

Medical Dr's are in constant fear of malpractice suit's as well as

others because many have substantial resources which makes them a

target. So it's no surprise that he sympathizes with the author of a

book on legal abuse's. He may be partially wrong about mold and it's

connection to illness, but I understand why he believes this.

In my opinion this sentiment MD's have regarding law suit's is what

is driving a lot of the ignorance surrounding this illness. And their

are people in high places that exploit this zeal fully to their

advantage.

On Mon, 30 Jul 2007 04:02:21 -0000, you wrote:

>Everyone should try " googling " this doctor. He is an AIDS activist and

>many links make him " seem " compasionate. Check out this one:

>http://www.familyrightsassociation.com/books/legal_abuse/

>

>Not only might this book interest folks here, but Dr. Savitch seems to

>agree with the author that being involved with the legal system is bad

>for one's health. (Look at the bottom of the page for his comments

>about the book.) Maybe Dr. Savitch has some personal issues about mold

>or about the hospital involved. Very strange to me.

[Guest guest]

Mycotoxins can make people immunocompromised just as badly as AIDS does!

A toxicologist told me that.

So why do they keep saying that these issues are only suffered by

immunocompromosed people, if the toxins themselves can make them that way?

Something fishy is going on.

[Guest guest]

Here are some references on immunotoxic mycotoxins:

Toxicol Lett. 2007 Apr 25;170(2):124-33. Epub 2007 Mar 1. Related

Articles, Links

Click here to read

Combined effects of mycotoxin mixtures on human T cell function.

Tammer B, Lehmann I, Nieber K, Altenburger R.

UFZ Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department of

Environmental Immunology, Leipzig, Germany. beate.tammer@...

<beate.tammer@...>

Combined effects of mycotoxin mixtures are of major concern due to

the widespread occurrence of human exposure to mixtures. Owing to the

lack of sufficient mixture data regarding the human immune function,

the aim of this study was to specify, evaluate and predict the

combined effects of mycotoxin mixtures upon the functional activity of

immune cells. Therefore, a well established model for immunotoxic

studies using stimulated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells

(PBMC) was applied. To predict the combined effect of the mixture the

concepts of concentration addition and response addition were used.

Comparable to the individual mycotoxins the mixture suppressed the

cytokine production in a concentration-dependent manner. The mixture

effect was stronger than the effects caused by the toxins applied

singly. The response addition concept described the mixture data

within their experimental uncertainty. The in vitro test model

presented here was practical to detect and quantify combined effects.

Low and weak effect concentrations of mycotoxins may cause strong

inhibitory effects on immune functions when occurring together. The

experimental design using the concepts of concentration addition and

response addition was suitable for predicting the combined effects of

mycotoxin mixtures in functional in vitro assays.

Toxicology. 2007 Jun 3;235(1-2):92-102. Epub 2007 Mar 12. Related

Articles, Links

Click here to read

DNA damage and p53 in RAW264.7 cells induced by the spores of

co-cultivated Streptomyces californicus and Stachybotrys chartarum.

Penttinen P, Tampio M, Mäki-Paakkanen J, Vähäkangas K, Pelkonen J,

Hirvonen MR.

National Public Health Institute, Department of Environmental

Health, PO Box 95, FI-70701 Kuopio, Finland. Piia.Penttinen@...

Our recent studies have revealed that the co-cultivation of

environmental microbes, Streptomyces californicus and Stachybotrys

chartarum, potentiates the immunotoxic properties of the spores. In

the present study, the spore-induced genotoxic potential of these

microbes was investigated. Dose related differences in genotoxic and

cytotoxic effects and in p53 level in mouse RAW264.7 macrophages were

studied after 24h exposure to the spores of separately cultivated

Streptomyces californicus or Stachybotrys chartarum alone, a simple

spore-mixture of these microbes as well as to the spores of

co-cultivated microbes. The genotoxic effect of the exposures was

determined by the Comet assay and p53 level was analyzed by

immunoblotting. Cytotoxicity was assessed by using flow cytometric

analysis and also by the MTT test. The results revealed that the

spores of co-cultivated microbes evoked DNA damage, p53 accumulation

and cytotoxicity at a lower dose than the other exposures, and at the

highest dose there was a 2.5-fold increase in DNA damage compared to

control. In addition, the spores of Streptomyces californicus alone

induced a 1.5-fold increase in DNA damage compared to control, dose

dependent p53 accumulation and also extensive cytotoxicity. In

contrast, the mixture of separately cultivated spores or the spores of

Stachybotrys chartarum alone did not induce DNA damage with any tested

dose although they triggered significant cytotoxicity and a slightly

increased p53 level. Our results suggest that the detected genotoxic

responses are the result of DNA damage in RAW264.7 cells by some

genotoxically active metabolite(s) and the production of this compound

was stimulated in Streptomyces californicus when it was co-cultivated

with Stachybotrys chartarum.

