Ciguatera, Ciguatera-like Toxins & Ionizing Radiation: Part of the Morgellons Puzzle?

[tcmgpt13]

Nearly all those people who have chronic fatigue symptoms who are sending in samples to Hawaiian researchers to be tested for the presence of ciguatera toxins do show some sort of problem with this toxin, so exposure must be coming from other sources besides just eating fish, such as the cyanobacteria found even in fresh water. This is what makes me think that the MRF may have known this for some time and that this could have been one reason they started some research into water too. There's a lot we are exposed to when using water from the water departments that we do not have any idea is even there (copepods for one). Ciguatera-like toxins are being found in fish in areas which have never been suspected to support them:

Ciguatoxin-like substances in edible fish on the eastern Mediterranean*

Background. The consumption of edible fish (e.g., Siganus spp) was assumed to have caused ciguatera poisoning at an atypical site, the eastern Mediterranean. This pilot study assesses the presence of ciguatoxin-like substances in edible fish on the eastern Mediterranean coast of Israel. Methods. Samples of Siganus rivulatus from polluted seawater (Haifa Bay), Siganus rivulatus from relatively clean seawater (Dor), and fish from the freshwater Sea of Galilee not inhabited by toxic algae were analyzed during summertime. Ciguatoxin-like substances were tested by a membrane immunobead assay that yields a color reaction (positive, weakly positive, negative). Results. Significantly more large and small fish from Haifa Bay yielded positive color reactions compared to fish from Dor. Sea of Galilee fish gave no positive color reactions. Conclusions. Our results suggest the presence of ciguatoxin-like substances in edible fish of the eastern Mediterranean. Additional analyses are needed to determine whether these substances are ciguatoxins or related polyethers.

Read More: Informa Healthcare - Clinical Toxicology - 45(6):695 - Summary

Here’s where some of those related polyethers have been found in research. They are indistinguishable from ciguatoxin. The problem is these are being spread around the world by ships and brought into ports. Then the toxins often find their way into fish and shellfish farms all over the world:

The cyanobacterium Oscillatoria erythraea--a potential source of toxin in the ciguatera food-chain.

Hahn ST, Capra MF.

School of Life Science, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
Abstract

A compound lethal to mice (i.p.) was extracted from samples of Oscillatoria erythraea, four species of mollusc and one species of molluscivorous teleost collected from the south-east coast of Queensland, Australia, during and shortly after O. erythraea blooms. The compound was chemically indistinguishable from ciguatoxin (CTX) on the basis of solvent extraction and partitioning and silicic acid chromatography. Residues derived from toxic samples elicited signs of intoxication, death and histopathological changes in mice, consistent with extracts of ciguatoxic material. Stick enzyme immunoassay tests and thin layer chromatography assessment of extracts indicated the presence of ciguatoxin-like polycyclic ether(s). O. erythraea is implicated as a potential elaborator of a CTX-like compound in the tropical marine biota.

The cyanobacterium Oscillatoria erythraea--a poten... [Food Addit Contam. 1992 Jul-Aug] - PubMed result

These toxins are so dangerous that Australia has taken some steps to prevent spreading these toxins around in their ports:

Conclusions

The Australian Government has responded to the preceding evidence about toxic dinoflagellate cysts by declaring the disposal of ballast water to be a quarantine issue of national significance. As of February 1, 1990, Australia introduced voluntary guidelines for ships entering its ports from overseas. These guidelines aim to reduce the risk of harmful introductions by encouraging a range of practices, such as reballasting at sea (only feasible for vessels up to 40 000 dead weight tonnage), ballasting in deep water, disposal of ballast-tank sediments outside Australian waters, non-discharge of ballast water in Australian ports, or participation in other compliance arrangements (see Hallegraeff and Bolch, 1991). As of November 1, 1990, the Marine Environ- ment Pollution Committee (MEPC) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has ratified the above guidelines for adoption on an international basis. In the present survey, 32 vessels claimed to have exchanged ballast water in mid- ocean, but 14 of these were still found to contain significant amounts of sediment, including dinoflagellate cysts [see also Rigby and Hallegraeff (1992)]. A more effective measure to prevent the spreading of dinoflagellate cysts via ships' ballast water would be to avoid ballasting during toxic dinoflagellate blooms in the water columns of the world's ports. Other options using temperature or chemical treatment (chlorine, hydrogen peroxide) of ballast water, either in hold or in onshore facilities, are also being investigated (Rigby et al., 1991). Clearly, bulk cargo shipping and aquaculture or marine parks are incompatible operations, and should never be planned in the same area.

