Is ME a hereditary condition?

Key Words: multiple chemical sensitivity, chemical sensitivity, chemical sensitivities, multiple chemical sensitivities, MCS, EI, environmental illness, sick building syndrome, idiopathic environmental intolerance, fibromyalgia, chronic fatiuge, FM, CFS, mold illness, clinical ecology, alternative medicine, environmental medicine, neuropathy, encephalopathy, toxic, chemical

Is ME and/or CFS a disease?

Key Words: multiple chemical sensitivity, chemical sensitivity, chemical sensitivities, multiple chemical sensitivities, MCS, EI, environmental illness, sick building syndrome, idiopathic environmental intolerance, fibromyalgia, chronic fatiuge, FM, CFS, mold illness, clinical ecology, alternative medicine, environmental medicine, neuropathy, encephalopathy, toxic, chemical

Is it possible to diagnose ME/CFS

Key Words: multiple chemical sensitivity, chemical sensitivity, chemical sensitivities, multiple chemical sensitivities, MCS, EI, environmental illness, sick building syndrome, idiopathic environmental intolerance, fibromyalgia, chronic fatiuge, FM, CFS, mold illness, clinical ecology, alternative medicine, environmental medicine, neuropathy, encephalopathy, toxic, chemical

Chemicals linked to problems with otters' penis bones

Chemicals linked to problems with otters' penis bones
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/21534742

"Otters' reproductive organs may be affected by chemicals in our waterways, according to scientists."

Toxic vapors force Google to shut two buildings close to it's Mountain View HQ

Toxic vapors force Google to shut two buildings close to it's Mountain View HQ
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2283411/Toxic-vapors-force-Google-shut-buildings-close-Mountain-View-HQ.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

"Google has been forced to evacuate staff from two buildings close to it's Mountain View HQ in California due to toxic vapors seeping up from the ground below.  The dangerous air pollution is being caused by trichloroethylene, a powerful solvent also known as TCE, which has leaked into the soil and polluted the groundwater.  The pollution is the legacy of chip makers including Fairchild, Intel and Raytheon who dumped thousands of gallons of the toxic solvent into the ground when they worked in the buildings in the early days of Silicon Valley."

Chronic fatigue syndrome 5 years after giardiasis: differential diagnoses, characteristics and natural course.

Chronic fatigue syndrome 5 years after giardiasis: differential diagnoses, characteristics and natural course.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23399438

 

Mørch K, Hanevik K, Rivenes AC, Bødtker JE, Næss H, Stubhaug B, Wensaas KA, Rortveit G, Eide GE, Hausken T, Langeland N.  BMC Gastroenterol. 2013 Feb 12;13(1):28. [Epub ahead of print]

Abstract

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND: A high prevalence of chronic fatigue has previously been reported following giardiasis after a large waterborne outbreak in Bergen, Norway in 2004. The aim of this study was to describe and evaluate differential diagnoses and natural course of fatigue five years after giardiasis among patients who reported chronic fatigue three years after the infection.

METHODS:
Patients who three years after Giardia infection met Chalder's criteria for chronic fatigue (n=347) in a questionnaire study among all patients who had laboratory confirmed giardiasis during the Bergen outbreak (n=1252) were invited to participate in this study five years after the infection (n=253). Structured interviews and clinical examination were performed by specialists in psychiatry, neurology and internal medicine/infectious diseases. Fukuda et al's 1994 criteria were used to diagnose chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and idiopathic chronic fatigue (ICF). Self-reported fatigue recorded with Chalder Fatigue Questionnaire three and five years after infection were compared.

RESULTS:
53 patients were included. CFS was diagnosed in 41.5% (22/53) and ICF in 13.2% (7/53). Chronic fatigue caused by other aetiology was diagnosed in 24.5% (13/53); five of these patients had sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome, six had depression and five anxiety disorder, and among these two had more than one diagnosis. Fatigue had resolved in 20.8% (11/53). Self-reported fatigue score in the cohort was significantly reduced at five years compared to three years (p<0.001).