Toxicol In Vitro. 2006 Sep;20(6):899-909. Epub 2006 Mar 6. Related

Articles, Links

Click here to read

In vitro effects of trichothecenes on human dendritic cells.

Hymery N, Sibiril Y, Parent-Massin D.

Laboratoire de Toxicologie Alimentaire, EA 3880 Université de

Bretagne Occidentale, Technopôle Brest-Iroise 29280 Plouzané, France.

The aim of this work was to study the in vitro effects of

trichothecenes on human dendritic cells. Trichothecenes are mycotoxins

produced by fungi such as Fusarium, Myrothecium, and Stachybotrys. Two

aspects have been explored in this work: the cytotoxicity of

trichothecenes on immature dendritic cells to determine IC 50

(inhibition concentration), and the effects of trichothecenes on

dendritic cell maturation process. Two mycotoxins (T-2 and DON) known

to be immunotoxic have been tested on a model of monocyte-derived

dendritic cells culture. Cytotoxic effects of T-2 toxin and DON on

immature dendritic cells showed that DON is less potent than T-2

toxin. The exposure to trichothecenes during dendritic cell maturation

upon addition of LPS or TNF-alpha markedly inhibited the up-regulation

of maturation markers such as CD-86, HLA-DR and CCR7. Features of LPS

or TNF-alpha -mediated maturation of dendritic cells, such as IL-10

and IL-12 secretions and endocytosis, were also impaired in response

to trichothecenes treatment. These results suggest trichothecenes have

adverse effects on dendritic cells and dendritic cell maturation

process.

Toxicol Lett. 2005 Dec 30;160(1):60-8. Epub 2005 Jul 14. Related

Articles, Links

Click here to read

In vitro cytopathic effects of mycotoxin T-2 on human peripheral

blood T lymphocytes.

Vlata Z, Porichis F, Tzanakakis G, Tsatsakis A, Krambovitis E.

Department of Applied Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of

Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Vassilika Vouton, 711 10

Heraklion, Crete, Greece.

The trichothecene mycotoxin T-2 is reported to exhibit immunotoxic

activity. The potential presence of T-2 in foods renders it as public

health hazard and its toxicity needs to be better understood. We

investigated the in vitro effects of T-2 at sub-toxic (0.1 ng/ml) and

toxic (10 ng/ml) levels on freshly isolated human peripheral blood

lymphocytes (PBLs). We observed no direct influence on untreated PBLs.

The toxic dose of T-2, however, totally inhibited

phytohemagglutinin-induced T lymphocyte proliferation and caused early

apoptosis that peaked after 8h of exposure. Both major T lymphocyte

subsets (CD4+ and CD8+) were affected as they appeared to show a

positive response to T-2 at 8h followed by their sharp reduction after

96 h. Further investigation on the naïve (CD45RA+) and memory

(CD45RO+) subpopulations confirmed these observations and indicated

that T-2 affected equally all the subpopulations studied, although PHA

preferentially stimulated CD45RO+ T lymphocytes. Sub-toxic T-2

appeared to exhibit co stimulatory properties to PHA-stimulated cells.

These results support the hypothesis that T-2 affects the

activation-induced cell death mechanism of T lymphocytes.

J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2004 Sep 24;67(18):1423-41. Related Articles, Links

Click here to read

Gene expression profiling in spleens of deoxynivalenol-exposed

mice: immediate early genes as primary targets.

Kinser S, Jia Q, Li M, Laughter A, Cornwell P, Corton JC, Pestka J.

Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Center for

Integrative Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing,

Michigan 48824, USA.

