MCSA NEWS
– Online Edition
April 2009, Volume
4, Issue 4
Entire PDF Edition: http://mcs-america.org/april2009.pdf (View, Download, and
Print)
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
The Economy Versus
Human Health What’s the Price
Applying for Disability Benefits for
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
Litigation
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Diagnosis and
Treatment Part 3 Treatment
Welcome to Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Time to Look at Your Home in a Different
Light
Proposed Treatment of Light, Sound, Touch, and
Electromagnetic Field Sensitivity
Fast Metabolism Linked to Chronic Fatigue
Syndrome
Toxic Chemicals Emitted by Scented Laundry
Detergents and Fabric Softener
Q&A
Clipping the Olfactory Nerve
Toxic Exposures Linked to Mental Health
Low Amino Acids Linked to Fibromyalgia
Letters to the Editor:
Denny Foil
The
Economy versus Human Health
What’s
the Price?
In their valiant attempts to fix the economy,
leaders must consider the most financially viable approach in the long
term. Simply throwing money at failing
auto and bank industries does not solve the problem and fails to achieve big
picture thinking.
Americans live in a society in which industry
is given a lot of clout. As a whole,
industry is viewed as keeping families working and warding off poverty. Yet, a closer look reveals that this
perception may be deceptive. Industry
may be contributing greatly to poverty, home loss, and national financial ruin.
The total spent on health care in 2007 was
2.4 trillion, or nearly $8,000 per person.
Representing 17 percent of the gross domestic product, health care
spending is expected to double to $4.3 trillion by 2017.[1] This represents 20% of GDP. [1]
Currently, 1.5 million families lose their
homes annually due to elevated health care expenses.[1]
A large percentage of health care costs
may be attributed to environmental exposures from industry manufacturing and
products. Cumulative societal costs of
exposure to toxic substances is calculated to be as high as $793 billion
dollars annually.[2] Neurodevelopment
disorders have been linked to the environment and calculated to cost as much as
$167 billion annually.[3]
Manufacturing
Living in an industrialized society, a
wide variety of hazardous contaminants are released to the environment from
industrial sources which have the potential to impact human health. Some commonly used household products found
in every home also contain toxic chemicals.
Industrial and consumer products which
have been linked to health deterioration include:
Bisphenol A
Lead
Formaldehyde
Mercury
Pesticides
Herbicides
Fungicides
Fragrance Chemicals
Flame Retardants
Petroleum Products
Plastics
Children’s Toys
Dry Cleaning Chemicals
Laundry Products
“The chemical industry often uses non-profit front groups with pleasant
sounding names, neutral-appearing third party spokespeople, and
science-for-hire studies to try to convince others of the safety of their
products,” says Ann McCampbell, MD. “This helps
promote the appearance of scientific objectivity, hide the biased and
bottom-line driven agenda of the chemical industry.”[6]
Vaccines
The pharmaceutical companies have free
reign to medicate the nation’s children with vaccine additives which enhance
their profit while simultaneously appearing to giving rise to many chronic
illnesses and deaths.
“It was the pharmaceutical industry that
told Congress in 1982 that they were going to leave the nation without vaccines
if they didn't get liability protection. but have opposed making it less
difficult for vaccine victims to obtain federal compensation in the U.S. Court
of Claims under a 1986 law that gave them liability protection.”[1] It is this liability protection that makes it
impossible to sue manufacturers when a vaccine damages a child’s health.
There are few studies published
which call into question vaccine safety and those which support vaccine
efficacy are frequently misleading. Publication
in prestigious journals is associated with industry funding, and this
association is not explained by study quality or size.[1]
“Poor methodological quality
was associated with a discrepancy between results and conclusions, and this in
turn was associated with optimistic conclusions in non-government sponsored
studies,” says Tom Jefferson, M.D., Ph.D.[4]
The vaccine industry scooped up $10
billion in annual sales in 2005 and is estimated to reach $15 billion by the
2010.[5]
Balancing the Scales
Anticipated billions of dollars of
industry profits seem inviting until the trillions of dollars of health care
costs are considered. While the job
industry can provide seems economically advantageous, people are becoming
poisoned by those profits. The human
body can stand up to just so much poison before it succumbs and all those
profits are unreachable from a hospital bed when they are most direly needed.
How much more are American taxpayers
willing to pour into failing industries when industry survival depends on
declining human health which leads to future economic crisis?
For a little more cost and effort,
products can be made safer. That little
cost will pay off in the long run in saved health care costs.
References
1. Fisher, BL. Vaccine
Studies: Under the Influence of Pharma.
Vaccine Awakening.
February 2009.
2.
Muir, T, & Zegarac, M (2001). Societal costs of exposure to toxic
substances: Economic and health costs of four case studies that are candidates
fro environmental causation. Environmental Health Perspectives. 109:6, 885-903.
3. Szpir, M
(2006). New thinking on
neurodevelopment. Environmental
Health Perspectives. 114:2, A100-A107.
4. Jefferson, T. (2009) Relation of study quality, concordance, take
home message, funding, and impact in studies of influenza vaccines: systematic
review. BMJ 2009;338:b354 doi:10.1136/bmj.b354.
5. Costello, D (2007). Vaccine industry is being revived.
6. McCampbell
(2001). Multiple Chemical Sensitivities
Under Siege. Townsend Letter for Doctors and
Patients. Issue 210, January2001.
Applying
for Disability Benefits for Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
Litigation
Michael Walkup,
Attorney at Law
For those of you who missed it, in my
previous articles in this series I discussed disability insurance plans and
workers compensation benefits claims for people who have developed MCS/EI. Before going into a detailed discussion of
Social Security Disability, I wanted to touch on one more potential option for
recovery, namely litigation.
Litigation, as used here,
refers to lawsuits against individuals, corporate, or governmental entities
that may be responsible for inflicting some insult which triggered or aggravated
an MCS/EI condition. These would be
similar in concept to suing the person who rear ended your vehicle while you
were stopped for the traffic signal.
What you are trying to show is that you were injured because the other
party was ‘negligent’. Negligence means
the doing of something that a reasonable person would not have done under the
circumstances, or the failure to do something that a reasonable person would
have done under the circumstances.
There is also another concept
known in the products liability field of ‘strict liability’ where a maker of an
‘unreasonably dangerous’ product may be responsible regardless of actual
negligence. Governmental bodies, such
as municipalities, state governments, the federal government, etc., on the
other hand, have ‘qualified immunity’ in which they are immune from liability
unless they have acted with ‘gross negligence’ or were ‘willful and
wanton’. This can also mean that they
acted with a ‘reckless disregard’ of the consequences of their actions or
inactions.
Contrary to popular belief,
there is no such thing as someone being liable automatically if there is an
injury ‘on their property’. You still
have to prove that they were negligent.
Finally, in order to become
liable for an injury, the other party has to have owed a ‘legal duty’ to the
person who was injured to avoid injuring them.
If you produce or sell a product, sell or rent a house to someone, or
take your car out on the roadways, you owe a duty to anyone who might
reasonably be expected to become injured if you are negligent.
One question I get a lot is
“Can I sue the doctor that the insurance company sent me to for an
examination?” Basically , no. A doctor who examines you for the purpose of
a claim or lawsuit, or to qualify you for insurance, does not owe you a “duty”
in terms of medical malpractice or negligence and cannot be sued by you if
he/she, for example, exposes you to something to which you are sensitive and
makes you worse. The insurance company that sent you there might, if they know
about your condition, be liable. But,
not the doctor. If you were sent to the
doctor by the government, such as for a Social Security Disability claim, the
government is immune and cannot be sued.
You also can’t file a lawsuit for anything
that is covered under the workers compensation laws of your state. What this means is that if you were injured
or exposed at work, you cannot sue your employer in court. You are limited to going through the workers
compensation system in your state and are limited to the types of benefits that
are payable there. The up side to this
is that you don’t have to prove negligence in a workers compensation
claim. More is covered on this in my
previous article.
You may, however, be able to
sue a ‘third party’ even if your injury or exposure was work related. A third party would be someone other than
your employer who may have been negligent and whose negligence may have caused
or contributed to the problem. An
example of this would be if your employer rents space in a building, but does
not own the building, and you develop problems associated with “sick building
syndrome”. You can then sue the owner of the building. Even if your employer
does own the building, you might be able to sue the builder or the architect,
or both. This is what happened in the
county courthouse building I described in the last article.
Such a suit would be in
addition to any workers compensation claim you may have. There would also not be any offset of the
settlement per
se. But, the responsible party would have to
reimburse the workers compensation carrier for a portion of the benefits paid,
which can reduce your end of the recovery.
Mold Cases
Mold cases have been more
successful but you may have difficulty tying the mold exposure to a more global
sensitivity to general environmental exposures or proving that you became
completely disabled from the mold exposure.
I will be taking up the medical/legal issues further in a later article.
Product Cases
There have been a lot of cases
involving various products, especially pharmaceuticals. Usually these are done as class actions so
that the huge expert witness expenses can be spread out over a large number of
cases. Again, good luck in showing that
you have developed a sensitivity to perfumes from a pill you took, and which
prevents you from working for the rest of your life and forces you to live in a
tent in the desert. But, some type of
recovery may be possible on at least a limited basis.