CONCLUSION:
The study shows that Giardia duodenalis may induce CFS persisting as long as five years after the infection. Obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome, depression and anxiety were important differential diagnoses, or possibly comorbidities, to post-infectious fatigue in this study. Improvement of chronic fatigue in the period from three to five years after giardiasis was found.

PMID: 23399438 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Air Pollution Primes Children for Asthma-Related Cockroach Allergy

Air Pollution Primes Children for Asthma-Related Cockroach Allergy
http://74.55.186.59/news/air-pollution-primes-children-asthma-related-cockroach-allergy

Study Untangles a Complex Web of Factors Behind High Rates of Asthma in the Urban Environment

"An allergic reaction to cockroaches is a major contributor to asthma in urban children, but new research suggests that the insects are just one part of a more complex story. Very early exposure to certain components of air pollution can increase the risk of developing a cockroach allergy by age 7, and children with a common mutation in a gene called GSTM may be especially vulnerable."

Lead Exposure on the Rise Despite Decline in Poisoning Cases

Lead Exposure on the Rise Despite Decline in Poisoning Cases
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=lead-exposure-on-the-rise

"Leaded gasoline and lead paint are gone, but other sources are keeping the danger high"

Cadmium and lead linked to hearing loss in U.S. adults.

Cadmium and lead linked to hearing loss in U.S. adults.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/newscience/2012/08/2013-0121-cadmium-lead-hearing-loss-adults/

"Low levels of lead and cadmium may contribute to hearing loss, according to a large study of U.S. adults. Hearing loss was seen at metal concentrations common in the general population and below current workplace standards. Hearing ability dropped about 14 to 19 percent."

Stamford vet at center of vaccination debate

Stamford vet at center of vaccination debate
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Stamford-vet-at-center-of-vaccination-debate-4284673.php#photo-4205984

"A vaccination scandal that ousted a well-liked veterinarian from his West Avenue pet hospital inside PetSmart is now threatening to strip the experienced animal doctor of his license to practice in the state.  An ardent advocate for pets at his practice, Dr. John Robb says he will fight the state to retain his license."

Second BA jet in 'toxic fumes' scare forced to make emergency landing

Second BA jet in 'toxic fumes' scare forced to make emergency landing
http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/378192/Second-BA-jet-in-toxic-fumes-scare-forced-to-make-emergency-landing

"A SECOND BA jet has been forced to make an emergency landing in the space of just 11 days due to ­suspected toxic oil fumes contaminating the cockpit.  The pilots of a Boeing 747 with 266 people on board had to wear oxygen masks to land the plane ­after passengers and crew ­became unwell at 33,000ft."

Robin Guenther: Toxic chemicals put up a healthy fight

Robin Guenther: Toxic chemicals put up a healthy fight
http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/article/20130216/OPINION02/302160010/Robin-Guenther-Toxic-chemicals-put-up-healthy-fight

"The war over toxic chemicals and human health is spilling over into places we live and work: our buildings. The American Chemical Council (ACC) has launched an expensive and focused attack on the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to protect the status quo of a small set of bad-actor manufacturers of toxic and obsolete chemicals. But innovative companies across the building industries and human health advocates are fighting back.  The American Chemical Council is lobbying to end the federal government's use of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building certification system unless USGBC removes all references to human health. If successful, they will keep taxpayers from receiving the cost savings and productivity benefits that LEED certification has generated. Why does a chemical industry trade association think better buildings are such a threat, you ask?"

Household Chemicals Linked to Arthritis in Women

Household Chemicals Linked to Arthritis in Women
http://women.webmd.com/news/20130214/chemicals-in-cookware-carpets-may-raise-arthritis-risk-in-women

"In what researchers are calling a first, a new analysis suggests that the greater a woman's exposure to a type of common chemical compound called PFCs, the greater her risk for developing osteoarthritis.  Researchers did not find a similar risk among men regarding these chemicals, which are now found in everything from nonstick cookware to take-out containers and carpeting."