Exposure to the trichothecene mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON)

alters immune functions in vitro and in vivo. To gain further insight

into DON's immunotoxic effects, microarrays were used to determine how

acute exposure to this mycotoxin modulates gene expression profiles in

murine spleen. B6C3F1 mice were treated orally with 25mg/kg body

weight DON, and 2h later spleens were collected for macroarray

analysis. Following normalization using a local linear regression

model, expression of 116 out of 1176 genes was significantly altered

compared to average expression levels in all treatment groups. When

genes were arranged into an ontology tree to facilitate comparison of

expression profiles between treatment groups, DON was found primarily

to modulate genes associated with immunity, inflammation, and

chemotaxis. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to confirm

modulation for selected genes. DON was found to induce the cytokines

interleukin (IL)-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6 and IL-11. In analogous

fashion, DON upregulated expression of the chemokines macrophage

inhibitory protein-2 (MIP-2), cytokine-induced chemoattractant

protein-1 (CINC-1), monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, MCP-3,

and cytokine-responsive gene-2 (CRG-2). c-Fos, Fra-, c-Jun, and JunB,

components of the activator protein-1 (AP-1) transcription factor

complex, were induced by DON as well as another transcription factor,

NR4A1. Four hydrolases were found to be upregulated by DON, including

mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase 1 (MKP1), catalytic

subunit beta isoform (CnAbeta), protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor

type J (Ptprj), and protein tyrosine phosphatase nonreceptor type 8

(Ptpn8), whereas three other hydrolases, microsomal epoxide hydrolase

(Eph) 1, histidine triad nucleotide binding protein (Hint), and

proteosome subunit beta type 8 (Psmb8) were significantly decreased by

the toxin. Finally, cysteine-rich protein 61 (CRP61) and heat-shock

protein 40 (Hsp40), genes associated with signaling, were increased,

while Jun kinase 2 (JNK2) was decreased. Taken together, data suggest

that DON upregulated the expression of multiple immediate early genes,

many of which are likely to contribute to the complex immunological

effects reported for this and other trichothecenes. Copyright &

Francis Inc.

Toxicol Sci. 2002 Oct;69(2):373-82. Related Articles, Links

Click here to read

Comment in:

* Toxicol Sci. 2002 Oct;69(2):289-91.

Vomitoxin-induced cyclooxygenase-2 gene expression in macrophages

mediated by activation of ERK and p38 but not JNK mitogen-activated

protein kinases.

Moon Y, Pestka JJ.

Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Institute for

Environmental Toxicology, Michigan State University, 234 G.M. Trout

Bldg., East Lansing, MI 48824-1224, USA.

Vomitoxin (VT) and other trichothecene mycotoxins mediate a broad

range of immunotoxic effects via the induction of

inflammation-associated genes in leukocytes. The purpose of this study

was to test the hypothesis that VT induces cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)

gene expression in macrophages and that this is regulated at the level

of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). Exposure of the murine

macrophage cell line RAW 264.7 to 50-250 ng/ml VT for 24 h markedly

enhanced the production of prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)), a major COX-2

metabolite. PGE(2) elevation was preceded by increases in COX-2 mRNA

(2 h) and COX-2 protein (15 h) in VT-treated cells. VT induced rapid

(15 min) and persistent (up to 240 min) phosphorylation of

extracellular, signal regulated protein kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) and

p38 MAPK as well as a rapid (15 min) but transient (up to 60 min)

phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinases 1 and 2 (JNK1/2). The ERK

inhibitor PD98059 and p38 inhibitor SB203580 suppressed VT-induced

PGE(2) and COX-2 protein expression, whereas impairment of JNK

function by transient transfection with a dominant negative (dn) JNK

vector had no effect on COX-2 protein expression. Relatedly, in cells

transfected with a COX-2 promoter-luciferase construct, PD98059- and

SB203580-, but not dnJNK-treatment, suppressed VT-induced luciferase

transcription. VT also increased COX-2 mRNA stability, and this was

inhibited by PD98059 but not by SB203580. Taken together, these

results indicate that VT-induced PGE(2) production and COX-2

expression by elevating transcriptional activity and mRNA stability.

Enhanced transcriptional activity was modulated by ERK and p38

signaling pathways, whereas mRNA stability was promoted exclusively by

VT-activated p38 phosphorylation. These data provide insight into

possible general mechanisms by which VT and other trichlothecenes

upregulate proinflammatory genes and impart immunotoxicity.

Cytometry. 2000 Apr 1;39(4):310-8. Related Articles, Links

Click here to read

Analysis of apoptosis of lymphoid cells in fish exposed to

immunotoxic compounds.

Gogal RM, BJ, Kalnitsky J, Holladay SD.

Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology,

Virginia-land Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia

Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061-0342, USA. rgogal@...

