- Update
- By Brenda Livingston
8-28-00
-
-
- Dear Jeff~
-
- Not withstanding the devastating effects of mosquito
spraying on the environment (as in the case of massive lobster kills) --
we must consider and be alerted to the devastating effects of pesticides
on the human population.
-
- As stated in NEWS RELEASE FROM TETRAHEDRON PUBLISHING
GROUP 8-16-00:
-
- "Public Health Expert Charges West Nile Virus Sprayings
are Bogus and Potentially Deadly
-
- Sandpoint, ID - Urban sprayings of malathion, a suspected
human chemical carcinogen and known immune system blocker, as a means to
control mosquito populations-efforts aimed at stemming outbreaks of the
West Nile Virus (WNV)- has not been scientifically proven to be either
safe or effective."
-
- As presented by Patricia Doyle in her 8/26/00 article:
-
- "The total number of West Nile virus positive specimens
for New York State this year is now 344 birds, 166 mosquito pools, 1 sentinel
chicken, 6 live wild birds, and 5 human cases. Newest additions are a dove
and a robin."
-
- While this is a serious disease -- 5 human cases is not
an epidemic. If public health officials are concerned about serious health
effects on the human population -- it is crucial for to consider the following
information in any risk-benefit analysis when pesticide spraying is adopted
as a "cure".
-
- While the subject of emerging and new diseases such as
West Nile Fever is very important for the public to be alerted to -- there
is another disease equally important effecting millions of Americans that
is not being covered and is related to the proposed method for containing
West Nile Fever outbreaks.
-
- It appears that researchers at Southwestern Medical School
(University of Texas Health Science Center) in Dallas, Texas have found:
-
- I. That pesticides (e.g., mosquito sprays and other insecticides)
contribute greatly to the cause of Gulf War Syndrome (a disease causing
disease, pain and prolonged suffering for those acquiring this devastating
illness)
-
- II. That those afflicted with GWS have been shown to
have a deficiency in a specific enzyme which normally protects a person
from neurotoxin/chemical poisoning. Thus those having this deficiency are
open to being poisoned by pesticides and other chemicals in the environment
-
- III. That this deficiency is caused by a genetic predisposition
-- meaning that some people and not others will suffer the ontoward effects
(poisoning) of being exposed to pesticides at low and supposedly "safe"
levels.
-
- IV. Those with this illness caused by even small exposures
to nerve toxins and other damaging chemicals suffer from brain/neurological
damage... damage to the deep structures of the brain, the brain stem and
the basal ganglia and likely sustain damage to other tissues/organs of
the body.
-
- Although this study applies to Gulf War Veterans, the
implications are staggering for the general population. One can certainly
draw the conclusion that not only soldiers involved in the Gulf War have
this genetic predisposition -- this illness (which many have referred to
as many separate illnesses...fibromyalgia, nerve pain syndromes, chronic
fatigue syndrome, dizziness/vertigo, memory loss, and on and on) is a human
disease amongst all populations.
-
- The study at Southwestern indicated the following:
-
- "The culprit gene is the one that controls production
of type Q paraoxonase, or PON-Q, an enzyme that allows the body to fight
off chemical toxins by destroying them. This particular enzyme is highly
specific for the chemical nerve agents sarin and soman as well as for the
common pesticide diazinon.
-
- In some people, the gene causes the body to produce high
levels of PON-Q, allowing their bodies to fight off toxins like nerve gas.
But in others the gene directs the production of low levels of PON-Q, meaning
a person cannot fight off even low levels of these toxic chemicals well."
-
- Organophosphate pesticides have chemical structure similar
to nerve agents and have the potential of becoming highly toxic for normal
individuals if misused or mixed with other pesticides or chemicals. It
has been proven that mixtures in the air can increase the toxic effects
of commonly used pesticides by 100 or even a 1000 times.
-
- See the following site for details and information on
more studies: http://www.swmed.edu/home_pages/epidemi/gws/
-
- All this to say that it seems clear that massive spraying
for West Nile Fever or simply for mosquito control will harm (not may harm)
children and adults who have this genetic predisposition and low enzyme
level.
-
- And, unless this West Nile outbreak becomes a full scale
epidemic -- spraying will likely be the cause of great long-term suffering
for thousands -- with no appreciable effects on the carriers of West Nile.
Not only can massive spraying of pesticides cause GWS/environmental disease
-- it will undoubtedly increased the suffering of those who already suffer
from it.
-
- It is important to note that airbourne spraying does
little to actually erraticate mosquitos. Larval control and eliminating
breeding grounds (places with stagnant pools of water) are much more effective
means for controlling mosquitos.
-
- One has to wonder why the information about the harmful
effects of pesticides are not more prominent in the news and why spraying
is instituted without any calculation of the devastation that is caused
by it.Risks and benefits must be weighed very carefully with an informed
public at the helm.
-
- One thing is for sure--brain and neurological damage
will result in a significant cross section of the population if we allow
the continued and unwarranted use of pesticides in agriculture, our homes,
our schools and most significantly that being sprayed in the air throughout
our communities.