Federal Court
You want to stay completely out
of federal court if you have MCS/EI that you are trying to tie to something to
which you were exposed.
The issues of what causes what,
and whether you can develop a more generalized impairment from exposure to some
particular thing, are hard enough, but the federal courts impose an evidentiary
rule which they made up a few years ago that makes it virtually impossible to
do anything on a chemical sensitivity case.
The rule to which I am
referring came out of a case in which the plaintiff’s name was Daubert and is therefore now called the Daubert
Rule.
The purpose of this was to limit what
was referred to as “junk science” from the federal courts. It requires that before any expert evidence
is admissible, it has to be shown to be generally accepted in the medical or
scientific community.
It is very easy for people
defending these cases to find an expert who will say that MCS/EI is not
generally accepted, and that anyone who attempts to treat it and says otherwise
is a quack and charlatan. Once this
happens, the case pretty much is over unless you can bring in other types of
evidence from other sources or call the condition something else.
Again, it is important that you
consult with an attorney in your state on any particular litigation case you
think you may have as these are often matters of state law which may vary. There have been some success stories in
recent years, so there may be some hope.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Diagnosis and Treatment
Part
3 Treatment
Treatment
All people with CFS are physically
impaired. The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention cites that roughly half of people with CFS partially
recover, some returning to work and others growing progressively more
disabled.[1,19] The sooner a patient is
diagnosed and treated, the better the chances of recovery.[1,10]
Because CFS is a multi-system illness, it
is important to address more than one symptom at a time. Treatment options include pharmacologic, nutitional,
and alternative therapies along with managing activity levels.
Pharmacologic Treatments
There is no specific drug for treating chronic fatigue syndrome.[1,19] Specific symptoms may be treated with
pharmacologic medications.[1,19]
However, there are guidelines which should be exercised.[1,19]
A
greatly reduced dosage of ¼ to ½ of the normal dosage is recommended as
patients with CFS are often highly sensitive to pharmacologic interventions.
The least number of drugs possible should
be used to avoid drug interaction. In
some cases, a single drug may act on multiple symptoms.
Drugs should be aimed at correcting the
cause of symptoms.
Patients should be monitored for side
effects, particularly those which may cause cognitive problems.
Remember that one drug may not work for
every CFS patient.
Medscape provides a detailed chart with by symptom
with suggested drugs and dosages. It can
be downloaded online from :
http://images.medscape.com/pi/editorial/clinupdates/2008/17442/table1.pdf.
It provides drug suggestions for
symptoms ranging from sleep problems, anticonvulsants, cognitive problems,
muscle tension, restless leg syndrome, orthostatic intolerance, and pain to
antidepressants.
Nutritional Treatment
Research indicates that malabsorption and
deficiencies in a variety of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and other
nutrients may play a role in CFS.[19,20,21,46].
Basic guidelines for nutritional treatment include:
·
Test
for nutitional deficiencies, particularly in vitamins B, D, C, E, magnesium,
sodium, zinc, essential fatty acids, folic acid, tryptophan,
carnitine, and CoQ10.[22]
·
Be
aware that borderline results of nutrients may be exacerbating or mimicking CFS
symptoms.[19]
·
Maintaining
a well balanced diet and taking a multi-vitamin are recommended.
·
Be
sure that all supplements taken are noted in the patient file and monitor for
negative drug interactions.
·
Avoid
foods and chemicals for which sensitivity exists.
Nutrition therapy with certain agents that
down-regulate the nitric oxide and peroxynitrite (NO/ONOO-) cycle of
biochemistry has also been recommended.[23]
The following agents have been predicted to be useful to down-regulate
the NO/ONOO- cycle and reduce symptoms in clinical trials:[23]
Nebulized Inhaled Reduced Glutathione (RX Only)
Nebulized Inhaled Hyroxocobalamin (RX Only)
Mixed Natural Tocopherols
Buffered Vitamin C
Magnesium as Malate
Four Different Flavonoid Sources:
Ginkgo Biloba Extract, Cranberry Extract, Silymarin, & Bilberry Extract
Selenium as Selenium-Grown Yeast
Coenzyme Q10
Folic Acid
Carotenoids Including Lycopene, Lutein and Alpha-carotene
Alpha-Lipoic acid
Zinc (modest dose)
Manganese (low dose)
Copper (low dose)
Vitamin B6 in the Form of Pyridoxal Phosphate
Riboflavin 5’-Phosphate (FMN)
Betaine (Trimethylglycine)
Green Tea Extract
Acetyl L-Carnitine
Alternative Treatment
Alternative therapies have been shown to
decrease symptoms and increase function in some people with CFS.[19] Massage, healing touch, hydrotherapy, and
acupuncture for example, can help to reduce pain, relieve fatigue, and improve
balance.[19] Suggestions for alternative
therapies:
·
Research
the therapy to ensure it is safe and effective.
·
Keep
an open mind to alternative therapies.
·
Keep
exercise and movement therapy within tolerance.
Manage Activity
Symptoms generally worsen after
exertion.[1,26]. The key to avoiding a
fatigue “crash” is managing activity.[1,24,25]
Excessive physical or mental exercise is counter productive and may lead
to a relapse.[27,28] Suggestions for
managing activity level[1,24,25,27,2829,30,31]:
·
Avoid
extreme exercise.
·
Avoid
mentally stressful work and encounters.
·
Aim
for balance and moderation by pacing to manage energy and avoid the push/crash
cycle. View available energy like a
reserve which goes bankrupt when it runs out.
·
Experiment
to find the optimal amount of exertion which won’t cause a relapse.
Some patients are too ill to exert themselves at
all. Severe patients may be bed bound
and should not be encouraged to push themselves beyond their capabilities.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Chronic Fatigue
Syndrome. 2008, November 18.
Retrieved January 21, 2009, from FirstGov
-- The
- Nisenbaum R, Jones JF, Unger ER, Reyes M, Reeves
WC. A population based study of the clinical course of chronic fatigue
syndrome. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2003;1:49.
- Buchwald D, Pearlman T, Umali J, Schmaling K, Katon W. Functional status in patients with chronic
fatigue syndrome. Am J Med. 1996;101:364-370.
- Christodoulou C, DeLuca
J, Lange G, et al. Relation between neuropsychological impairment and
functional disability in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatr. 1998;64:431-434.
- Reeves WC, Jones JF, Maloney E, et al. Prevalence of
chronic fatigue syndrome in metropolitan, urban, and rural
- Reyes M, Nisenbaum
R,
- Jones JF, Nisenbaum
R, Solomon L, Reyes M, Reeves WC. Chronic fatigue syndrome and other
fatiguing illnesses in adolescents: a population based study. J Adolesc Health. 2004;35:34-40.
- Myhill S,
- Lombardi VC, Redelman D,
- Sairenji T, Nagata K. Viral infections
in chronic fatigue syndrome] Nippon Rinsho. 2007
Jun;65(6):991-6.
- Lorusso L, Mikhaylova SV, Capelli E, Ferrari D, Ngonga
GK, Ricevuti G. Immunological aspects of
chronic fatigue syndrome. Autoimmun Rev.
2009 Feb;8(4):287-91. Epub 2008 Sep 16.
- Barker E, Fujimura SF,
- Mihaylova
I, DeRuyter M, Rummens
JL, Bosmans E, Maes
M. Decreased expression of CD69 in chronic fatigue syndrome in
relation to inflammatory markers: evidence for a severe disorder in the
early activation of T lymphocytes and natural killer cells. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2007 Aug;28(4):477-83.
- Van Den Eede F, Moorkens G, Van Houdenhove
B, Cosyns P, Claes
SJ. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function in chronic fatigue
syndrome. Neuropsychobiology.
2007;55(2):112-20. Epub 2007 Jun 27.
- Cleare
AJ. The HPA axis and the genesis of chronic fatigue syndrome.
Trends Endocrinol Metab.
2004 Mar;15(2):55-9.
- Gaab J, Hüster D, Peisen R, Engert V, Heitz V, Schad T, Schürmeyer TH, Ehlert U. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis
reactivity in chronic fatigue syndrome and health under psychological,
physiological, and pharmacological stimulation. Psychosom
Med. 2002 Nov-Dec;64(6):951-62.
- Maes M. Inflammatory and oxidative and nitrosative stress pathways underpinning chronic
fatigue, somatization and psychosomatic
symptoms. Curr Opin
Psychiatry. 2009 Jan;22(1):75-83.
- Harmon, M. Bateman L, Lapp C, McCleary
KK. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: From Diagnosis to Management
CME/CE. Medscape. October 9, 2008.
- Reeves
WC, Jones JF, Maloney E, et al. Prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome in
metropolitan, urban, and rural
- Reyes
M, Nisenbaum R,
- Werbach MR. Nutritional strategies for treating
chronic fatigue syndrome. Altern Med Rev.
2000;5:93-108.
- Pall
ML. Explaining “Unexplained Illnesses”: Disease Paradigm for Chronic
Fatigue Syndrome, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Fibromyalgia, Post-Traumatic
Stress Disorder, Gulf War Syndrome and Others. Hawthorn Medical Press. 2007.
- Rimes
KA, Chalder T. Treatments for chronic fatigue
syndrome. Occup Med. 2005;55:32-39.