Chronic fatigue patients frustrated with FDA

Chronic fatigue patients frustrated with FDA
http://www.sfgate.com/health/article/Chronic-fatigue-patients-frustrated-with-FDA-4283890.php

"Jeannette Burmeister lives in Incline Village, Nev., where, twice a week, she gets a three-hour infusion of a drug to treat chronic fatigue syndrome that she says has very nearly saved her life.  But it comes at a steep price: Burmeister's husband and her 2-year-old daughter live more than 200 miles away in Menlo Park, and she's able to see them only once a week. Because the drug she says she needs - an experimental medication called Ampligen - isn't approved by the Food and Drug Administration, the only way she can get it is through a clinical trial run by a doctor in Nevada."

 

Electrosensitivity symptoms can be eliminated in 60% of people and significantly reduced in the rest - Dr Brian Clement

Electrosensitivity symptoms can be eliminated in 60% of people and significantly reduced in the rest – Dr Brian Clement
http://maisonsaine.ca/electrosensitivity-symptoms-can-be-eliminated-in-60-of-people-and-significantly-reduced-in-the-rest-dr-brian-clement/

"A naturopath who holds a doctorate in nutrition, Brian Clement says he has successfully treated more than 4,000 electrohypersensitive people at the Hippocrates Institute which he heads. Founded in Boston in 1956 by nutritionist Ann Wigmore and now based in Florida, the Institute is one of the world's most renowned natural health centers. Tens of thousands of people have seen their health improve after adopting its healthy lifestyle program and discovering the virtues of raw food cures (germinations, sprouts and their juices). Here is the fascinating telephone interview he granted us in January 2012."

Pollution from heavy metals devastates farmland

Pollution from heavy metals devastates farmland
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1151311/pollution-heavy-metals-devastates-farmland

"National survey results still a secret, but new tests on farmland are set to reveal bleak truth"

Scientists clash over BPA: Do low doses really harm people?

[COMMENT: Merely examining the "low" dose is no longer valid in determining toxicity.  It is the synergistic effects of various "low level" exposures that researchers are slowly recognizing explains the problem.] 

Scientists clash over BPA: Do low doses really harm people?
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/news/2013/bpa-dispute

"Are people exposed to doses of bisphenol A in their canned foods and other consumer products that can harm them? Or are the amounts too low to cause any harm? This is the crux of a vehement debate that is being waged as federal officials are trying to decide whether the chemical, known as BPA, should be regulated. A group of toxicologists, including some who work for federal agencies, is questioning the likelihood that BPA is harming human health. But biologists studying the chemical's health effects disagree, saying that what's been detected in people is comparable to amounts that have harmed lab animals. BPA is arguably the most controversial chemical in consumer products. It is used to make polycarbonate plastic as well as food and beverage can liners and some paper receipts and dental sealants. What is widely agreed upon is that exposure is nearly ubiquitous. More than 90 percent of Americans tested have traces of BPA in their bodies."

Cholinergic autonomic dysfunction in veterans with gulf war illness: confirmation in a population-based sample.

Cholinergic autonomic dysfunction in veterans with gulf war illness: confirmation in a population-based sample.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23407784

Haley RW, Charuvastra E, Shell WE, Buhner DM, Marshall WW, Biggs MM, Hopkins SC, Wolfe GI, Vernino S.

JAMA Neurol. 2013 Feb 1;70(2):191-200. doi: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2013.596.

Abstract

BACKGROUND The authors of prior small studies raised the hypothesis that symptoms in veterans of the 1991 Gulf War, such as chronic diarrhea, dizziness, fatigue, and sexual dysfunction, are due to cholinergic autonomic dysfunction.

 

OBJECTIVE To perform a confirmatory test of this prestated hypothesis in a larger, representative sample of Gulf War veterans. DESIGN Nested case-control study.