J.Plankton Res.-1992-1067-84.pdf

It appears from some recent discussion on the National Chronic Fatigue site that radioactive wastes being dumped into the oceans and may be spreading and disseminating these types of toxins (a combination of ionizing radiation and ciguatera toxins) into the environment in a greatly enhanced form. I cannot copy this article here as permission would be required to do so, but I encourage everyone to read this next article which is linked. The article shows how ciguatoxins and cigualike toxins are combining with ionizing radiation. This damages Stat-1 which provides immune surveillance and immune regulation in the body. Stat-1 is an crucial protein. More information about the damage to Stat-1 and P53 is found here:

STAT1-alpha and p53 Deficiencies are Found in Patients with CFS

Evidently such damage will increase the likelihood catching viral and bacterial infections. It will also make a person vulnerable to the proliferation of retroviral infections. Think of all the implications of this information and how it most likely relates to the wide spectrum of symptoms and infections that have been found so far in those who have Morgellons. The information contained in the following article is so important that it has been discussed on the floor of the US House by a member (unidentified).

Ionizing radiation changes the DNA. When a toxin such a ciguatoxin is combined with ionizing radiation the damage to the DNA is even worse:

"NATIONAL CFIDS FOUNDATION FUNDS NEW CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH — Newsletter Fall 2010"

Perhaps when treatment is available for ciguatera and ciaguatera-like toxins we will find some inroads into our disease process since it appears that many different infections are involved for those of us who have Morgellons, some of which have been tested for and found. Certainly it appears that no one with the exception of that one lone representative in Congress really wants to discuss this possibility. I am now glad that I became so suddenly and violently ill and then eventually found a doctor who connected my early symptoms to Ciguatera toxins as I seem so far to have been the only one who has this obvious and labeled connection to Ciguatera toxin which has served to alert all of us to this possibility. I am now wondering if many with Morgellons have had lower level exposures to these toxins which seem to be in the environment nearly everywhere now.

[tcmgpt13]

Thanks for the kind words skylark. Actually there's a lot about ciguatera all over the internet now, including a chronic fatigue foundation which has supported research which shows the connection between low level ciguatera toxicity and chronic fatigue. It will be interesting to see what the new studies on chronic fatigue by both the NIH and CDC will reveal, if anything. I have a special interest in learning all I can about this toxin as it looks as if being exposed to it started my Morgellons symptoms. The person who wrote this article has a personal view of what helps and that is b-12 and elimination of seafood from the diet. I have found paying attention to using B-12 as well as a multiple B vitamin and some extra niacin has helped energy levels. Still I cannot say I am completely back to normal. Eliminating seafood has been easy since after becoming so sick I started investigating seafood and where it comes from. After learning more about it I decided most of it, in one way or another, was being exposed to excessive amounts of various toxins or was coming from fish farms many of which are notorious for the number of diseases and parasites fish raised in them have.

Anyway, a bit more about the little which can be done about this toxin once it has become entrenched within the body:

Treatment of Ciguatera

Treatment of ciguatera poisoning is also far from satisfactory. The use of mannitol has been recommended by various authorities ( 1, 2, 18 ), however this treatment is only effective if it is used in the first 48 - 72 hours of the illness ( 2, 18 ). Treatment of chronic ciguatera is usually symptomatic ( 1, 2, 18 ), although a recent report claims that the cholesterol lowering drug cholestyramine has been effective, even for disease which has been present for 10 years ( 9 ).

From my experience, the two most effective treatments were the complete elimination of all sea food from the diet, and the use of megadoses of vitamin B12.