- Whiting
P, Bagnall A, Sowden
A, Cornell J, Mulrow C, Ramirez G. Interventions
for the treatment and management of chronic fatigue syndrome. JAMA.
2001;286:1360-1368.
- Komaroff AL, Buchwald D. Symptoms and signs of chronic fatigue syndrome. Rev Infect Dis. 1991;13(suppl 1)S8-S11.
- Bailey SP. Chronic fatigue
syndrome. In: ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise
Testing and Prescription.
- McCully KK, Sisto SA, Natelson BH. Use
of exercise for treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome. Sports Med.
1996;21:35-48.
- Lloyd
AR. To exercise or not to exercise in chronic fatigue syndrome? No longer
a question. Med J Aust. 2004;180:437-438.
- Wallman, KE, Morton AR, Goodman C, Grove R, Guilfoyle AM. Randomized controlled trial of graded exercise in chronic fatigue syndrome. Med J Aust. 2004;180:444-448.
Chemicals Affect All of Us
I’m desensitized.
I have a strong immune system.
It’ll never happen to me.
These are words that people
with multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) frequently hear from others when they
explain their condition, request an accommodation, and look out for others by
advocating for policy changes to reduce public chemical exposures. People with MCS explain that ubiquitous
chemicals in our environment affect everyone and no one is immune.
We may all just one scintilla
of a breath away from developing MCS.
Most of us deny that this is possible.
People with MCS must be susceptible, damaged in some way, or have a family
history of MCS.
Now research is showing that
occupational exposure to dust, gases, and fumes does affect people the same
irregardless of family history.
Researchers in
High exposure to various
sources of dust, gas, and fumes was attributed to 35% of the symptoms
reported. Further, this applied to both
those with and without a family history of asthma.
The researchers conclude that,
“that the relative risk of occupational exposure to pollutants is similar for
both persons with and those without a family history of asthma.”
People with MCS are right on
when it comes to chemical exposure. We
should all be more careful to avoid chemicals, particularly fragrances,
cleaning chemicals, pesticides, and herbicides.
Fortunately, most of these products are not required in day-to-day life.
Yet, we use them regularly.
Perhaps it’s time to look at
safer alternatives that get the job done just as well.
Many food grade items such as vinegar and
baking soda do and excellent job of cleaning.
Fragrances are totally unnecessary in any
product and may be reserved for special events.
Herbicides can be eliminated by simply
pulling weeds when they begin to grow.
Pesticides often contribute to insect
problems and eliminating their use in favor of natural alternatives can not
only be healthier, but also do a better job of eliminating and preventing
infestations.
Reference
Hedlund U, Rönmark E,
Eriksson K, Lundbäck B, Järvholm
B. Occupational exposure to dust, gases
and fumes, a family history of asthma and impaired respiratory health. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2008 Oct;34(5):381-6.
Welcome to Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
Time
to Look at Your Home in a Different Light
Intro and Outside
For many people who have had
MCS for some time, they have slowly made their living space their sanctuary.
For those who are newly diagnosed, whether by a medical professional or
themselves, things are going to be different and need to be for you to stay as
well as possible. That means looking at your home in a different light. This
series of articles will walk through the kinds of elements that I look for in a
healthy house and where the potential problems lie within a home. We will focus
on the sneaky things that you may have missed in your own process as well.
Write Everything Down
Start a journal about all of
this stuff in your home. Even the best of us forget stuff, so writing it down
or typing it in a journal are key to staying on top of things and remembering
what still needs research, personal testing, or removal.
Write down all the issues that
you remember about the house, such as plumbing leaks, roof leaks, the time the
kids stuffed their toys down the toilet and it overflowed... all of it. I’ve
had people tell me all the time that it wasn’t a lot of water in the basement,
just an inch or so. Wrong! That’s a stupendous amount of water, so it is a big
deal. Write it all down. Has the house ever been in a fire? Did the former
owner have pets (and maybe fleas)? Did they/you spray pesticides outside or
inside? If you don’t know about past owners ask the neighbors, as there is
always someone around who remembers and watches everything.
Outside
Beginning with pictures of your home is
helpful. It’s a way to look back on what was in a few years and see the
differences, with hopefully more good improvements and less ongoing bad things.
It also helps to catalogue stuff and email it off to others to look through.
Checking Google Earth for your house is helpful as
well. Pictures of your neighborhood show what is going on around you. Didn’t know
that auto shop was upwind of you? Now you do.
Many large urban centers have a “Right To
Know” policy which means that even small businesses such as auto body shops or
welding shops have to tell local government what they are doing and what they
are exhausting into the air. Know thy enemy, and track them. If there is no
policy in place, get together with neighbors and start on that.
Do your downspouts and grading drain water
away from the building, or does water run towards it? Running towards it puts a
tremendous amount of hydrostatic pressure on the building, so make sure that
this isn’t the case. Extra water pressure on the basement walls means water
will eventually get in. Don’t let that happen.
Does snow build up on the roof
anywhere, such as behind a chimney? Does water run effectively along your eaves
trough to the downspouts? All important questions in how the building sheds
moisture. Getting outside in a good rainstorm can answer a lot of questions,
including whether your boots leak! Seriously though, watch where the water does
and doesn’t go, and you will know where to regrade.
Windows and Doors
While outside, check the
condition of the caulking of your windows. Can you stick your nail into the
caulking? If it’s too brittle or stiff, then you will need new caulking. This
is an important issue as the connection points such as windows to walls is
often a failure point in buildings. Water, water vapor, air, and conditioned
air all move between this point. Dumping moist air into a wall system is
generally frowned upon as it can lead to water damage and mold. The old
caulking will have to be removed and replaced with zero VOC (Volatile Organic
Compound) caulking. See past articles on how to carry that out. Inspect your
weather stripping on the doors as well. We can’t have moisture as stated above
intrude, nor can we have odors from outside coming in. A good weather stripping
is important for air quality and energy efficiency. To test whether it’s
working, run some chalk around the door edge and close it tightly. Now open it
up and see where it’s made contact with the weather stripping, as the chalk
should have transferred. Adjust the weather stripping if possible. If it didn’t touch or you can’t adjust it,
pull it off and replace. This point is paramount when we have an attached
garage.
Garages
Attached garages are a serious health
concern. It takes roughly 8 hours to remove all the chemicals in the garage
when a garage door is opened, a car is started and immediately driven out and
the door closed. 8 Hours! Just in time for you to come home and repeat the
process. The quicker way to clear out the toxins is to depressurize the space.
That’s done two ways, one with a bathroom fan wired into the door opener to run
for 15 minutes or so after the door closes. The second more popular way to
depressurize the garage is to open the interior door of the house. The stack
effect of the building will draw the garage air into the house, chemicals and
all. If you can, don’t use this door at all. If you do, then the weather
stripping seal must be inspected regularly and install an exhaust fan.
By taking a good look at the outside of
your home, and the neighbors around you, you can catalogue a fair amount of
information and begin the process of understanding how your local outside
environment can impact your health and the soundness of your building. Keeping
good notes of everything you see and asking questions about it is the best way
to find, identify and remove environmental triggers in your surroundings. In
the next issue we will move inside and begin the process of looking at the
inside of your house.
Stephen Collette is a Building Biology
Environmental Consultant and LEED accredited professional, an Energy Star
trained evaluator, and has used almost all the green building guidelines in
some form or another. Stephen owns Your Healthy House, and is living with his
family in Lakefield, Ontario.
705-652-5159
Proposed Treatment of Light, Sound,
Touch, And Electromagnetic Field Sensitivity
Suzanne Fisher
Amino acids are the raw nutrients needed
to manufacture neurotransmitters.
Neurotransmitters are chemicals that
are used to relay, amplify and modulate electrical signals between a neuron and
another cell. The three major categories of substances that act as
neurotransmitters are:
1. amino
acids (primarily glutamic acid, GABA, aspartic acid
& glycine),
2. peptides
(vasopressin, somatostatin, neurotensin,
etc.) and
3. monoamines
(norepinephrine, dopamine & serotonin) plus acetylcholine.
The major "workhorse"
neurotransmitters of the brain are glutamic acid
(=glutamate) and GABA. The monoamines & acetylcholine perform specialized
modulating functions, often confined to specific structures. The peptides
perform specialized functions in the hypothalamus or act as co-factors
elsewhere in the brain.
What do neurotransmitters do?
Neurotransmitters help regulate pain, reduce anxiety, promote happiness,
initiate deep sleep, and boost energy and mental clarity. The neurotransmitters
that cause excitatory reactions are known as catecholamines.
Catecholamines, epinephrine, and norepinepherine
(adrenaline) are derived from the amino acid phenylalanine. Inhibitory or
relaxing neurotransmitters include serotonin and gamma-aminobutyric
acid (GABA). The neurotransmitter
serotonin is produced from the amino acid tryptophan.
GABA is produced from the amino aid glutamine.
Sound sensitivity, light
sensitivity, touch sensitivity, and EMF sensitivity – are they related?
It is believed that sound
sensitivity is caused by serotonin imbalance. Researchers at the
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have also determined that
serotonin decreases the body’s sensitivity to light. Since people who
have sensitivity to both light and sound often have touch sensitivity and EMF
sensitivity, it is reasonable to hypothesize that these neurally mediated
symptoms are all related to serotonin deficiency.
