Possible Cause

[howie]

I recently had a discussion with a committee in my area re: M and was told that it was due to algae blooms, which create these airborne molds and fungi that basically travel for miles and can grow on any acidic surface. The combination of pesticides and fertilizers that are being overused get washed into retention ponds, storm drains, etc and become so concentrated they lead to these algae blooms and, unless the water is treated in some way, the algae blooms become more frequent and more dangerous to human health. The problem with the bugs is that they eat the fungi, but the pesticides have killed most of the bugs that might actually help by eating the fungi from the environment...

Apparently the fungi will grow anywhere it lands if the ph is slightly acidic and there's a little moisture. it does get inside houses, on walls and in plumbing/ventilation systems, whether by air movement or just walking outside and bringing it in on the bottom of your shoes... You can even touch a contaminated surface and get it on your hands, then touch your face or rub your ear or whatever and, voila, you're contaminated. So it does seem plausible that you could get a systemic infection if in fact you're breathing contaminated air or walking around the house barefoot on contaminated floors. The fungi on and in your body would also attract any type of bug or parasite that feeds on the fungi...

What I was told is that it becomes like a full body case of athlete's foot and one's immune system is quickly overwhelmed which leads to these secondary and tertiary problems with parasites and other infections our bodies would normally be able to handle. So maybe that's why so many have success with the alkaline diet and dandruff shampoos - things that would basically starve a fungal infection.

I have no idea how reliable this info is so take it for what it's worth...

[Kritters]

Hi Howie,
That makes perfect sense to me, thanks!
Kritts

[tcmgpt13]

Howie, you might like to read this article about aging US sewer systems. Aging sewer systems are definitely a mostly "hidden from the public" problem and probably are spreading diseases including parasites never seen before in the US, like those causing chagas disease. That, however, is another story:

Combined sewer system: down, dirty, and out of date. - Free Online Library (this article is too long to post in its entirty, but it raises a lot of interesting issues):

Combined sewer system: down, dirty, and out of date.

When combined sewer A combined sewer is a type of sewer system which provides partially separated channels for sanitary sewage and stormwater runoff. This allows the sanitary sewer system to provide backup capacity for the runoff sewer when runoff volumes are unusually high, but it is an antiquated systems were introduced in 1855, they were hailed as a vast improvement over urban cesspool cesspool: see septic tank. ditches that ran along city streets and spilled over when it rained. These networks of underground pipes were designed to dry out streets by collecting rainwater runoff, domestic sewage from newly invented flush toilets, and industrial wastewater all in the same pipe. Waste- and stormwater was then discharged directly into waterways; in the early twentieth century, sewage treatment Sewage treatment

Unit processes used to separate, modify, remove, and destroy objectionable, hazardous, and pathogenic substances carried by wastewater in solution or suspension in order to render the water fit and safe for intended uses. plants were added to clean the wastewater before it hit streams. Combined sewer systems were--and still are--a great idea, with one catch: when too much stormwater is added to the flow of raw sewage, the result is frequently an overflow. These combined sewer overflows (CSOs) have become the focus of a debate regarding the best techniques to manage growing volumes of sewage and stormwater runoff in many older U.S. communities.

In dry weather, a combined sewer system sends a town's entire volume of wastewater to a sewage plant, which treats and discharges it into a waterway. Rain and snowmelt snow·melt
n.
1. The runoff from melting snow.

2. A period or season when such runoff occurs: streams that flood during snowmelt.
..... Click the link for more information., however, can fill up a combined sewer. The sewers have been specifically designed with escape overflow pipes so that the mixture of sewage and stormwater doesn't back up into buildings, including homes. The resulting CSO (Chief Security Officer) The person in charge of all staff members who are responsible for promulgating, enforcing and administering security policies for all systems within an enterprise or division. dumps raw sewage into lakes, rivers, and coastal waters, potentially harming public health and the environment.

And here's an old post from Carla, where she links to articles about mystery blobs found in some US sewer systems:

Mystery Jelly Found Across The UK (permalink 21)

An algae connection to morgellons symptoms does not sound out of the realm of possibility as much of it is toxic in nature. People could be exposed nearly everywhere as you pointed out, even with aging sewer systems.

[howie]

The problem with storm sewer systems, as it relates to algae blooms anyway, is the fact that many are constructed of concrete, which is a highly acidic surface and would allow a pervasive takeover by mold and fungi. Sidewalks, patios, etc, are all excellent breeding grounds...

Since many storm sewers dump into lakes, ponds, etc, it stands to reason that this would only exacerbate the problem since these lakes and ponds are already polluted with contaminants.

[howie]

Bigelow Laboratory: Toxic & Harmful Algal Blooms

the funny thing is that much of the research shows that barley straw is very effective for treating algae blooms... someone who wrote some threads awhile back recommended barley -- as i recall, he said it cured him. not sure.

my community is planning some major offensives this summer to prevent ongoing problems. we've all been told not to be using fertilizers or pesticides as they will interfere with the treatments planned for the area...

[posey]

I am definitely going to read these articles right NOW.

