Organisms that Produce Biotoxins

Many types of organisms produce substances that are toxic to humans. These include dinoflagellates found in estuaries and the ocean, cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) found in fresh water, fungi (mold) found in indoor air and outdoors, and some types of bacteria. Our initial research on acute and chronic, biotoxin-induced illness associated a complex of non-specific symptoms and deficits in visual contrast sensitivity with exposure to estuaries inhabited by the fish-killing dinoflagellate, Pfiesteria piscicida, and other toxic dinoflagellates in the toxic Pfiesteria complex (1-8). Treatment for this illness, called Possible Estuary Associated Syndrome (PEAS) by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC; 9), according to our protocol was associated with recovery of vision and resolution of symptoms. Subsequent research indicated that this paradigm generalizes to chronic illness thought to be caused by toxins from a marine dinoflagellate, Ciguatera (Chronic Ciguatera Seafood Poisoning), cyanobacteria such as Cylindrospermopsis and Microcystis, various species of fungi such as Stachybotrys, Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Fusarium, and by spiders such as the Brown Recluse. Our research also suggested that toxins from tick-borne pathogens such as Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease organism) and Babesia microti may cause chronic illness even after the spirochetes or intracellular protozoa (also called apicomplexans) have been killed by antibiotics. People who cannot naturally eliminate biotoxins develop chronic illness. The toxins can be eliminated, however, by using our treatment protocol, and good health can be restored.

Molecular Structure of Biotoxins

Biotoxins are a class of molecules known as ionophore's. An ionophore is a lipid soluble substance that forms a channel or acts as a carrier in a lipid bilayer membrane to allow specific ions can move across the membrane. Ionophores disrupt transmembrane ion concentration gradients, which are required for the proper functioning and survival of microorganisms. They are produced naturally by certain microbes and can act as a defense against competing microbes.

Ciguatoxin (CTx-1)

Lyme Disease

Although most people don't realize it, the vector of one of the most debilitating diseases of the modern world can often be found crawling around in the hedges, shrubs and tall grasses of the typical American backyard. Carried by several common species of tick, Lyme Disease - which leaves many of victims struggling with long-term chronic illness, Post-Lyme Disease (PLD) - is one of the fastest-growing infectious-disease epidemics both here and abroad, according to recent research.

Many physicians feel that diagnostic tests for Lyme are unreliable, due to differences between strains of the bacteria, and the potential for co-infections with Bartonella, Babesia and/or Ehrlichia. A team of researchers at Boston University Medical Center (Cartwright, Martin Donta) discovered and patented (US Patent No. 6,667,038) the Bbtox1 neurotoxin. They reported that the effects of Bbtox1 were consistent with that of botulinium and other cytoskeletal toxins. Even so, there are no chemical tests for the disease-causing toxin B. burgdorferi produces and release into human body, even as antibiotics are killing the bacteria. Without such tests, the medical debate over whether or not Lyme can be quickly cured has surged in recent years, provoking frequent battles in which physicians have attacked each other's credibility and integrity (and in a few cases, even their medical licenses). All too often, suffering patients have been left in the middle, essentially ignored by doctors who contend that their long-term symptoms aren't the result of Chronic Lyme, but of "Fibromyalgia," "Chronic Fatigue Syndrome", "depression," or "irritable bowel syndrome."

The presence of Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb) toxins may explain why many of those infected with Bb do not recover even after treatment with antibiotics. The question often debated is whether this is due to: 1. the Bb spirochete not being eradicated by the course of antibiotics or 2. the Bb spirochete being eradicated but toxins remain in the system which are still causing dysfunction. of course, coinfections can complicate this picture as well. Many Lyme Literate MD's (LLMD's) have adopted our biotoxin protocol and the use of cholestryramine, and have found it an indispensable part of treatment.

Toxic Mold and Water Damaged Buildings (Sick Building Syndrome/SBC)

There are tremendous variations in the kinds of buildings that can host the invading toxin-forming species of fungi. Any building that provides the proper mix of food and water can potentially be at-risk. When the building has air circulation that is closed, with little outside air input and windows that don't open, fungal toxins can accumulate which can make the problem even worse. Water intusion is inevitably at the root of how the building became sick (water intrusion through leaky roofs, windows or doors; wicking of water along a concrete slab or saturation of carpets; and pooling of surface water in basements come to mind) but poor air exchange exacerbates the problem.
There is also tremendous variability to how different individuals respond when exposed to fungal toxins (i.e. toxic mold). One person may show little or few symptoms even after a major exposure, while other more sensitive individuals display disabilitating symptoms after short exposures to lower mold spore levels. Our research indicates that genetics are involved and that some individuals are more suscpetible to mold induced biotoxin illness.

Other Sources

Organic solvents (a good example is PERC which is commonly used in dry cleaning)are well known to cause many symptoms upon exposure. Research has shown that exposure to these solvents does result in measurable deficits in the VCS test. The on-line test can help you determine exposure and how it is effecting you.

Borrelia burgdorferi, causative agent of Lyme Disease.