After contracting ciguatera I found that I was experiencing a number of symptoms which were very similar to vitamin B12 deficiency. These symptoms were largely neurological and occurred predominantly below the waist, although I also experienced some similar symptoms around the scalp, face, eyes and mouth. It was the symptoms in the lower back and legs which were most severe however. These symptoms included burning sensations, numbness, and pain and weakness which would be greatly exacerbated by standing for only a few minutes. These symptoms were progressive until I began weekly supplements of 4000mcg tablets of vitamin B12 ( smaller doses were ineffective)

My response to the B12 was dramatic with a very rapid improvement in vitality and well being and a more gradual improvement in the neurological symptoms. I found however, that if I did not take the B12 weekly I would relapse. This continued for several months when I then found I could discontinue the B12 with no repercussions.

Vitamin B12 blood tests which were not done until after I began B12 supplements, revealed that my B12 levels were in the low end of the normal range, even less than 24 hours after taking the vitamin. This led to the suggestion that I was malabsorbing B12, however a subsequent vitamin B12 absorption test was normal.

The reasons for these observations have never been determined. However, since toxins produce their toxic effects by disrupting normal metabolic pathways, it would not surprise if there was some kind of interaction between ciguatoxins and vitamin B12.

In view of the ability of ciguatera to destroy nerve tissue, it is indeed interesting to note that high doses of methylcobalamin, the active form of vitamin B12, has recently been shown to stimulate regeneration of damaged nerve tissue ( 28, 29, 35 ). Futhermore, various neurological disorders have been linked to a deficiency of methylcobalamin ( 28, 29, 35 ).

Ciguatera and the Fish that cause Ciguatera Poisoning

[tcmgpt13]

Continuing from my last post here is this person's discussion of chronic fatigue and ciguatera toxin. Note how this person also discusses how exposure to these toxins may pave the way for other bacterial and viral infections. I would add it would also make it easier for parasites to be a part of the picture for some:

Ciguatera and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic ciguatera poisoning may so resemble CFS that it may be difficult to distinguish between the two illnesses ( 13, 31, 36 ). But are they separate illnesses? CFS it seems, has actually been caused by ciguatera ( 14, 15, 33, 36 ). It is indeed interesting to note that CFS may actually be caused by toxins which closely resemble ciguatoxin ( 37 ).

This is not surprising to me since I have noted, after suffering from ciguatera for more than 12 months, the similarity between this illness and the other types of CFS I have had following various viral and bacterial infections. If, as current evidence suggests, CFS is a constitutional disease characterised by reduced adrenal capacity and subsequent stress intolerance, it would not be surprising if there are numerous possible triggering factors for this disorder. In fact, this would be expected.

The common factor here is that all these infections or toxins may cause considerable and prolonged internal stress and therefore may have a considerable impact on the adrenal system.


From my experience, the various triggering factors for CFS all result in a slight variation in the clinical picture. For instance, one virus may cause a disorder characterised by muscle pain while another may cause more gastrointestinal symptoms. In the case of ciguatera, at least in my case, it has been the neurological symptoms which really set it apart from other causes of CFS.


The nature of ciguatoxins, both their persistence in the body and their extreme toxicity, ensures that ciguatera has a very real capacity to impact upon the adrenal system.

[tcmgpt13]

I feel this recently updated information about possible ciguatoxin exposure is extremely important to those of us who may be experiencing any type of neurological symptoms. Since my exposure to ciguatoxin is certain I know this information is important to my particular case, but remember too that cyanobacteria is involved in the dinoflagellates who have been implicated in ciguatoxin poisoning from eating fish. The dinoflagellates eat the cyanobacteria which contains the toxin and are then eaten by the fish. Then the poison passes to the persons eating the fish. It is both odorless and tasteless when consumed.

Cyanobacteria can also be found in algae blooms, both salt water and fresh water varieties. Cyanobacteria is not easy to remove from water which includes water supplies as well. So even if someone has never eaten fish it is possible to have been exposed to the same sort of toxins in other ways, in the water or even by breathing air which is carrying poisons from algae blooms. I think this possible connection to cyanobacteria explains the research which was sponsored by the Morgellons Research Foundation to study what might be found in water supplies such as those we bathe in or drink. Ciguatoxins and cigua like toxins are being implicated in many who chronic fatigue syndrome:

Ciguatera
Contributors
Elijah W Stommel MD, author. Dr. Stommel of Dartmouth Medical School has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Jeffrey S Kutcher MD, editor. Dr. Kutcher of the University of Michigan has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Publication dates
Originally released January 17, 1994; last updated March 10, 2010; expires March 10, 2013

Historical note and nomenclature
Ciguatera is a serious, although rarely fatal, human food poisoning related to the consumption of tropical reef fish. Contained in the muscles, head, viscera, and roe of the fish are 1 or more toxins acquired in the food chain. Ciguatera is the most common nonbacterial form of food poisoning related to seafood ingestion in the United States, Canada, and more recently, Europe (Centers for Disease Control 1982; Lange 1987).