BACKGROUND: Chemical induction of apoptosis in cells is believed

to contribute to toxicity. Techniques for measuring apoptosis have

increased in both sensitivity and number and in many cases can be

readily extended to nontraditional research species. A comparison of

established assays for measuring apoptosis of lymphoid cells has thus

far not been performed in the fish and thus would be efficacious in

assessing immunotoxicity. METHODS: The present study evaluated

chemical-induced immune cell apoptosis in fish (tilapia, Oreochromis

niloticus) exposed to two known immunotoxic chemicals, azathioprine

and T-2 toxin. Cytocentrifugation and light microscopy of

leukocyte-enriched cell samples from the pronephros (i.e., the fish

primary hematopoietic compartment) demonstrated chemical-related

increases in apoptotic bodies. This observation was examined further

with the ApoAlert Annexin V Apoptosis kit and two DNA-binding dyes

employed for detecting apoptosis, 7-aminoactinomycin D (7-AAD) and

propidium iodide (PI). RESULTS: The apoptotic probes confirmed the

microscopic observations of increased apoptosis in the

chemical-exposed fish. The ApoAlerttrade mark annexin V and 7-AAD

assays, which discriminate early and late apoptosis/necrosis, compared

well in identifying apoptotic populations. PI staining in Vindelov's

solution was unable to detect early apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS: The

present data suggest that apoptotic immune cells may be a useful

marker for certain immunotoxicant exposures in fish. These findings

agree with those of previous reports that fish may respond

immunologically in a manner similar to mammals after immunotoxicant

challenge. Copyright 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Toxicol Lett. 1995 Dec;82-83:843-51. Related Articles, Links

Mycotoxins, general view, chemistry and structure.

Steyn PS.

SASOL Centre for Chemistry, Potchefstroom University, Republic of

South Africa.

Mycotoxins induce diverse and powerful biological effects in test

systems; some are carcinogenic, mutagenic, teratogenic, estrogenic,

hemorrhagic, immunotoxic, nephrotoxic, hepatotoxic, dermotoxic, and

neurotoxic. Mycotoxins have been unambiguously linked to the etiology

of several diseases in animals. The discovery of aflatoxins in the

early 1960s led to the resurgence of interest in human mycotoxicoses;

mycotoxins are now recognized as causal factors of primary liver

cancer, ergotism and alimentary toxic aleukia. The fumonisins and

ochratoxins are suspected of playing a role in the etiology of

esophageal cancer and Balkan endemic nephrotoxicity, respectively.

Fundam Appl Toxicol. 1993 Nov;21(4):535-45. Related Articles, Links

Click here to read

Comparative effects of immunotoxic chemicals on in vitro

proliferative responses of human and rodent lymphocytes.

Lang DS, Meier KL, Luster MI.

Environmental Immunity Section, National Institute of

Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina

27709.

In order to determine the comparability of human and rodent in

vitro systems, the direct effects of various therapeutic or

environmental chemicals on proliferative responses of lymphocytes of

mouse, rat, and human origins were examined and analyzed by a detailed

statistical approach. Four compounds of diverse structure and

mechanism of action which are known to impair lymphocyte

transformation, such as hydroquinone, T-2 toxin, lead nitrate, as well

as the widely used immunosuppressive drug cyclosporin A, were chosen

as model test substances. T cells were stimulated by

phytohaemagglutinin as well as monoclonal antibodies directed at the T

cell receptor/CD3 complex, while B cells were activated by the

T-independent mitogens, including Staphylococcus aureus cells,

Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide, and Salmonella typhimurium

mitogen with specificity for human, mouse, and rat lymphocytes,

respectively. In almost all cases the chemicals altered

lymphoproliferative responses in a concentration-related manner in all

three species. In general, overall similarities in the relative

sensitivity of lymphoblastogenesis were obtained when the human

dose-response curves were compared to the rodent response curves.

Frequent, statistically significant species-dependent discrepancies of

the overall response curves between mice and rats were observed.

Large, statistically significant differences were observed for

inorganic lead, revealing obvious divergences of the effect patterns

in all cases, across all species. In this case, rodent species,

especially the rat, were very sensitive to immunomodulation by lead,

whereas human cells were relatively resistant. It is suggested that

direct interspecies comparisons of immunological effects due to

chemical treatment in vitro can provide a greater understanding of the

relationship between animal and human data, which will improve the

confidence of extrapolation from findings in laboratory animals to

human health risk.

.....

There are lots more...

On 7/31/07, LiveSimply <quackadillian@...> wrote:

> Mycotoxins can make people immunocompromised just as badly as AIDS does!

>

> A toxicologist told me that.

>

[Guest guest]

These articles talk about the lawsuits but I don't hear about many

myself. I know I called a Florida lawyer once that goes on the

toxlaw site and asked about lawyers in Florida and they knew of one.

That is in Florida. I was calling for someone else. I am sure there is

only maybe on one in my state. And when I was looking around 2000 for a

tenant lawyer there was only one in my state just for landlord

issues, not mold.