Proposed treatment of sound, light,
touch and EMF sensitivity
The neurotransmitter serotonin is produced from the amino acid tryptophan, which is no longer allowed to be sold over the
counter. However, 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan) is the direct precursor to
serotonin, and is available at most stores that carry supplements. 5-HTP is
usually sourced from the seeds of the Griffonia Simplicifolia plant. Production of 5-HTP as a supplement
increased when L-tryptophan was banned in the
5-HTP has many advantages over L-tryptophan.
Besides being safer to produce and arguably more potent, it easily crosses the
blood-brain barrier and effectively increases central nervous system (CNS)
synthesis of serotonin. Its role as an intermediary in the biosynthesis of
serotonin indicates that this chemical may indeed be effective in treating
serotonin-related disorders.
Intestinal absorption of 5-HTP does not require the
presence of a transport molecule, and is not affected by the presence of other
amino acids; therefore it may be taken with meals without reducing its
effectiveness.
Amino acids are the "building blocks" of the body.
Besides building cells and repairing tissue, they form antibodies to combat
invading bacteria & viruses. They are part of the enzyme and hormonal
system, they build nucleoproteins (RNA & DNA), they carry oxygen throughout
the body, and they participate in muscle activity. When protein is broken down
by digestion, the result is 22 known amino acids. Eight are essential (meaning
they cannot be manufactured by the body) and the rest are non-essential (and
can be manufactured by the body with proper nutrition).
Supplementation with amino acids has been shown to reduce
light, sound, touch and EMF sensitivity by making more of the “building blocks”
necessary for neurotransmitter formation available to the body.
Stress is an all-purpose term for anything that causes the body
to activate its “stress circuit,” the process designed to mitigate upsetting events.
When the brain receives a disturbing signal, the hypothalamus immediately
releases corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), which
causes the pituitary gland to release another hormone, adrenocorticotropin
(ACTH). ACTH tells the adrenal glands to release yet more hormones, including
cortisol, while related neurological signals stimulate the release of
epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine. These hormones place the
body in a ‘flight-or-fight syndrome’ in which the blood pressure, heart rate,
and body temperature rise; and the muscles get ready to tense. People
with a chronic illness tend to live in the ‘fight-or-flight syndrome’ all the
time.
Stress can exhaust the body’s mental and physical resources.
The body processes that occur during stress use up an inordinate amount of
nutrients, leaving the body nutritionally deficient. A nutritionally deficient
body does not have the resources (amino acids) necessary to make the critically
important neurotransmitters needed by the brain to prevent light, sound, touch,
and EMF sensitivity.
Other important nutrients for overcoming light, sound, touch
and EMF sensitivity include B-6, magnesium, and potassium. B-6 helps
transform tryptophan into serotonin. Magnesium
helps the brain release and absorb serotonin.
Editor’s
Note: This Article Is Reprinted with Permission
Fast Metabolism Linked to Chronic Fatigue
Syndrome
Most of us dream of having a fast
metabolism to keep the pounds off. But
we never dream of being so fatigued we cannot get out of bed after a perfectly
adequate night of sleep.
Scientists have discovered that people
with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) tend to have a faster metabolism and
accelerated blood flow when compared to those who don’t have CFS.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is an
illness primarily characterized by profound, debilitating fatigue which has
been ongoing for at least 6 months and is not relieved by rest. Other
symptoms include:
- Cognitive
difficulties, impaired memory, and poor concentration.
- Postexertional
malaise (exhaustion and increased symptoms) lasting more than 24 hours
following physical or mental exercise.
- Unrefreshing
sleep.
- Joint pain (without redness or swelling).
- Persistent muscle pain.
- Headaches of a new type or severity.
- Tender cervical or axillary
lymph nodes.
- Sore
throat.
The dramatic decline in activity
level and stamina is often severe enough to result in substantial occupational,
educational, and social limitations that lead to defining CFS as a major
functional impairment. At least one quarter of those afflicted are
either unemployed or on disability according to the Center's For Disease
Control and Prevention.
People with CFS are frequently exquisitely
sensitive to chemicals. CFS is believed
by some scientists to be in the multi-system illness family and have the same
cause as multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS).
The liver is responsible for the breakdown and elimination of chemicals
which enter the body.
An accelerated phase one liver
detoxification pathway has also been linked to multiple chemical
sensitivity. When phase one
detoxification is accelerated, a backup may occur in phase two. This is believed to cause the release of
toxic metabolic byproducts into the body.
These byproducts are believed to be responsible for fatigue, pain, and
other debilitating symptoms.
Maybe those few extra pounds are not so
bad after all!
Reference
Sakudo A, Kato YH, Tajima S, Kuratsune
H, Ikuta K. Visible and near-infrared
spectral changes in the thumb of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. Clin Chim Acta. 2009 Feb 25. [Epub ahead of print]
Toxic Chemicals Emitted by Scented Laundry
Detergents and Fabric Softener
Reference
Steinemann AC. Fragranced consumer
products and undisclosed ingredients. Environ Impact Asses Rev (2008),
doi:10.1016/j.eiar.2008.05.002.
http://www.ce.washington.edu/people/faculty/bios/documents/Steinemann2008.pdf
Q&A MCS and Natural Disaster
Q: How can
a person with MCS survive if they have to abandon their home in the event of a
natural disaster?
A: When disaster strikes, most shelters,
especially those which are hermetically sealed, would not be accessible to
people disabled by multiple chemical sensitivity. Special foods and medications may not be
readily available and qualified medical care may not be accessible. So, planning ahead is key.
Ideally, everything you need should fit
into one box or suitcase that can be carried with you at all times. If you drive, the kit could be left in the
trunk of your vehicle and will hence always be with you. If you don’t drive, a kit should be kept at
home, work/school, and extra supplies carried with you when you go out socially
and to run errands.
A good emergency preparedness kit
contains:
Medications
Supplements and Herbal Remedies
Non-perishable Food
First Aid Kit with Tolerated Supplies
Doctors Letter Stating You Have MCS
A List of Current Medications
A Change of Clothes
Safe Sheets and Blanket
Cash
Personal Safety Equipment (respirator, mask, and coveralls)
Personal Hygiene Kit
Water and a Portable Water Filter
Evacuation Plan
Phone List of Emergency Contacts
Anything else which you may need to survive
in your unique situation should be included.
Additional items to consider may be a tent, pillow, source of heat, and
cellular telephone.
Consider a worst case scenario where you
must flee the area and cannot find safe shelter. Make a list of several places where you could
safely camp out.
State parks often provide camp sites for a
minimal fee. It’s a good idea to
investigate these areas in advance by visiting so that you will know where you
can stay.
Bed and breakfast establishments may be
another option. Many offer safer
accommodations. Make a list of several
B&B’s in neighboring cities which you could seek shelter.
Contact friends and family with suitable
homes in nearby cities and make an agreement to temporarily house one another during
unforeseen disasters. That way you will
know you have someplace safe and free to go.
Preparing for an unforeseen disaster does
cost money. Don’t let that stop
you. If you can only squeeze out $10 a
month towards it, start preparing little by little. One month you can buy $10 worth of
non-perishable food supplies. The next
you could buy something else. It may be
slower that way, but you will be progressing towards a complete emergency kit
that may come in handy one day.
By preparing for the worst, you will
protect your health and come out on top!
Q&A Clipping
the Olfactory Nerve
Q: I have
multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) and someone suggested that I could get
better by having my olfactory nerve clipped so I can’t smell anything. Will that really make it so that I don’t
react to chemicals any longer?
Of course not! The person who made this suggestion clearly has not understood what MCS is.
Clipping the olfactory nerve as a way to treat MCS is
equivalent to telling a diabetic to have their taste buds cut off so they can't
taste sugar in the mistaken believe that eating sugar won't increase a person’s
blood sugar unless it can be tasted.
MCS is not a dislike of smells or sensitivity to smells. It's the toxic effects of chemicals in
fragrances, cleaners, and other products, not the smell, that causes the
symptoms of MCS.
Consider that a person with MCS is also
poisoned by toxic substances without a smell, such as natural gases and
“unscented” products which have chemicals added to mask scents and odors.
Being unable to smell will not stop a
person from inhaling a toxic substance.
It will only stop the ability to smell the substance. The toxic effects on health would still
persist.
Worse, not being able to smell would
render a person with MCS unable to avoid toxic substances.
The sense of smells serves as an alert to
people with MCS. Once alerted,
protective measures can be taken until it is determined whether the substance
in question is toxic or inert.
If the sense of smell is removed, one will
be unable to avoid such exposures and risks constant toxic effects of
substances without being able to identify and remove the cause.
Smelling provides the ability to be
alerted to potential problems before they arise. Therefore, it is of extreme value to people
with MCS.
It is often difficult for others to
understand why someone with MCS has a toxic reaction when they do not.
It may help to explain to these well
meaning people that chemicals can damage the liver, brain, and central nervous
system causing inflammation and biological changes in the body that lead to a
toxic buildup and reduced ability to
eliminate toxics. Once this occurs, MCS
develops.
Some people are genetically more
susceptible to developing MCS. Others
are not susceptible at all, but may suffer damage leading to MCS as a
result of acute or chronic chemical
exposure.