The problem is endemic in certain areas of the Caribbean (especially the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico) as well as in parts of Florida, Hawaii, Australia, and on several of the islands of the South Pacific, including the Marshalls, French Polynesia, American Samoa, Guam, and New Guinea, in a band-like area extending around the globe, generally from 35° North to 35° South latitude. Cases have been reported from several states in the United States, the Mexican Pacific coast, Baja California, Canada, Japan, and, more recently, the Mediterranean. Some of this spread is due to the consumption of fish shipped in from endemic areas (Pilon et al 2000) or from travelers arriving home from endemic areas (Payne and Payne 1977; Raikhlin-Eisenkraft et al 1988; Juranovic and Park 1991).

The disease has existed for many years; the first reference to ciguatoxic fish (yellowtail or amberjack) was made in the T'ang dynasty (618 AD to 907 AD) (Southcott 1975). An early, excellent description of the clinical manifestations was found in the log books of Captain Cook on his voyage around the world:

"We found ourselves seized with extraordinary weakness and numbness all over our limbs attended with numbness of sensation like to that caused by exposing one's limbs to a fire after having been pinched by frost. I had almost lost the sense of feeling, nor could I distinguish between light and heavy objects of such as I had the strength to move a quart pot of water and feather being the same in my hand. . . In the morning one of the pigs which ate the entrails was found dead (Cook 1777)."

[tcmgpt13]

Clinical manifestations
Ciguatera affects multiple organ systems and has impressive gastrointestinal, neurologic, cardiovascular, dermatological, genitourinary, and emotional components. Onset of symptoms is usually within 15 minutes to 30 hours (most within 12 hours) of fish ingestion.

Gastrointestinal. Gastrointestinal upset typically is ushered in by hypersalivation, nausea, abdominal cramps, intense vomiting, and watery diarrhea.

Neurologic. Neurologic manifestations usually follow, including dysesthesias of the extremities; itching (either generalized or of the palms and soles); or after alcohol consumption, numbness, prickling and burning sensations, and temperature reversal (where cold objects feel hot or, occasionally, vice versa: "hot-cold inversion," "temperature reversal," "sensory inversion"). This inverted sensory phenomenon is considered by some to be pathognomonic of involvement with marine toxins (Bagnis et al 1979), although it has also been reported in diabetic and uremic polyneuropathies (Yosipovitch et al 1995). Lhermitte phenomenon is not uncommon (Isbister and Kiernan 2005), and a recent case report shows what appears to be a hyperintense signal on T-2 weighted sequences in the cervical cord of a patient reportedly exposed to CTX (Wasay et al 200eight. Clinicians should be aware of CTX poisoning as a possible cause of burning mouth syndrome, particularly in patients who have recently traveled to a tropical area (Heir 2005).

Headaches, vertigo, dizziness, circumoral tingling, metallic taste, dry mouth, pain or tingling, or a "loose," sensation of the teeth are common complaints. Cranial nerve palsies, aphonia, ptosis, or miosis may occur. Pain in the muscles and joints, low back pain, muscle stiffness or spasm, fasciculations, and even elevated CPKs are also seen (Wasay et al 200eight. Carpopedal spasm, trismus, meningismus, opisthotonus, weakness, ataxia, muscular incoordination, and inability to stand have all been reported as well as hyporeflexia, areflexia, stocking-and-glove hypesthesia or numbness, malaise, and profound fatigue.

Rarely, the patient may proceed to develop stupor, peripheral flaccid paralysis, respiratory muscle paralysis with respiratory failure, generalized seizures, and death.

Serious neurologic manifestations of ciguatera (coma, vertigo, ataxia, sensory loss, and weakness) may occur later than earlier and more common symptoms (nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea), suggesting that the neurologic manifestations are being caused by a different physiologic process, such as neuronal or Schwann cell swelling through prolonged activation of sodium channels (Angibaud and Rambaud 199eight.