We bought our home almost 24 yrs. ago and I don't know how old the house and all really is. What I do know is we have a bad septic system. Our front yard is wet from it all summer long.

We don't have city water and sewer. I don't trust our water either. A year and a half ago we had to replace some kind of a pump or something underground for our water well. Ever since that time our water, more so HOT water, stinks so bad of sulpher and is rust loaded even though we have filters. I always use Yellow Out when I wash my clothes and do not drink or eat anything made with our water. I hate to shower with it.

To add to all that, we have a huge oil drum underground. We don't use it any more because we have natural gas for heat. However, I believe that drum should not be there.

So, thank you for all these links which I need to research.

Much gratitude and God bless all.

posey

[gigi22]

Originally Posted by howie

I recently had a discussion with a committee in my area re: M and was told that it was due to algae blooms, which create these airborne molds and fungi that basically travel for miles and can grow on any acidic surface. The combination of pesticides and fertilizers that are being overused get washed into retention ponds, storm drains, etc and become so concentrated they lead to these algae blooms and, unless the water is treated in some way, the algae blooms become more frequent and more dangerous to human health. The problem with the bugs is that they eat the fungi, but the pesticides have killed most of the bugs that might actually help by eating the fungi from the environment...

Apparently the fungi will grow anywhere it lands if the ph is slightly acidic and there's a little moisture. it does get inside houses, on walls and in plumbing/ventilation systems, whether by air movement or just walking outside and bringing it in on the bottom of your shoes... You can even touch a contaminated surface and get it on your hands, then touch your face or rub your ear or whatever and, voila, you're contaminated. So it does seem plausible that you could get a systemic infection if in fact you're breathing contaminated air or walking around the house barefoot on contaminated floors. The fungi on and in your body would also attract any type of bug or parasite that feeds on the fungi...

What I was told is that it becomes like a full body case of athlete's foot and one's immune system is quickly overwhelmed which leads to these secondary and tertiary problems with parasites and other infections our bodies would normally be able to handle. So maybe that's why so many have success with the alkaline diet and dandruff shampoos - things that would basically starve a fungal infection.

I have no idea how reliable this info is so take it for what it's worth...

Howie..this makes a lot of sense.. but somehow it would seem that it is not just simple contamination.. it would depend on the individual's immune system which could easily fight off these spores under normal conditions and/or the heaviness of contamination and length of exposure. My immune system went to hell first and foremost it seemed, which allowed the yeast to overgrow dramatically, along with some other weird fungus. I did feel like I had a full body case of athlete's foot! It's a totally believable theory....

[fracty]

thanks for the info Howie.

I'm curious about two things. (1)What type of "committee" was it? And (2)when you say your neighborhood is about to address it do you mean just the fungi part, or do you mean the neighborhood was actually addressing how to prevent M from spreading? i am guessing that you mean the former when you are talking about your neighborhood, and that they are not aware of M. Is that right?

Just wondering about those two things. Thanks so much!

[howie]

The committee I heard from is a neighborhood group that's been attempting to identify environmental problems that might be causing the "unusual" health issues being experienced in the neighborhood. The city replaced the water main servicing our neighborhood last year and they've installed several new septic and storm sewer lines. We've had an ongoing problem with storm water backup when there are heavy storms or snow melt-aways. Supposedly in the past there have been a number of algae blooms in the neighborhood ponds that resulted in some serious health threats (to people and animals) and the city required that the ponds be treated with some type of chemicals to control the algae. Initially I don't think anyone believed it was really a health hazard...now everyone's rethinking that...

Only a few of us in the neighborhood speak the M word - we've all had similar symptoms and have suspected some connection to the water. One person said last summer he had the creepy-crawlies on his lower legs for days and it wouldn't stop no matter how many showers or baths he took - he finally poured a bottle of alcohol over his legs after his shower one morning to try and make it stop - what came off his legs was this grey lint-like stuff which he thinks was a fungal growth. He said the creepy crawly feeling actually went away for awhile, but he's continued to have health problems.

I know that my life was like a sci-fi movie for quite some time. Things are much better now.

Like I said, I can't say how reliable this info is. I just thought that if it might help someone it was worth putting out there.

[Kritters]

Howie,

I'm sure the information is accurate as I've read similar information repeatedly regarding sewers, old pipes, water treatment plants, etc. Could be we have a mutant strain based on all the cooks in the kitchen not knowing what each other is putting out there.

When they start churning up the earth muck and working on the underground pipes, all kinds of fungi and bacteria are released into the environment and immediate atmosphere. Then our own plumbing receives those gifts...then whatever is going on in our immune systems will call the shots as to whether or not and whatever we will get as a result. Beyond that, the agrobac and pesticides must also be involved, and also will be leaching into our soil>plumbing>water>environment.

We have to treat the air we breathe, and inside our homes so that these homes don't become a breeding factory. We have to treat our water and we have to treat our bodies so we don't become breeding factories as well. With all these mutant forms, and our immune systems being compromised with all the crap from chemicals, heavy metals, toxins and Bio engineered and poisoned foods, and yes, BIO WARFARE nano agents, how WOULDN'T we be coming down with this horror?

Kritts