Toxic Exposures Linked to Mental Health
Many people diagnosed with mental illness
deny to vehement inanition that stress or anxiety is the cause of their
ills.
Now science shows that patients labeled as
being “in denial” or so “psychotic” that they can’t see the truth may be seeing
perfectly clear. Those labeled as
psychosomatic after expressing physical complaints, meaning that it’s all in
their head, may really be suffering.
Scientists are beginning to uncover
physical illnesses in toxic chemical exposure which manifest in the psychiatric
symptoms previously believed to be mental illnesses.
According to Stephen J. Genuis, MD, a Clinical Associate Professor at the
Researchers believe that the cause of some
mental health afflictions and some abnormal conduct is physical rather than
psychological.
Genuis says, “Various studies confirm that some
chemical toxicants which modify brain physiology have the potential to affect
mood, cognitive function, and to provoke socially undesirable outcomes.”
Genuis reports on a young man who presented with
psychiatric symptoms and diagnosis. The
young man frequently consumed tuna, which is high in the benefits of Omega
fatty acids. Despite its benefits, tuna
is also frequently contaminated with mercury. Mercury is known to accumulate in
brain tissue and to act as a neurotoxin.
When the young man
abstained from tuna and was medically chelated with DMSA (dimercaptosuccinic
acid), the psychiatric symptoms disappeared entirely.
This research study supports the need for
clinician’s to explore adverse exposure and toxicant body burden when patient’s
present with disordered thinking, moods, and behavior, particularly when the
patient denies feelings of stress or anxiety and complaints of other physical
symptoms.
There are a myriad of chemical agents in
the environment which bioaccumulate or build up, in
the body. Mercury is only one of
them. Human exposure assessment is
quickly becoming a clinically relevant need in medical investigation.
Genius says, “Increasing
evidence in the medical and scientific literature suggests that chemical exposure and resultant toxicant bioaccumulation are correlated with pathophysiology
in neurological development and brain function. Health professionals and other officials
should consider toxicant exposure and adverse chemical accumulation as a
potential determinant when individuals present with inexplicable mental health
problems or disordered behavior.”
Reference
Genuis SJ.
Toxicant Exposure and Mental Health-Individual, Social, and Public
Health Considerations. Forensic Sci. 2009 Jan 31.
Low Amino
Acids Linked to Fibromyalgia
People with fibromyalgia (FM) may suffer
from the inability to absorb amino acids.
Significantly low amino acid levels have been found in the blood
patients with fibromyalgia.
In malabsorption, nutrients are not
absorbed into the body for utilization.
This results in a deficiency which is not linked to poor diet.
Overall amino acid levels in test subjects
were very low, especially those of taurine, alanine, tyrosine, valine, methionine, phenylalanine, and threonine.
Scientists have also linked certain amino
acids to the clinical symptoms of fibromyalgia.
The lower the level of these certain amino acids, the more pain the
patient reports.
FM is a disease
process characterized by chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain,
non-restorative sleep, fatigue, headache, morning stiffness, poor memory,
difficulty concentrating, paresthesias (numbness and tingling) and overall
impaired functioning in both social and occupational settings.
The severity of the pain is typically
more constant than other forms of pain and may come and go rapidly, move around
to various parts of the body, and worsen with touch. For example, some
fibromyalgia patients find their own clothing against their skin painful,
particularly if it is tight clothing.
Fibromyalgia is the 2nd most common disorder seen by rheumatologists,
affecting roughly 2% of the population of the
Despite this new
discovery, taking amino acid supplements may not be
useful if they cannot be absorbed.
Additional research into the cause of
malabsorption is necessary to ascertain the reasons for low uptake. An amino acid profile can be prescribed to
determine and monitor amino acid levels.
Reference
Bazzichi L, Palego L, Giannaccini G, Rossi A, De Feo F,
Giacomelli C, Betti L, Giusti L, Bombardieri S, Lucacchini A.
Altered amino acid homeostasis in subjects affected by
fibromyalgia. Clin
Biochem. 2009 Mar 9. [Epub
ahead of print]
Letters
to the Editor
Denny Foil Now Available in Small
Quantities for MCS Use!
Dear MCS Community,
My name is Todd Newman; my
family owns Denny Wholesale Services, which manufactures Denny Foil. Denny Foil
is a non toxic radiant barrier that comes in a roll and can be used to cover
the floors, walls, and ceilings to prevent VOC (Volatile organic compounds) off
gassing. Denny Foil is used to seal off particleboard, plywood, and other
substances that cause emissions.
I receive about a dozen calls a
month from MCS sufferers. It has pained me to turn away those coping with MCS
because traditionally we only wholesale our products. We are pleased to
announce that for the first time in our 70+ year history we are shipping small
quantities of Denny Foil directly to the public! Denny Wholesale is sympathetic
to the MCS community and dedicated to improving your quality of life. From our
family to your community, we hope that we can meet your needs!
Please feel free to e-mail me todd@dennywholesale.com or call 800-327-6616
with any questions regarding Denny Foil.
From our family at Denny
Wholesale, we wish you health and thank you for your time!
Sincerely,
Todd M. Newman
Director of Business Development
Denny Wholesale Services
Toll Free Phone (800)
327-6616
Toll Free Fax (866) 543-5689
Editors Note: Printing does not
constitute endorsement.
Resources and Support
MCS
MCSA
Public
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/mcsa-public/
Open to the general public open to discuss MCS,
support, ideas, information, announcements, news and activism. No
application is required.
MCS
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/mcs-america-members-support
This group also fulfills the function of discuss support, ideas, information, announcements, and/or share personal activism like the MCSA-Pubic group, only with a closed membership that requires a membership application. This group also has the added benefit of being a place where individuals and other organizations and activists can engage in collaborative efforts with MCS America and being recipient to all the news feeds (see MCSA Feeds below). Members of this group are considered associate members of MCS America. Members do not operate MCS America in any way, but rather collaborate with the organization and are privy to some internal operations, activities, and events.
MCSA
Feeds
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/mcsafeeds
The purpose of this public access group is to receive daily distribution of news and research studies on multiple chemical sensitivity, chemical injury, environmental concerns, and other related environmental illnesses and disorders. Anyone can join without an application. Only the moderator posts to this group. This is not a discussion group. This group distributes about 15 articles on average each day.
MCS
Salvage and Share
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MCSA-safer-salvage-and-share
A public access group similar to Freecycle,
except it's a free recycling program for safer reusable's
geared towards individuals with MCS, CFS, FM, and other related disabilities
correlated with the environment. The purpose of this program is to find,
give, and recycle needed "safe" or "safer" items. All
items are exchanged for free. Shipping cost are arranged between donor and
recipient. Anyone can join without an application.
Multiple
Chemical Sensitivities and Toxic Injury
http://groups.google.com/group/mcs-ti
This is
a small non-Yahoo based group open to the general public to discuss MCS,
support, ideas, information, announcements, news and activism.
MCS
Hawaii
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/mcs-hawaii
Open to the general public residing in Hawaii to discuss support, ideas, information, announcements, and/or share personal activism. No application is required. This group is currently recipient to all the news feeds (see MCSA Feeds above). This list is operated in part by a state subsidiary volunteer who resides in the state.
MCS
Nebraska
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MCS-Nebraska
Open to the general public residing in Nebraska to
discuss support, ideas, information, announcements, and/or share personal
activism. No application is required. This list is operated in part
by a state subsidiary volunteer who resides in the state.
or subscribe at:
MCS
Michigan
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/mcs-michigan
Open to the general public residing in Michigan to
discuss support, ideas, information, announcements, and/or share personal
activism. No application is required. This list is operated in part
by a state subsidiary volunteer who resides in the state.
Support Forums Outside the
MCS America Network
4Mom
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/4MOM/
According to Mt. Sinai Medical School, there are many illness' caused by toxic substances such as pesticides. They are studying the role other toxins play on the new childhood diseases triggered by environmental factors. They call this the new epidemic. Mothers of Many is for all parents with children who are ill and are affected by toxic chemicals such as Attention Deficit Disorder, Asthma, Cancer, Autism, Tourettes Syndrome, Multiple Chemicals Sensitivities (MCS), Parkinson's, and any other condition affected.
Bay
Area MCS
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/bayareamcslist/
Classified
ads and notices for people with MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivity) in the San
Francisco Bay Area.
CFS
CFIDS ME
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/CFS_CFIDS_ME/
This
Group is to promote friendly discussion about places where people have gone and
feel more or less recovered from CFS/ME/CFIDS.
Chemical
Disability Australasian NETwork
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CDANET/
A
Discussion/Chat/Mutual help list run by and for the chemically disabled.
CMCS-EI
Christian MCS, CFS, FM, and EI Group
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/CMCS-EI/
We are
a Christian group who have invisible illnesses like MCS (multiple chemical
sensitivity) or Environmental Illnesses like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ( CFS ),
Fibromyalgia ( FM ), GWS, Lupus, Anxiety, etc.
Creative
Canaries Community
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/CreativeCanariesCommunity
This group is an online meeting place for creative artists with Chemical Sensitivities. We offer connections between - and information for - artists whose (artistic) life is affected by Chemical Sensitivities and the consequences they have.