 

SETTING Clinical and Translational Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas.

 

PARTICIPANTS Representative samples of Gulf War veterans meeting a validated case definition of Gulf War illness with 3 variants (called syndromes 1-3) and a control group, all selected randomly from the US Military Health Survey.

 

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Validated domain scales from the Autonomic Symptom Profile questionnaire, the Composite Autonomic Severity Score, and high-frequency heart rate variability from a 24-hour electrocardiogram.

 

RESULTS The Autonomic Symptom Profile scales were significantly elevated in all 3 syndrome groups (P &lt; .001), primarily due to elevation of the orthostatic intolerance, secretomotor, upper gastrointestinal dysmotility, sleep dysfunction, urinary, and autonomic diarrhea symptom domains. The Composite Autonomic Severity Score was also higher in the 3 syndrome groups (P = .045), especially in syndrome 2, primarily due to a significant reduction in sudomotor function as measured by the Quantitative Sudomotor Axon Reflex Test, most significantly in the foot; the score was intermediate in the ankle and upper leg and was nonsignificant in the arm, indicating a peripheral nerve length-related deficit. The normal increase in high-frequency heart rate variability at night was absent or blunted in all 3 syndrome groups (P &lt; .001).

 

CONCLUSION Autonomic symptoms are associated with objective, predominantly cholinergic autonomic deficits in the population of Gulf War veterans.

PMID: 23407784 [PubMed - in process]

Docs: Wait - or get out of Utah's bad air - to conceive

Docs: Wait - or get out of Utah's bad air - to conceive

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/55825755-78/pollution-utah-birth-studies.html.csp

 

"A group of doctors points to studies showing that exposure to PM2.5, as in Utah during inversions, may lower birth weight."

Toxicity of ethylmercury (and Thimerosal): a comparison with methylmercury.

Toxicity of ethylmercury (and Thimerosal): a comparison with methylmercury.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23401210

 

Dórea JG, Farina M, Rocha JB.  J Appl Toxicol. 2013 Feb 11. doi: 10.1002/jat.2855. [Epub ahead of print]

Source
Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidade de Brasilia, 70919-970, Brasilia, DF, Brazil.

Abstract

Ethylmercury (etHg) is derived from the metabolism of thimerosal (o-carboxyphenyl-thio-ethyl-sodium salt), which is the most widely used form of organic mercury. Because of its application as a vaccine preservative, almost every human and animal (domestic and farmed) that has been immunized with thimerosal-containing vaccines has been exposed to etHg. Although methylmercury (meHg) is considered a hazardous substance that is to be avoided even at small levels when consumed in foods such as seafood and rice (in Asia), the World Health Organization considers small doses of thimerosal safe regardless of multiple/repetitive exposures to vaccines that are predominantly taken during pregnancy or infancy. We have reviewed in vitro and in vivo studies that compare the toxicological parameters among etHg and other forms of mercury (predominantly meHg) to assess their relative toxicities and potential to cause cumulative insults. In vitro studies comparing etHg with meHg demonstrate equivalent measured outcomes for cardiovascular, neural and immune cells. However, under in vivo conditions, evidence indicates a distinct toxicokinetic profile between meHg and etHg, favoring a shorter blood half-life, attendant compartment distribution and the elimination of etHg compared with meHg. EtHg's toxicity profile is different from that of meHg, leading to different exposure and toxicity risks. Therefore, in real-life scenarios, a simultaneous exposure to both etHg and meHg might result in enhanced neurotoxic effects in developing mammals. However, our knowledge on this subject is still incomplete, and studies are required to address the predictability of the additive or synergic toxicological effects of etHg and meHg (or other neurotoxicants).