Cardiovascular. Cardiovascular manifestations include any combination of hypotension, bradycardia, hypertension, tachycardia, arrhythmias, heart block, pulmonary edema, and congestive heart failure. In a recent study of 124 cases of ciguatera intoxication from French Polynesia, cardiovascular symptoms were the primary criteria of severity, with bradycardia and hypotension documented at 75% and 43%, respectively (Gatti et al 200eight).

Dermatologic. The patient may develop a rash, usually diffuse, nonraised, confluent, erythematous, usually not hives or wheals. Loss of hair and nails has been reported.

Genitourinary. Signs include painful urination, pain in the perineum, penis, or vagina, and pain in the penis during erection. This has been reported to be intensified during ejaculation and transmitted to the female partner causing painful intercourse (Lange et al 1989; Lange 1994). The toxin can cross the placental barrier causing hypoactivity or shivering movements of the fetus that can be detected by sonography, and transient hypoactivity of the newborn. It can also be secreted in the breast milk causing hypersensitivity of the nipples that interferes with breast feeding as well as diarrhea in the infant (Blythe and deSylva 1990).

Emotional. The patient may be emotionally depressed, hyperexcitable, anxious, nervous, giddy, apprehensive, and restless, and may progress to shouting. Hysteria, delirium, hallucinations, and irrational behavior may occur. Untreated ciguatera has been shown to be associated acutely with significant subjective anxiety that is transient and not associated with objective cognitive changes (Friedman et al 2007). The varied symptoms of ciguatera have been postulated in some cases to be related to somatization (Williams et al 200eight).

Chronic ciguatera. After the acute phase has passed, many bothersome symptoms may linger on for months to years, including itching after alcohol consumption, persistent dysesthesias, myalgias, arthralgias, sensitivity to cold, loss of energy, marked fatigue, malaise, and depression, among other symptoms (Bagnis et al 1979; Morris et al 1982; Hamburger 1986; Sims 1987; Payne et al 1988; Eastaugh and Shepherd 1989; Lipkin 1989; Chateau-Degat et al 2007). Chronic fatigue has also been linked to other toxic polyethers, and ciguatera is a consideration in the differential diagnosis of the chronic fatigue syndrome (Pearn 1996).

Three cases of biopsy-proven polymyositis were reported occurring months to years after CTX exposure (Stommel et al 1991; 1993).


The disease is vastly underdiagnosed; diagnosis is made almost entirely by history, and usually in retrospect. There are few physical findings, none of which are diagnostic. The usual patient is remarkably uncomfortable.

No formal criteria for diagnosis exist. Any combination of gastrointestinal, neurologic, cardiovascular, dermatological, genitourinary, and emotional symptoms should arouse the clinical suspicion to inquire whether fish has been ingested. The initial gastrointestinal phase may be the only manifestation. Similarly, only neurologic involvement may occur. Occasionally, a patient may present with only the inverted sensory phenomenon or itching after alcohol and have no other symptoms. Re-exposure may cause a significant worsening of symptoms.

Welcome to MedLink Neurology

[sammy]

Tc. This is certainly a lot of data not sure how it would fit in with all my symptons. trying too read thru and see if anything applies too me. certainly agree with the fish. not sure even if gulf shrimp are ever going too be right again. sammy

[tcmgpt13]

Well, Sammy, I expect that most of our M symptoms would be different except for those involving the nervous system. Even our nervous system symptoms could vary. My infectious disease doctor who made my ciguatoxin diagnosis from my description of initial onset three years prior to seeing him said that this toxin or toxins like this one could trigger infections and parasites the body already had inside. This would explain my viral infections which were quite active at the time I saw him and which he described as reactivated viral infections. He suspected I had these reactivated infections due to the pattern of lesions I had on my back at that time. Since it is possible to be exposed to ciguatoxin and cigua like toxins in the environment I feel this could be a huge missing piece to the puzzle of varying symptoms many of us have. Not all of us have the same background co-infections and yet most of us do seem to have some sort of neurological symptoms. So while this may not be the whole picture I think this sort of toxic exposure could be the trigger for the varying symptoms so many of us are experiencing with M.

