Hodgson on the pseudo controversy

[Guest guest]

( Hodgson is a peer-reviewed researcher on stachy and other toxic

molds. He knows what he is talking about)

Date: Tue, 9 May 2000 11:50:56 -0400

From: " Hodgson, , M.D., M.P.H. " <muh7@...>

Subject: Re: Pulmonary Hemorrhage/Hemosiderosis in Humans

What does " was it ever " mean?

There are mechanistic data on how toxins from Stachybotrys affect protein

synthesis; there are experimental data on lung disease in animals; there are

outbreak investigations in humans (adults and infants) that suggest at least

two and probably five different kinds of effects; there are data on moisture

and bioaerosols; and there are studies on bioaerosols and lung disease.

No, at the time of the original investigation, there were published studies

in other languages, some of less than great quality, suggesting or

documenting several diseases in animals and raising the question of disease

in humans. There are some interesting old reviews, quoted in many of the

outbreak investigations.

When the investigation by Dearborn, Etzel, and Montana began, no mechanistic

information was available in a fashion that was immediately applicable to

humans, though a large body of older literature describes trichothecene

toxicity for humans and animals. Those agents are produced by a number of

other fungi, in addition to Stachybotrys, including various Fusarium

species. The nicest of the early books in Mycotoxins in Human and Animal

Health, edited by Rodricks in 1977 (Pathotox Publishers). The broad range

of what can only be called weird syndromes in the last century ( " taumel

getreide " or " staggering grain spells " ) is pretty amazing.

There is a body of literature on the way trichothecenes and other S.c.

toxins act. A search on Pubmed will lead you to some recent mechanistic and

animal studies.

Dorr Dearborn has an animal model of rat pup lung damage based on

trichothecene toxicity, an abstract of which was published last year in the

ATS meeting, not yet available on medline but identifiable if you pull the

ATS abstract volume in your library. He also has a nifty exposure model,

linking dust extract to a series of immunoassays. Still, this refers only

to the collagen synthesis inhibition portion of the current hypothesis that

is discussed among interested scientists.

The really nice thing about this pseudoscientific controversy is that the

peer-review process may take a while, but the truth will out eventually.

This usually involves groups of interested scientists actually getting some

money from a federal agency through the RO1 process, doing real work in the

field or the lab, and publishing it. This takes time. It takes a lot more

time than people sitting around in conference rooms thinking about the

limitations of field work done under widely acknowledged constraints.

Hodgson, MD, MPH

formerly in academics

-----Original Message-----

From: Shaun Laughlin [mailto:Shaun.Laughlin@...]

Sent: Tuesday, May 09, 2000 9:52 AM

OCC-ENV-MED-L@...

Subject: [OEM] Pulmonary Hemorrhage/Hemosiderosis in Humans

After reading the correspondences of the Cleveland investigators and

other published research on pulmonary

hemorrhage/hemosiderosis in humans I would like clarification on a

couple of issues.

1. Was it ever shown that Stachybotrys atra was the causal agent in the

infant pulmonary hemosiderosis/hemorrhages?

2. What evidence or previous studies led the investigators to narrow

their search to S. atra? If previous studies or research

was available showing this relationship then why was it not provided?

Thank you for your time,

Shaun Laughlin, MHSc

Occupational Health and Safety

Calgary Regional Health Authority