Re: Straus, Molds,Mycotoxins,and SBS

September 13, 2010

I have the full 20 page PDF of this interesting paper by Dr. Straus, saved on my

computer. It is not available, for free, from the journal publisher. If you

would like to receive a free copy, just email me: josephsalowitz@... - put

the words: " Dr. Straus " in the subject field of your email. Dr. Straus is the

" granddaddy " of mold and mycotoxin research. [i don't mean chronological age, as

our own wonderful Dr. Thrasher has pointed out to me that " I am a kid " at my age

of 67] He is one of the few people who has had research published in

peer-reviewed journals, and is very friendly to our cause. Email me directly, to

get the paper, as I don't want to clog up this board with requests.

God Bless, Joe

............................................

>

> Molds, mycotoxins, and sick building syndrome

> C Straus

> Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas, USA,

david.straus@...

> Abstract

> The following is a review of some of the work we have done since 2004

regarding the importance of molds and their mycotoxins in the phenomenon of sick

building syndrome (SBS). In these studies we showed that the macrocyclic

trichothecene mycotoxins (MTM) of Stachybotrys chartarum (SC) are easily

dissociated from the surface of the organism as it grows and could therefore be

consequently spread in buildings as the fungus experiences additional water

events. We then showed that SC and Penicillium chrysogenum (PC) colonies remain

viable long after a water source has been removed, and the MTM produced by SC

remain toxic over extended periods of time. We next showed that PC when inhaled,

can release in vivo, a protease allergen that can cause a significant allergic

inflammatory reaction in the lungs of mice. We then showed, in a laboratory

study, that the MTM of SC can become airborne attached to spores or SC

particulates smaller than spores. Following that study, we next showed that the

same phenomenon actually occurred in SC infested buildings where people were

complaining of health problems potentially associated with SBS. Finally, we were

able to demonstrate the presence of MTM in the sera of individuals who had been

exposed to SC in indoor environments. This last study was done with enough mold

exposed individuals to allow for the statistical significance of SC exposure to

be evaluated.

>

>

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