About the shrimp and other seafood I agree for they, too, are being exposed to excess amounts of pollutants and toxins. It stands to reason that most seafood could have these types of problems. It becomes compounded when you realize that sometimes even the domestic land animals we eat are fed fish meal. What happens to the animals and the people who eat this meat if that fish meal contains these toxins? This is why it is so important to pay attention to how meat animals are raised, especially chickens and the eggs they produce.

Just doing a bit more research here. I found a discussion by someone who raises poultry using fish meal, which are mostly derived from menhaden. Now this person tries to allay fears that menhaden are rapidly growing fish who do not have time to acquire vast amounts of the mercury people fear wheb they hear that poultry are being fed such an unnatural food. What is not discussed though is the fact that menhaden fish, way back in 1998, were being found in the Chesapeake Bay area with skin lesions, caused by our old friends the dinoflagellates. So you can see why buying poultry which has been fed a vegetarian diet could be extremely important to your health:

First the producer who tells us that most fish meal fed to poultry comes from the menhaden fish:

USING FISH MEAL IN CHICKEN FEED

And here is the discussion about how menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay were found to have lesions:

First sentence in this article states:

"Ulcerative lesions and mass mortalities of Atlantic estuarine fish, particularly menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus), have been associated with exposure to Pfiesteria-like dinoflagellates and their toxins."

Pfiesteria & Fish Lesions in Chesapeake Bay

All of this leads us back to some of the treatments being done by Shoemaker who lives in that area:

Welcome to ChronicNeurotoxins, Inc. Home Page

Now, Kbubba (former mod here) was treated with this protocol and while she said it did not alleviate all of her symptoms it could be part of the M puzzle. Just something more for us to think about in this convoluted maze we find ourselves caught in here.

[sammy]

Tcm. Its ironic I just had all these blood tests and my doctor called and told me. she has not see anyone with great counts like mine. its so crazy I go too see her in 2 weeks. the blood work I had done was a lot of what ginger savley requires. so i thought I would get this done so my insurance would cover this part.
this has been a crazy week for me. got up 2 weeks ago and the joint in my knee would not bend. so saw a ortho doctor this week it s fluid on my knee. I know this has too be the same fluid that is coming out of my nose. how can this all be great blood but everything else is crazy. its all got too be a piece of this puzzel know one can figure out but leaves us all dangling. sammy

[tcmgpt13]

In case you haven't seen this post Sammy I thought you might be interested. This is from a post I made back in 2008 and contains a copied post from flowerchild on lymebusters. I think her description of a 2004 fish kill in Virginia was especially interesting, since these fish had lesions which contained a cotton like parasite. She claimed that what she saw in her own skin lesions could be described in a similar manner. Then be sure to notice that she discusses a similar parasite infection being found in rockfish in the Washington, D.C. area which can infect man! How can this information continue to be ignored?

Also note that it's quite possible that ionizing radiation could be involved. Combined with the ciguatoxins or cigua like toxins this can be quite devastating according to research from the CFIDS (post 1 this thread).

I thought you would be interested to see her eosinophilia and alk phos were elevated in the blood work she had done at that time.

Doctors think they know everything about parasites which can infect humans, but do they? I feel what many people with M believe are cotton or fungus in their skin or their lesions could be actual parasites such as these. And I think it is quite possible that parasites can also produce fibers, especially inside lesions since this is starting to be described in research on leishmania lesions.

I think we need to realize that there is a lot we do not know about parasites which could infect man. Probably we are more willing to entertain that idea than are those in the medical profession. How quickly those who have MD behind their names forget this Shakespeare quote:

"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy."

It is also quite possible that water and toxic algae blooms could also be a contributing factor for many of our symptoms, especially those involving the CNS:

Originally Posted by tcmgpt13

Bringing this thread back up again, as I was finally able to locate the information another person posted about fish parasites and cotton-like fish parasites on lymebusters (flowerchild). I will just put some of the post on this forum. The entire post can be found here (scroll to second post on the page):

LymeBusters - Black Spot flukes...