Detox
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/mcs-america-members-support
"Detox"
is a group to serve chemically injured, environmentally ill, multiple chemical
sensitivity, and related illness such as chronic fatigue, candidiasis,
hypoglycemia, lupus, and others.
Disinissues
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Disinissues/
The purpose of Disinissues is to share experience and advice about the processes of obtaining and maintaining Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and long-term disability insurance. The group is targeted mainly towards those with invisible disabilities, such as CFIDS and other conditions not on Social Security's Listing of Impairments.
EMF
Refugee
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/emfrefugee/
This
ML has been created with the intent of bringing refugees together in countries
around the world to form their own EMF-free communities in natural environments
where they can heal and create healing environments for the Earth and others.
Environmental
Illness 001
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/environmental_illness001/
This
group is dedicated to curing / resolving all issues related to Environmental Illness,
including but not limited to: Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), Multiple
Food Allergy, Leaky Gut Syndrome, Candida, Epstein Barr Virus, Chronic Fatigue,
Fibromyalgia, Heavy Metal Poisoning, Porphyria, endocrine system dysregulation,
etc.
eSens - Electrical
Sensitivity
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/eSens/
Do you feel ill when you're near computers, cell phones, fluorescent lights, or
wireless internet? If so, you may have "electrical sensitivity".
Gasslist-L (Glutaraldehyde, Aldehyde, and Solvent Sensitivity)
http://www.ncchem.com/snftaas/gasslist.htm
This
list has been established to serve persons interested in Glutaraldehyde,
Aldehyde, and Solvent Sensitivity, especially
darkroom personnel, radiographers, and diagnostic medical sonographers. The
purpose of the list is to promote internet-wide exchange of research and
information.
Green
Canary
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GreenCanary
This
list is dedicated to a life free from toxic chemicals, and the health problems
that they can cause. Here we can come together and share the information
and experiences that have taught each of us a piece of the knowledge necessary
to survive and thrive, eliminating unnecessary toxic chemicals from our lives,
and replacing them with the elements of health and the alternatives offered by
the natural world around us.
Immune
http://immuneweb.org/lists/immune.html
This
is the list for support and information about multiple chemical sensitivities,
chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, lupus, multiple sclerosis, porphyria,
allergies, asthma, and other immune-related ailments.
Immune
Parenting
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/immune-parenting/
This
list is for both men and women who have Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Chronic
Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, autoimmune disorders, or other immune system
medical issues--or their partners--who are parents, pregnant, trying to
conceive, or who are thinking about parenthood.
Live
Chat at the Health and Environment Resource Center (HERC)
This chatroom is not associated with any group. It is unmoderated and no password is required. Chat Times: Saturday - 7 pm ET, 6 pm CT, 5 pm Mtn, 4 pm Pac; Monday - 9 pm ET, 8 pm CT, 7 pm Mtn, 6 pm Pac; Wednesday - 8 pm ET, 7 pm CT, 6 pm Mtn, 5 pm Pac.
MCS
Canada
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MCS-Canada/
This group
was formed to assist patients and concerned parties from all nationalities
learn to cope with environmental injury, including disorders such as MCS,ME,
CFS, FM, Lyme, Lupus, GWS, PPS, as well as related and associated illnesses.
MCS
Canadian Sources
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MCS-CanadianSources
MCS
Canadian Sources is a support, information and resource exchange for those
living and coping with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), Environmental
Illness (EI), or Chemical Injury (CI).
MCS
Photography
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MCSphotography/
MCS
Photography is a group for those with multiple chemical sensitivity who capture
and share the world and their life through photography.
MCS
Recycle
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MCSRecycle/
The
objective of this group is to be able to share with each other items that are
chemical free and have been used in a non-toxic environment. This group is
planet-wide.
MCS
Safe Shelter USA
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/mcssafeshelterusa/
Short-term
and long-term housing for people with MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivity).
Check our database for listings by state. (Please use the two-digit code.) Find
rentals, hotels, and housing to purchase.
MCS
Survivors
http://communityzero.com/mcsurvivors
For those who
experience environmental illness or multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS), here
is a place to gather, exchange ideas, links to helpful websites, even have live
chats. Enjoy!
MCS Toxic Injuries
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MCS-Toxic-Injuries/
MCS-Toxic-Injuries
is a self-moderated, secular, apolitical newsgroup for toxically-injured
environmentally sensitive people to support one another and exchange coping
methods, treatments and experiences.
MCS
Village
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MCSVillage/
The
purpose of this group is to discuss the feasibility of building a village(s)or
community in which MCS/EI patients can live safely, and to provide a forum in
which the legal, medical, geographic, architectural, social and funding issues
relating to building such a community(ies) or village(s)
may be discussed and resolved.
MCS
Writers Group
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/mcswritersgroup/
A place
for writers who have chemical sensitivities (or chemical injury) to share their
stories and articles, work on and develop public writing skills, exchange
editing skills and perspective, and develop ideas in order to bring awareness
and education to the published world about what it is like to live with
MCS/ES/CI/EI.
Midwest
Oasis MCS E-mail Support
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MO-MCS/
Midwest
Oasis MCS E-mail Support is the e-mail arm of the Midwest Oasis MCS Support
Group. Although people from all geographical areas are welcome to join, a
partial focus of this list will be discussion of regional issues affecting MCS
(Multiple Chemical Sensitivity) in Missouri and other Midwestern states.
Multiple
Chemical Sensitivity (Chemical Sensitivity, Porphyrin & CO)
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MultipleChemicalSensitivity/
Discussion
group where people afflicted with Chemical Sensitivity, Chronic Carbon Monoxide
Poisoning &/or Disorders of Porphyrin Metabolism can talk about their
illness, inquire with others on avoidance, methods of cleaning & products
one can use for necessary hygiene.
Old
Dominion MCS-FMS_CFIDS Support Group · A Virginia Fibro MCS CFIDS Group
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/OldDominionMCS-FMS_CFIDSsupportgroup/
Too
many people in Va. have Fibromyalgia, Myofascial Pain Syndrome, CFIDS, Gulf War
Syndrome (GWS), ES, and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. The group owner wanted
to create an informative, supportive group for Virginians, and others.
Planet
Thrive
A
dynamic online community for those activity seeking answers and support for a
variety of health concerns. A place where people around the world help
each other get well and stay well.
Sick
Buildings
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/sickbuildings/
Toxic
molds are running rampant in our homes, offices and schools. Exposure to
mycotoxins has been linked to the death of infants, as well as
immune-compromised adults. Despite increasing reports of mold-induced illness
and health problems associated with mold exposure, our public health agencies
offer little, if any support or funding for research into this growing problem.
Sprayno
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sprayno/
This
is a list to exchange information regarding environmental issues in the
northern suburbs and NY metro area focusing especially on encouraging activism
in this area and educating the public about toxic effects of
pesticide/herbicide usage.
Tenth
Paradigm Society
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/TenthParadigmSociety/
The
Tenth Paradigm Society mailing list is for the dissemination and discussion of
information concerning the NO/ONOO- cycle mechanism, a new paradigm of human
disease, proposed by Martin L. Pall, Ph.D. Dr. Pall adopted the term
"Multisystem Illness" to describe those diseases that fall under the
tenth paradigm. They include: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS/CFIDS/M.E.),
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), Fibromyalgia (FM/FMS), Post-Traumatic
Stress Disorder (PTSD), and Gulf War Syndrome (GWS).
The
Sanctuary
http://www.mcs-international.org/phpBB3/
MCS-International.Org's Holistic Support Forums For sufferers of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and all other forms of Chemical Injury and Environmental Illness.
Toxics Discussion
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ToxicsDiscussion/
If you're keen on a toxics-safe future for the planet, then this is the
discussion group for you. Toxics are defined here as naturally occurring or
man-made chemicals (elements/compounds/mixtures) that have a toxic effect.
WSMCSN
(Washington State MCS Network)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WSMCSN
WSMCSN
is a decentralized network of groups and individuals in Washington State who
share information about the issues of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity.
Additional
Forum Listing Webpage
http://ww.mcs-america.org/forums
Physician & Dentist Referral Lists
Physician Referral List by State
http://mcs-america.org/doctorlist.pdf
Proper medical care is most crucial to recovery for individuals with MCS. Some of the physicians on this list specialize in MCS, others in FM and CFS. It is recommended that patients and doctors consult with one another prior to beginning any treatment to ensure understanding of the patient’s needs and compatibility of patient and physician.
Dentist Referral List by State
http://mcs-america.org/dentistlist.pdf
Dental care is often challenging for individuals with MCS. Dental materials may cause reactions and should be tested for biocompatibility prior to use. A holistic dentist Is generally more familiar with the needs of individuals with MCS. Some of the dentists on this list are specifically familiar with MCS, others are not. It is recommended that patients and dentists consult with one another prior to beginning any treatment to ensure understanding of the patient’s needs and compatibility of patient and dentist.