 

PMID: 23401210 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

New NSU institute seeks treatments for chronic fatigue syndrome, Gulf War Illness

New NSU institute seeks treatments for chronic fatigue syndrome, Gulf War Illness
http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/news/2013/02/11/new-nsu-institute-seeks-treatments-for.html

"A new institute at Nova Southeastern University aims to develop commercial treatments for both chronic fatigue syndrome and Gulf War Illness.  Institute for Neuro Immune Medicine combines basic science, clinical research and patient care on the nonprofit university's Davie campus. Dr. Nancy Klimas joined NSU a year ago, after spending more than 20 years at the University of Miami, to start the institute and serve as its director."

Gut Bacteria Liberate Hidden Toxins Found In Grains

Gut Bacteria Liberate Hidden Toxins Found In Grains
http://cen.acs.org/articles/91/web/2013/02/Gut-Bacteria-Liberate-Hidden-Toxins.html

Toxicology: The masked toxins currently slip past food safety monitoring

No More Toxic Pesticides, We Can Grow Safe Ones From Mushrooms

No More Toxic Pesticides, We Can Grow Safe Ones From Mushrooms
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=no-more-toxic-pesticides-we-can-gro-2013-02

"Biopesticides grown from fungi, insects, or other plants, are starting to replace chemical pesticides as a less poisonous (for people, that is) way to keep crops insect-free."

Health Tip: Minimize Pesticide Exposure

Health Tip: Minimize Pesticide Exposure
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_133597.html

"The American Academy of Pediatrics offers these suggestions to help reduce a child's exposure to pesticides"

Health: Mysterious Disease Discovered Locally, Strikes Mainly Young Women - CBS Philly

Health: Mysterious Disease Discovered Locally, Strikes Mainly Young Women - CBS Philly
http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2013/02/07/health-mysterious-disease-discovered-locally-strikes-mainly-young-women/2/ 

"It's a mysterious, newly discovered disease that strikes mainly young women, and it's often misdiagnosed. Doctors who discovered it, here in Philadelphia, say it's like your brain is on fire. 3 On Your Side Health Reporter Stephanie Stahl says it starts with personality changes.

Young women dazed, restrained in hospital beds, acting possessed and then becoming catatonic. They'd been so normal, when suddenly their lives went haywire."

Do soaps with triclosan do more harm than good?

Do soaps with triclosan do more harm than good?

http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/ct-met-triclosan--20130210,0,7438760.story

 

"If co-workers and family members are coming down with infections this winter, you may be tempted to turn to an anti-bacterial soap for protection.

But some scientists are increasingly concerned that a common anti-bacterial ingredient called triclosan may harm people's health. Laboratory studies have found that it may disrupt hormones, interfere with muscle function and promote the growth of stronger bacteria — and other research suggests it is building up in the environment to the possible peril of wildlife.

What's more, there is no evidence that hand-washing with soap containing triclosan or other anti-microbial ingredients offers any health advantages over regular soap and water, according to advisory committees for the American Medical Association and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration."

EPA Moves to Ban 12 D-Con Mouse and Rat Control Products / Action Will Prevent Thousands of Accidental Exposures Among Children Each Year

EPA Moves to Ban 12 D-Con Mouse and Rat Control Products / Action Will Prevent Thousands of Accidental Exposures Among Children Each Year
http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/3017786D7B82169E85257B0300573FDE

 

"The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is moving to ban the sale of 12 D-Con mouse and rat poison products produced by Reckitt Benckiser Inc. because these products fail to comply with current EPA safety standards. Approximately 10,000 children a year are accidentally exposed to mouse and rat baits; EPA has worked cooperatively with companies to ensure that products are both safe to use around children and effective for consumers. Reckitt Benckiser Inc., maker of D-Con brand products, is the only rodenticide producer that has refused to adopt EPA's safety standards for all of its consumer use products."

Quebec should toughen pesticide regulations, doctors urge

Quebec should toughen pesticide regulations, doctors urge
http://www.montrealgazette.com/health/Quebec%20should%20toughen%20pesticide%20regulations%20doctors%20urge/7922366/story.html

"Two doctors' groups are calling on Quebec to eliminate the use of pesticides for cosmetic or esthetic purposes, saying they pose too much of a risk to children.  The call from the Quebec College of Family Physicians, the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment and the environmental group Équiterre Tuesday comes as Quebec is reviewing the province's pesticide-management code."