"I want to add that I discovered small mouth striper bass in Smith Mountain Lake near Roanoke, Va. were infested with a "mystery" parasite, documented in only 6 journals in te World (2 in Russia, 4 in the US) spring of 2004. They were full of white cottony parasites like mine, and a Dr. Steve Smith at Va. Tech was studying them.Dr. Smith and his colleagues would not discuss this with me. The fish were dying by the thousands from non-healing skin lesions, like mine. Drs. just laughed at me...even UVa ID Clinic told me a human could ot get a fish parasite, and we doon't get parasites in the US. They lied in their report and said I refused to have labwork done there. I had signed a release in their medical records dept. that day, after bein laughed at by the ID Drs. I have my labwork they said didn't get done, and it was too high for the 2 things they said they were looking for..elevated alk phos and eosinophilia.I called them, and trid to work this "misunderstanding" out, but they refused to see me, or to change my diagnosis from DOP.

About 3 weeks ago, I read in my local newspaper that now the rockfish in the DC area have a skin-lesion disease that is harmful to humans. It said DC resaurants won't use rockfish from the US now, and import them from Europe and Ecuador.

I have wondered what the US/Russia mystery fish parasite could be since Spring,2004.The obvious were Nukes and Nuclear Accidents like 3 mile Island and Cherobyl, that might've mutatd stuff in the water.Or, space programs, or biowarfare programs. I noted with interest after learning Va. Tech was studying these fish parasites, that when I'd see tv reporters interviewing Drs. re: Homeland Security, they were always from Va. Tech. It's a big Veterinary and Agricultural School.....made me think about Plum Island.

God bless and help us all! Flowerchild"

Originally Posted by sammy

Tcm. Its ironic I just had all these blood tests and my doctor called and told me. she has not see anyone with great counts like mine. its so crazy I go too see her in 2 weeks. the blood work I had done was a lot of what ginger savley requires. so i thought I would get this done so my insurance would cover this part.
this has been a crazy week for me. got up 2 weeks ago and the joint in my knee would not bend. so saw a ortho doctor this week it s fluid on my knee. I know this has too be the same fluid that is coming out of my nose. how can this all be great blood but everything else is crazy. its all got too be a piece of this puzzel know one can figure out but leaves us all dangling. sammy

[tcmgpt13]

Some more recent information about ciguatoxin and how pervasive this toxin is in the environment and the food supply. Testing has revealed that it is found it in both those who have symptoms and those who were used as controls. Toxins can interrupt body's health in many ways, especially in time lessening the strength of the immune system. When this happens many disease issues may follow such bacterial, fungal, viral, cancer and parasitic infections:

GOVERNMENT ACKNOWLEDGES CFIDS/ME LINK WITH CIGUATERAE

By Robert Huntington

In 2002, researchers at the John A. Burns School of Medicine (University of Hawaii-Manoa) found nearly 100% of patients diagnosed according to the Fukuda Definition of 1994 or more stringent diagnostic tests were positive to the assays that are considered "the gold standard" for biomedical groups worldwide testing for the toxin. Using healthy controls for a comparison, those positive to the ciguatera assay were nearly 0%! By late 2002, the lead researhcer, Yosh.itsugi Hokama, PhD, annouced this astounding discovery at the international toxicology conference in Japan. Although some newspapers in Hawaii carried the exiciting news, our government was silent. Publication followed in early 2003 in the Journal of Clinical Laboratory Analysis (17:139), a medical journal for researchers that only publishes scientific work that is able to be successfully replicated from the submitted paper. The authors on that paper included researchers from the medical Department of Pathology as well as some "CFS experts", Derek Enlander, M.D. and Edward Jordan, M.D. along with the medical director of the National CFIDS Foundation, Inc., Professor Alan Cocchetto.

Did our government ignore this despite Dr. Hokama being their federal government's expert advisor in this area? No, not really. Proven science is fact. There's no need to either agree or disagree. You can't. It's fact and that's it. It's like arguing about whether the sky is falling or if a person is alive or dead. This article is very interesting because it also discusses the politics found in organization such as the CDC and the NIH who have their own agenda when it comes to finding out the root causes of illnesses:

But to recall some history, later in 2003, during a meeting of the federal Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Advisory Committee, the head of the CDC's CFS division, William Reeves, M.D., was asked what he thought about this exciting development found. Reeves stuttered and stammered and grew noticeably red. He finally said, "I find it… interesting." Of course, that's political speak that says nothing.