>

> Seems to me he thinks that mold victims are frauds, or somehow

> misguided in their belief's about mold related illness. And that the

> lawyers are capitalizing on this hysteria. Can't imagine where he got

> this notion. I think he sited a few sources in his article, ACOEM,

> AAAAI, etc.

>

[Guest guest]

I was told by someone who is in a position to know that the in CA at least,

the high cost of bringing in expert witnesses means that ALL RENTERS MOLD

LAWSUITS NOMATTER HOW NASTY THE SITUATION are pretty much refused

(tactfully) by lawyers because the amount of damages that they would be

likely to be able to win, vs. the cost (why is it so expensive, it isn't

rocket science!)

chances of losing make nobody's life worth their time.

In other words, if you live in California (or New York, or Florida, or ...)

and don't own a million dollar home that was ruined by mold don't expect to

be able to get a lawyer nomatter how badly you were injured..

In other words, bad landlords can just do whatever they want to poor

people.. forever... with no fear of punishment!!

This is just one person's opinion but it was an extremely knowledgeable

person's opinion, somebody who is on this list. (who didn't want to be

quoted by name)

[Guest guest]

Huh -

I don't think that was me you're quoting, but that person's comment is

consistent with my experience trying to find representation for someone who was

killed from his mold exposure in a California apt.

The mother of the deceased has funded extensive pathology and -even with it-

she's having a hard time getting representation... without it, the only person

we've found who would take the case on contingency was only interested in

settling, he didn't give a crap how much science we had to prove what took place

- There's a real plague of attys out there who take cases with the intension of

getting a quick settlement for whatever is thrown at them by the defense without

breaking a sweat by developing the case. That's not helpful in the pursuit of

anything akin to 'justice' in the particular instance, let alone social change

that protects others. Settlement means secrecy agreements about what

transpired, and my friend's intention is to get the story out as a caution to

others not to take hush money.

~Haley

LiveSimply <quackadillian@...> wrote: I

was told by someone who is in a position to know that the in CA at least,

the high cost of bringing in expert witnesses means that ALL RENTERS MOLD

LAWSUITS NOMATTER HOW NASTY THE SITUATION are pretty much refused

(tactfully) by lawyers because the amount of damages that they would be

likely to be able to win, vs. the cost (why is it so expensive, it isn't

rocket science!)

chances of losing make nobody's life worth their time.

In other words, if you live in California (or New York, or Florida, or ...)

and don't own a million dollar home that was ruined by mold don't expect to

be able to get a lawyer nomatter how badly you were injured..

In other words, bad landlords can just do whatever they want to poor

people.. forever... with no fear of punishment!!

This is just one person's opinion but it was an extremely knowledgeable

person's opinion, somebody who is on this list. (who didn't want to be

quoted by name)

[Guest guest]

, you say 'when you inhaled' do you mean just a single exposure?

Or do you mean that you were exposed in one apartment or one job or one..

???

How long did the exposure last, I guess is what I meant to say..

[Guest guest]

Yes my imune system was compromised, just borderline whatever that

means. The infectious disease doctor said yeast won't hurt you and

go on a low carb diet and then they released me. I was only 95 lbs

at the time. I have a report from Dr. Johanning when I went to him

in 2000. Did others get a report. I was never really told what

everything meant since he resigned right after I went but he did

sent a report after I sent 250.00 that I wasn't supposed to have to

pay other than the office visit. And sent samples to P & K Labs and I

never fully was explained what that report meant since the office was

very busy at the time. Can anyone translate some of it. I thought I

was going to all the best doctors and sent my samples to the best

lab, but I am still without help. Dr. Johanning wanted me to get

sporanax but he resigned and my local doctors were afraid. I looked

today and the aspergillus fum. mold was in my blood but not the

report from P & K Labs even though there was other aspergillus and a

small portion of stachybotrus. I am about to go to new doctor that

lets you pay by your income but it still is more than I can afford.

And of cours make too much for assistance. I am afraid it is too late

now. ---

[Guest guest]

AMEN, SUE!! I was completely healthy, when I inhaled toxic mold, & NOW you

should see me!!

It's CRIMINAL, what some people are getting away with!! :>(

God bless,

Re: [] Re: Legalitis infects St. 's Medical Center

Mycotoxins can make people immunocompromised just as badly as AIDS does!

A toxicologist told me that.

So why do they keep saying that these issues are only suffered by

immunocompromosed people, if the toxins themselves can make them that way?

Something fishy is going on.