Chemical Reaction Keeps Stroke-Damaged Brain from Repairing Itself

Chemical Reaction Keeps Stroke-Damaged Brain from Repairing Itself
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130204153910.htm

"Nitric oxide, a gaseous molecule produced in the brain, can damage neurons. When the brain produces too much nitric oxide, it contributes to the severity and progression of stroke and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. Researchers at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute recently discovered that nitric oxide not only damages neurons, it also shuts down the brain's repair mechanisms."

 

Note:  Nitric Oxide dysregulation is one of the mechanisms identified by Dr. Martin Pall as the cause of MCS.

Chemicals linked to obesity in black children

Chemicals linked to obesity in black children
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/news/2013/phthalates-and-obesity

"Black children with high levels of hormone-altering chemicals used in some shampoos and lotions are more likely to be obese, according to research published today. The study by New York University scientists is the second to link phthalates to obesity in children but the first to use a large sample of children and look for racial disparities. Black children have much higher levels of the chemicals in their bodies than children of other races, and for every tripling of certain compounds, they were 22 percent more likely to be obese, according to data from 2,884 children. No links to obesity were found in white or Hispanic children. The phthalates were the kind commonly added to personal care products to make fragrances last longer."

Flame retardants may leach from your walls

Flame retardants may leach from your walls
http://www.sfgate.com/health/article/Flame-retardants-now-seen-as-health-risk-4248112.php

"Couches throughout the nation have become notorious for containing flame-retardant chemicals that may do more harm than good.  Now, it turns out, those chemicals may also be leaching from the walls that surround you.  Because of laws passed in the 1970s, many homes and workplaces built in the United States since then contain foam insulation doused with flame retardants."

Questions, few answers for stricken families

Questions, few answers for stricken families
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20130204/LIFESTYLE03/302040339/1040/lifestyle03/Questions-few-answers-stricken-families

"The fight has been under way for several years, but the momentum may have peaked on a night in June 2011.
That was the night of a community meeting in Marine City to discuss a startling spate of rare kidney cancers identified in area children — one as young as 5 months.
More than 200 people packed the Washington Life Center in a show of support for the affected families and to underscore the need for answers. There were stories in area newspapers and features on local television. Just a week earlier, U.S. Rep. Candice Miller, R-Harrison Township, had called on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to get involved with an investigation into the causes of the cancers."

NTP UPDATE: February 2013 Environmental Factor now available online

The February 2013 issue of the Environmental Factor is now online at
http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/newsletter/index.cfm

Stories include:

NIEHS welcomes NINDS director

NIDDK director keynotes MLK observance

Tickner encourages alternative solutions in green chemistry talk

Oil spill researchers tell what they learned

Laber named head of Comparative Medicine Branch

Lancet commentary targets non-communicable diseases

NIEHS answers the call in the aftermath of Sandy

Hrynkow named to head network of viral specialists

NIEHS opens search for clinical director

Research fellow begins career in medical writing

Grantees elected fellows of AAAS

Outreach educator honored with SOT Public Communications Award

New logo emphasizes NIH identity

Autoimmunity expert delivers distinguished lecture

Nano meeting tackles consumer exposures

NIEHS researcher assists in study of Norwegian women

Exploring the haunting legacy – benomyl and Parkinson's

PEPH launches new podcast series

Air pollution pinpointed as major global health problem

NIEHS researchers receive FDA grants to study effects of smoking

Ho group uses saliva for study on methylation in asthma

Prenatal inflammation linked to autism risk

Uncovering the genetic component in nicotine addiction

NIEHS research featured in The Journal of Immunology

This month in EHP

Extramural and intramural papers of the month

NIEHS surpasses 2012 CFC goal

NIEHS biologist honored for award-winning photography

Neighbors in the house