The CDC. the NIH and the FDA contined on with their "CFS" work, ignoring all the replicated science found worldwide. A few years ago, the FDA's Director of Food Safety was Dr. Douglas Park , had joined Dr. W. John Martin in his work before he held that position. Martin and Park said they had found a "CFS stealth virus". It was the NCF's medical director who found what they were really using to test the patients for the "stealth virus" in a patent: the ciguatera assay! The NCF continued to fund these researchers and the researchers also went on to receive a $1 million grant from the NIH to fuarther their work. They had already taken it apart molecule by molecule and found it matched ciguatera yet there were tiny, tiny differences which led them to call it an epitope. They found it used the sodium pathway which explained why CFIDS/ME patients had such adverse reactions to many anesthesias and the NCF issued an anesthesia protocol based upon this science. When they understood how misunderstood how patients were mistreated worldwide, the medical school opened up testing for all people with the diagnosis. Within months, a second paper was published by the international Journal of Toxicology (22:4.2003), "Chronic Phase Lipids in Sera of Several Chronic Diseases Reacting with MAB-CTX (Antibody to Ciguatera)". Again, the authors included some from the NCF. Our government stayed silent. In 2008, the researchers from Hawaii found the test was a biomarker for all autoimmune diseases.

A long seven years since the publication, the person who is now the Director of Food Safety at the FDA and has a background as a ciguatera expert, Robert W. D.ickey, and another, Steven M. Plakas, who was with the Gulf Coast Seafood Laboratory, published a review entitled "Ciguatera: A public health perpective" in Toxicon (2009, 10:1016). It began, "Ciguatera fish poisoning is a food-borne disease…" and went on to describe how dinaflagellates produce the toxin and how the toxins "produce a complex array of gastrointestinal, neurological and cardiological symptoms". Of course, the article pointed more toward ingestion of toxic seafood as a percursor yet it seems more than apparent that the toxin is already in our food supply and does not have to come from eating fish. The article referenced the work as reacting with "chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic ciguatera fish poisoning, hepatitis B and cancer patients suggesting a causal link". The references included some of the papers published on "CFS". The article concludes, "Significant progress has been made in recent years but many questions pertaining to environmental and public health risk analysis remain to be addressed." What an understatement!

But this was hardly the first time that it was mentioned. You just have to look closer. Here's one to ponder: this is a quote on ciguatera poisoning from the same Robert W. D.ckey, Ph.D. : "In a subset of patients, chronic illness may occur, characterized by a vague and poorly defined combination of recurring neurologic and neuropsychological symptoms. Pruritus, arthralgia, and fatigue can persist for months or years. The fatigue can be so debilitating that it resembles a chronic fatigue syndrome. Chronicity may reflect lengthy persistence of ciguatoxins in the body or lowered neural thresholds responding to dietary or behavioral stimuli unrelated to ciguatoxins. The persistence of symptoms in some patients for several years has been documented and is not unusual. In one series, 65% of the patients had symptoms 6 months or longer with reported recurrence up to 2 years." This reference is from Ciguatera Toxins: Chemistry, Toxicology, and Detection; D.ickey RW; Seafood and Freshwater Toxins — Pharmacology, Physiology, and Detection; CRC Press 2008, Ch 22, 479-500.

The quotation make it obvious that our government knows better than to mention the important findings funded by the NCF but, at the same time, they don't want to answer any further questions in this area. They'll even pretend to look into other causes! Thankfully, the NCF has continued to follow the science and, together, we halp them fund it to find the full answer of what the "epitope" or "difference" consists of. The medical school, currently, is offering testing worldwide to patients. The testing protocol is on the NCF website and also available to all members by mail. I am but one patient, based upon this testing, who has gotten a second diagnosis from my physician of Ciguatera Toxin poisoning. I'm waiting for the rest of the story but I expect to find it in this newsletter and not read about from our government. They, of course, won't disagree. You can't really disagree with proven facts.

GOVERNMENT ACKNOWLEDGES CFIDS/ME LINK WITH CIGUATERA — Newsletter Summer 2010

The National CFIDS Foundation * 103 Aletha Rd, Needham Ma 02492 *(781) 449-3535 Fax (781) 449-8606