Air Quality Reports
Air Now Air Quality Reports
EPA State and Regional Indoor Environments
Contact Information
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/whereyoulive.html
The National Association of Clean Air
Agencies 4 Cleaner Air
American Lung
Association: State of the Air
http://lungaction.org/reports/stateoftheair2007.htm
Current Local & National Allergy
Levels
http://pollen.com/Pollen.com.asp
Scorecard:
Pollution Index by Area
Toxmap Hazardous Waste
Site Locations
http://toxmap.nlm.nih.gov/toxmap/main/index.jsp
USA Smoke/Fire Pollution
Map
http://www.firedetect.noaa.gov/viewer.htm
Antenna Search (USA)
http://mcs-america.org/index_files/www.AntennaSearch.com
EPA Safe Drinking Water Information by
State
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/dwinfo/
EPA Radon Zone Map
http://www.epa.gov/radon/zonemap.html
Brochures
Air Fresheners & Plug-Ins
http://mcs-america.org/airfresh.pdf
Chemical in Air Fresheners Reduces Lung Function
http://mcs-america.org/lung.pdf
Consequences of Childhood Chemical Injury Poster By Margaret S. O’Nan
http://mcs-america.org/onan.pdf
Electrosensitivity Brochure by Kato Yasuko
http://mcs-america.org/KatoYasukoElectrosensitivityBrochure.doc
Fabric Softener
http://mcs-america.org/fabricsoftener.pdf
Fragrances
http://mcs-america.org/fragrances.pdf
Grandma’s Cupboard: General
Cleaning Solutions
http://www.mcs-america.org/general.pdf
Grandma’s Cupboard: Kitchen
Cleaning
http://www.mcs-america.org/kitchen.pdf
Grandma’s Cupboard: Personal
Care
http://www.mcs-america.org/personal.pdf
Grandma’s Cupboard: Laundry
http://www.mcs-america.org/laundry.pdf
Household Mold brochure from
http://publications.msss.gouv.qc.ca/acrobat/f/documentation/2002/02-214-01A.pdf
ILRU: Understanding & Accommodating
People with MCS in Everyday Living
http://mcs-america.org/ilru.pdf
Indoor Air Chemistry
http://mcs-america.org/indoorair.pdf
Interior Design and MCS
http://mcs-america.org/interior.pdf
Jill Mellum: Breathe Easier, Hold the Fragrances Brochure
http://mcs-america.org/fragrancefacts.pdf
MCS Task Force of
http://mcs-america.org/newmexico.pdf
MCS Public Accommodations
http://www.nettally.com/prusty/PUBLIC%20ACCOMMODATIONS.pdf
MCS Statistics
http://www.mcs-america.org/MCSStatistics.pdf
No Scents Makes Sense Brochure
http://www.nb.lung.ca/pdf/NoScentsMakeSense.pdf
Theory on the Cause of MCS:
Peroxynitrite and Nitric Oxide
http://www.mcs-america.org/cause.pdf
Understanding Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
http://www.mcs-america.org/understanding.pdf
Use of Baking Soda as a Fungicide
http://mcs-america.org/fungicide.pdf
Vaccine Poster - Are We Poisoning Our Children?
http://www.generationrescue.org/pdf/080212.pdf
Visiting a Person with MCS
http://mcs-america.org/visiting.pdf
What you should know before visiting a person who has NRLA and/or MCS
http://mcs-america.org/VisitingNRLA-MCS.pdf
Signs
Acute Toxic Effects of Fragrances Business
Card
http://mcs-america.org/acutetoxiceffectsoffragrancescard.pdf
Chemical Awareness Ribbon
http://mcs-america.org/ribbon.gif
Electrosensitivity Sign - Please
Turn Off Your Cell Phone
http://mcs-america.org/KatoYasukoElectrosensitivtySignTurnOffYourCellPhone.pdf
Facemask on Tweety
http://mcs-america.org/tweety.jpg
Fragrance Free Sign: Brooks University
http://www.brocku.ca/oehs/graphics/Fragrance_Free_Sign.pdf
No Scents Makes Sense Sign
http://mcs-america.org/scentssign.pdf
No Latex Sign by Jane Sagmoe
http://mcs-america.org/nolatex.JPG
You Could Be Next Sign
http://mcs-america.org/nextsign.pdf
Want to Put Your Friends and Family in
Jail?
http://mcs-america.org/jail.pdf
Wood Smoke Trespass Flyer 8 1/2 x 11
http://mcs-america.org/woodsmokeflyer.pdf
Activist Materials
Fragrances on Mail and/or Catalogs
http://mcs-america.org/FragrancedMailCatalogBillsLetterforActivists.doc
Air Freshener Use
http://www.mcs-america.org/customairfreshenerletter.doc
Use of Fragrance, Cologne, and Perfume
http://mcs-america.org/UseofFragranceLetterforActivists.doc
Fabric Softener Emissions
http://www.mcs-america.org/LetterAboutFabricSoftener.doc
Letter to State Representatives to Ban
Woodsmoke
http://mcs-america.org/woodsmoke.doc
Letter to Doctors and Medical Boards
Supporting MCS as a biological Illness (fully cited and scientifically
supported)
Website:
http://mcs-america.org/MCSPositionStatement.htm
PDF:
http://mcs-america.org/MCSPositionStatement.pdf
*This work is copyrighted. Permission granted for personal use in
activism provided that original copyright and authorship are maintained. For permission to reprint, mail admin@mcs-america.org.
Request for Accommodations Under the
Americans with Disabilities Act
http://www.mcs-america.org/RequestforAccomodation.doc
Public Service Announcements
Public Service Announcement #1
Air fresheners have been pulled off thousands of shelves nation-wide!
http://www.mcs-america.org/AirFreshenerPSA1.pdf
Public Service Announcement #2
When you use fragranced products, did you know you are wearing toxic
chemicals!?
http://www.mcs-america.org/WhenYouUseFragrancedProductsPSA2.pdf
Public Service Announcement #3
Secondhand Fragrances are Like Secondhand Smoke!
http://www.mcs-america.org/SecondHandFragrancesPSA3.pdf
Public Service Announcement #4
Scented laundry detergents and fabric softeners pollute indoor and outdoor air!
http://www.mcs-america.org/ScentedLaundryDetergentsPSA4.pdf
Public Service Announcement #4 (SPANISH)
Scented laundry detergents and fabric softeners pollute indoor and outdoor air!
http://mcs-america.org/mcsamerica/ScentedLaundryDetergentsPSA4Spanish.pdf
Public Service Announcement #5
Wood Smoke... The Other Secondhand Smoke!
http://www.mcs-america.org/WoodSmokePSA5BurningIssues.pdf
Public Service Announcement #6
Fragrances undermine public health!
http://www.mcs-america.org/FragrancesPSA6.pdf
Public Service Announcement #7
Fragranced Laundry Products Pollute Our
Air
http://mcs-america.org/PSA7FragrancedLaundry.pdf
Clothing & Novelties for
Activism
MCS America Store for the Environment
http://www.mcs-america.org/MCSstore..htm
Zona’s T-Shirts and Stuff Zone
http://members.shaw.ca/zonaszone/shop/tshirts.html
Virtual & Work-at-Home
Jobs
Agent, Staffing at Home
http://www.staffingathome.com/
Agent,
West at Home
Agent, Working Solutions
http://www.workingsol.com/home.htm
Blogger, PayPerPost.com
http://payperpost.com/blogger_signup.html
Call Center Representative, Accolade Support
http://www.accoladesupport.com/
Call Center Representative, Overflow USA
Call Center Representative, Overflow USA
Caller Employee, Customer Loyalty Concepts
http://www.customloyal.com/Employment.aspx
Chef Instructor, Chefs Line
Customer Care, VIP Desk
http://www.vipdesk.com/info/default.asp
Customer Service, Alpine Access
http://www.alpineaccess.com/external/index.html
Editor,
EditFast.com
Expert,
JustAnswer Corp
Freelancer, Team Double-Click
http://www.teamdoubleclick.com/freelance.html
Guide, About .com
Guide, ChaCha
Home Agent, Convergys
http://www.convergysworkathome.com/
Independent Call Center
Agent, LiveOps
Telemarketing, Intrep Sales
Partners
Online Juror, eJury.com
Online Juror,
OnlineVerdict.com
Online Juror, Trial
Practice Inc.
Third Party Verifier, BSG Payments LLC
Virtual Assistant, Virtual
Office Temps
http://virtualassistantjobs.com/
Virtual Services, Arise
Virtual Solutions
http://www.arise.com/Content/default.asp
Writer, Associated Content
http://www.associatedcontent.com/
Writer, CyberEdit
Inc.
Writer, MyEssays.com
http://www.myessays.com/sell.php
National
Telecommuting Institute, Inc.
Environmentally Safer
Housing
Allergy And Environmental Health
Association Of Quebec (AEHAQ) Environmentally Adapted, Social Housing Project
For People Suffering From Environmental Sensitivities
http://www.aeha-quebec.ca/bb_housingproject.htm
Barrhaven Non-Profit Housing Inc.
Environmental Sensitivity Units
Steepleview Crossing,
3001 Jockvale Road, Nepean, Ontario, K2J 4E4
(613) 823-6230 Fax: (613)
825-7724
http://ehaontario.ca/barrhaven-housing.htm
Canada-wide
Housing Connection
1-613-278-0463
http://ehaontario.ca/interview.htm
Ecology House, San Rafael, California
(built in 1994)
375 Catalina Blvd
San Rafael, CA 94901
(415) 456-4453
Escalante House
Phone/Fax: (435) 826-4778
toripat@color-country.net
Green Homes for Sale
Safe Haven Community Housing
P.O. Box 25281
Portland, Oregon 97298
http://www.geocities.com/safehavencommunity/#ntact
The Pandora Initiative (Canada)
Quail Haven - MCS Housing
Just North of Tuscon, AZ
Call Diane Ensign for details:
May through January call: (406) 586-3658 (Montana).