-
-
- Below are the headlines of recent articles (some of which
have been on this site) and studies outlining the devastating effects of
pesticides upon the "normal" population:
-
-
- Children Face Danger On School Grass From Pesticides
-
- Pesticide Residue On Produce--Children Vulnerable
-
- Heavy Metals In Pesticides Said Can Lead To Youth Violence
-
- Chemicals, Pesticides May Lead To Infertility In Women
-
- 83 Pesticides Found In Ag/Urban US Water
-
- Pesticides Are Far Worse Than Previously Realized
-
- Gulf War Syndrome Findings--Neuro Damage Due To Pesticides
-
- UPDATE: Genetic Causes For GWS -- Implications For General
Population
-
- Parkinson's Linked To Residential Pesticide Use
-
- =================
-
- For futher information please contact:
-
- Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA) 49 Powell
St., Suite 500, San Francisco, CA 94102 USA Phone: (415) 981-1771 Fax:
(415) 981-1991 Email: panna@panna.org Web: http://www.panna.org
-
-
- Brenda Livingston
-
- -----
-
-
- Dear Jeff~
-
- While the subject of emerging and new diseases such as
West Nile Fever is very important for the public to be alerted to -- there
is another disease equally important effecting millions of Americans that
is not being covered and is related to the proposed method for containing
West Nile Fever outbreaks.
-
- It appears that researchers at Southwestern Medical School
(University of Texas Health Science Center) in Dallas, Texas have found:
-
- I. That pesticides (e.g., mosquito sprays and other insecticides)
contribute greatly to the cause of Gulf War Syndrome (a disease causing
disease, pain and prolonged suffering for those acquiring this devastating
illness)
-
- II. That those afflicted with GWS have been shown to
have a deficiency in a specific enzyme which normally protects a person
from neurotoxin/chemical poisoning. Thus those having this deficiency are
open to being poisoned by pesticides and other chemicals in the environment
-
- III. That this deficiency is caused by a genetic predisposition
-- meaning that some people and not others will suffer the ontoward effects
(poisoning) of being exposed to pesticides at low and supposedly "safe"
levels.
-
- IV. Those with this illness caused by even small exposures
to nerve toxins and other damaging chemicals suffer from brain/neurological
damage... damage to the deep structures of the brain, the brain stem and
the basal ganglia and likely sustain damage to other tissues/organs of
the body.
-
- Although this study applies to Gulf War Veterans, the
implications are staggering for the general population. One can certainly
draw the conclusion that not only soldiers involved in the Gulf War have
this genetic predisposition -- this illness (which many have referred to
as many separate illnesses...fibromyalgia, nerve pain syndromes, chronic
fatigue syndrome, dizziness/vertigo, memory loss, and on and on) is a human
disease amongst all populations.
-
- The study at Southwestern indicated the following:
-
- "The culprit gene is the one that controls production
of type Q paraoxonase, or PON-Q, an enzyme that allows the body to fight
off chemical toxins by destroying them. This particular enzyme is highly
specific for the chemical nerve agents sarin and soman as well as for the
common pesticide diazinon.
-
- In some people, the gene causes the body to produce high
levels of PON-Q, allowing their bodies to fight off toxins like nerve gas.
But in others the gene directs the production of low levels of PON-Q, meaning
a person cannot fight off even low levels of these toxic chemicals well."
-
- Organophosphate pesticides have chemical structure similar
to nerve agents and have the potential of becoming highly toxic for normal
individuals if misused or mixed with other pesticides or chemicals. It
has been proven that mixtures in the air can increase the toxic effects
of commonly used pesticides by 100 or even a 1000 times.
-
- See the following site for details and information on
more studies: http://www.swmed.edu/home_pages/epidemi/gws/
-
- All this to say that it seems clear that massive spraying
for West Nile Fever or simply for mosquito control will harm (not may harm)
children and adults who have this genetic predisposition and low enzyme
level.
-
- And, unless this West Nile outbreak becomes a full scale
epidemic -- spraying will likely be the cause of great long-term suffering
for thousands -- with no appreciable effects on the carriers of West Nile.
Not only can massive spraying of pesticides cause GWS/environmental disease
-- it will undoubtedly increased the suffering of those who already suffer
from it.
-
- It is important to note that airbourne spraying does
little to actually erraticate mosquitos. Larval control and eliminating
breeding grounds (places with stagnant pools of water) are much more effective
means for controlling mosquitos.
-
- One has to wonder why the information about the harmful
effects of pesticides are not more prominent in the news and why spraying
is instituted without any calculation of the devastation that is caused
by it.Risks and benefits must be weighed very carefully with an informed
public at the helm.
-
- One thing is for sure--brain and neurological damage
will result in a significant cross section of the population if we allow
the continued and unwarranted use of pesticides in agriculture, our homes,
our schools and most significantly that being sprayed in the air throughout
our communities.
-
-
- Below are the headlines of recent articles (some of which
have been on this site) and studies outlining the devastating effects of
pesticides upon the "normal" population:
-
-
- Children Face Danger On School Grass From Pesticides
-
- Pesticide Residue On Produce--Children Vulnerable
-
- Heavy Metals In Pesticides Said Can Lead To Youth Violence
-
- Chemicals, Pesticides May Lead To Infertility In Women
-
- 83 Pesticides Found In Ag/Urban US Water
-
- Pesticides Are Far Worse Than Previously Realized
-
- Gulf War Syndrome Findings--Neuro Damage Due To Pesticides
-
- UPDATE: Genetic Causes For GWS -- Implications For General
Population
-
- Parkinson's Linked To Residential Pesticide Use
-
- =================
-
- For futher information please contact:
-
- Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA) 49 Powell
St., Suite 500, San Francisco, CA 94102 USA Phone: (415) 981-1771 Fax:
(415) 981-1991 Email: panna@panna.org Web: http://www.panna.org
-
-
- Brenda Livingston
-
-
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