January through May call: (520) 825-7276 (Tucson).
http://madelinx.tripod.com/
Seagoville Ecology Housing
15126 Beckett Road
Seagoville,
Texas 75159
(972) 287-2059 Fax: (972)
287-7682
http://www.ehcd.com/resources/ecologyhousing.html
The Natural Place Environmental Residence
and Hotel
1962 NE 5th St.
Deerfield Beach, FL 33441
954-428-5438
http://www.thenaturalplace.com/default.htm
Safer Building &
Regulations
Alliance for Healthy Homes
American Lung Association: Resources & Referrals for and from the
Master Home Environmentalist program.
http://tinyurl.com/5vvk9e
Architectural House Plans Healthy Homes
Construction Guidelines
Information: http://tinyurl.com/6dteuz
Booklet:
http://www.architecturalhouseplans.com/products/
Assessment of the
Indoor Air Quality of a Suite for an Environmentally Hypersensitive Occupant
http://mcs-america.org/IAQforanEIOccupant.pdf
Considerations For Safer Construction And
Renovation By
http://www.environmentalhealth.ca/w9394safer.html
Dr. Grace Ziem’s Environmental Control
Plan for MCS Patients
http://www.mcsrr.org/resources/articles/S3.html
The Eco Building Guild
The Effect of Housing on Individuals with
Multiple Chemical Sensitivities
Building for Health Materials Center
http://www.buildingforhealth.com/
Environmental Home Center
http://tinyurl.com/5ssv8a
Heal Your Home Center
The Healthy Housing
Coalition: Basic Needs for Rental
Housing for Chemically Sensitive Persons
http://www.herc.org/hhc/Basicrentalneeds.html
Healthy Housing Practical Tips
IEQ Indoor
Environmental Quality
http://ieq.nibs.org/ieq_project.pdf
International Institute for Building
Biology and Ecology
http://www.buildingbiology.net/
LEED® Canada Green Building Rating System
http://www.cagbc.org/leed/systems/index.htm
The Medical Perspective on Environmental
Sensitivities: Building codes,
regulations and guidelines
Moving House - Things To Look For If You
Suffer From MCS
http://www.drmyhill.co.uk/article.cfm?id=147
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS): The
Controversy and Relation to Interior Design
http://www.idec.org/publication/JIDarticleMCS.pdf
Optimum Environments for Optimum Health
&Creativity: Designing and Building a Healthy Home or Office, William J.
Rea, M.D.
http://www.ehcd.com/books/home_building_designing.html
Recommended Architectural Features for
Multi-Family Housing to Better Accommodate Chemical and Electrical
Sensitivities, Susan Molloy, M.A,
http://www.ctaz.com/~bhima/recommcshous.htm
Research House for the Environmentally
Hypersensitive
Safer Construction Tips for the
Environmentally Sensitive
Understanding & Accommodating People
with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity in Independent Living, Chapter 4, The
Housing Challenge in MCS
http://www.ilru.org/html/publications/bookshelf/MCS.html#chapter4
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development National Healthy Homes Conference
http://www.hud.gov/offices/lead/2008NHHC.cfm
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development Healthy Housing Reference Manual
Builders and Building
Material Suppliers
Green Building Store
http://www.greenbuildingstore.co.uk/naturalpaints.php
Healthy Buildings, Inc (Air Quality
Testing)
http://www.healthybuilding.com/html/about_us.html
Resources for the Chemically Injured:
Building Materials
http://www.lassentech.com/eibuld.html
Tad Taylor’s Healthy Homes, LLC
Other Housing Resources
Extreme Home Makeover
http://abc.go.com/primetime/xtremehome/index?pn=apply
Ontario Human Rights Code: Policy and
Guidelines on Disability and the Duty to Accommodate Non-Evident Disabilities
Residential Rehabilitation Assistance
Program for Persons with Disabilities (Canada).
http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/co/prfinas/prfinas_003.cfm
Disclaimer
This date
is for informational purposes and is not intended to replace the examination,
diagnosis and treatment of a licensed physician and no such claims are
inferred. MCS America will not be
responsible for misuse of this information or the misuse of any information
provided by it’s member organizations.
Articles, citations, links and information are not necessarily the
opinion of MCS America and printing does not constitute MCS America’s
endorsement.
Community
News
Subscribe
to News & Media Articles
To receive free daily news and research feeds about MCS & the environment
as they happen,
send an e-mail to:
mcsafeeds-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
NDP adopts precautionary principle resolution
http://www2.canada.com/deltaoptimist/news/story.html?id=74bbd8cf-6180-408f-a2b3-8982444cbe93
Group Raps "Toxic" Bubble Bath
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2009/03/toxic_baths.html
Traffic can cause heart attacks, study claims
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/4986837/Traffic-can-cause-heart-attacks-study-claims.html
How to survive on a toxic planet
http://www.thesuntimes.com/opinions/columnists/x599195077/How-to-survive-on-a-toxic-planet
Masks in smoggy cities a good idea, study says
http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2009/03/13/masks-pollution.html
Rash Of Rashes At Sto-Rox School With 'Toxic' Air
http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/health/18923848/detail.html
Scots scientists say wearing a mask in
traffic reduces heart attack risk
http://news.scotsman.com/environment/Scots-scientists-say-wearing-a.5068785.jp
Agency to improve reporting of neighborhood toxics
http://www.miamiherald.com/living/health/healthAP/story/946183.html
Maker acknowledges BPA worries
http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/watchdogreports/41186522.html
Tuna Industry 1, Science 0
http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/labnotes/archive/2009/03/12/tuna-industry-1-science-0.aspx
\
Low-level ozone exposure found to be lethal over time
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-sci-ozone12-2009mar12,0,2086958.story
Featured Research
Studies
Med
Pr. 2008;59(4):333-45.
[Occupational exposure to mycotoxins in various branches of industry]
[Article
in Polish]
Soroka PM, Cyprowski M, Szadkowska-Stańczyk I.
Zakład Srodowiskowych Zagrozeń Zdrowia, Instytut Medycyny Pracy im. prof.
J. Nofera, Lódź.
Mycotoxins are a quite numerous
group of substances released as metabolites by molds, which badly affect human
and animal health. Their impact on organisms resulting from alimentary exposure
is well recognized, but the mechanisms by which they exert their health effects
after inhalation exposure are still poorly investigated. The aim of this work
was to review the literature concerning the outcomes of occupational exposure
to mycotoxins present in the work environment. The author discusses the major mycotoxin classes, their chemical structure, some
physicochemical properties and biological activity properties. This paper
summarizes the results of investigations on the impact of occupational exposure
to molds present in the workplace air in various branches of industry. Problems
of identifying the mechanism of health effects exerted due inhalation exposure
to mycotoxins are also discussed. This review shows that there is lack of good
hygiene standards and legislation regulating the presence of these compounds in
the workplace air. These is due to insufficient number of analyses aimed at
estimating short-term inhalation exposure to mycotoxins and lack of monitoring
of long-term exposure and its health effects. The authors concludes that
occupational exposure to mycotoxins and their role in the development of
pathological changes in the respiratory system require further investigations.
PMID: 19143225 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Rev Iberoam Micol.
2008 Dec 31;25(4):232-6.
[Aspergillus spp. in
risk areas of transplant patients in a university hospital]
[Article
in Spanish]
Cárdenas MX, Cortes JA, Parra CM.
Grupo de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia. claudia.parra@javeriana.edu.co
As a consequence of the increase in the number of immunocompromised
patients, cases of aspergillosis, due to the
opportunist character of this fungus, have increased considerably. Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus flavus, and Aspergillus
PMID: 19071892 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Crit Rev Toxicol.
2009;39(2):139-93.
Microbial volatile organic compounds.
Korpi A, Järnberg J, Pasanen AL.
Microbial
volatile organic compounds (MVOCs) are a variety of
compounds formed in the metabolism of fungi and bacteria. Of more than 200
compounds identified as MVOCs in laboratory
experiments, none can be regarded as exclusively of microbial origin or as
specific for certain microbial species. Thus, the recognition of microbially contaminated areas by MVOC measurements is not
successful with current methods. In this review, the basic physical and
chemical properties of 96 typical MVOCs have been summarised. Of these, toxicological and exposure data were
gathered for the 15 MVOCs most often analysed and reported in buildings with moisture and
microbial damage. The most obvious health effect of MVOC exposure is eye and
upper-airway irritation. However, in human experimental exposure studies,
symptoms of irritation have appeared at MVOC concentrations several orders of
magnitude higher than those measured indoors (single MVOC levels in indoor
environments have ranged from a few ng/m(3) up to 1
mg/m(3)). This is also supported by dose-dependent sensory-irritation response,
as determined by the American Society for Testing and Materials mouse bioassay.
On the other hand, the toxicological database is poor even for the 15 examined MVOCs. There may be more potent compounds and other
endpoints not yet evaluated.
PMID:
19204852 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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