Detection of Mycotoxins in Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Toxins

Joseph H. Brewer³  Jack D. Thrasher¹  David C. Straus²  Roberta A. Madison⁴ 

[1] Citrus Heights, CA 95610, USA; E-Mail:;Department of Immunology and Molecular Microbiology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA; E-Mail:;Plaza Infectious Disease and St. Luke’s Hospital, 4320 Wornall Road, Suite 440, Kansas City, MO 64111, USA;California State University, Northridge, CA 91330, USA; E-Mail:

关键词: mycotoxin;    mold exposure;    chronic fatigue syndrome;    Stachybotrys;   

DOI  :  10.3390/toxins5040605

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Over the past 20 years, exposure to mycotoxin producing mold has been recognized as a significant health risk. Scientific literature has demonstrated mycotoxins as possible causes of human disease in water-damaged buildings (WDB). This study was conducted to determine if selected mycotoxins could be identified in human urine from patients suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Patients (n = 112) with a prior diagnosis of CFS were evaluated for mold exposure and the presence of mycotoxins in their urine. Urine was tested for aflatoxins (AT), ochratoxin A (OTA) and macrocyclic trichothecenes (MT) using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISA). Urine specimens from 104 of 112 patients (93%) were positive for at least one mycotoxin (one in the equivocal range). Almost 30% of the cases had more than one mycotoxin present. OTA was the most prevalent mycotoxin detected (83%) with MT as the next most common (44%). Exposure histories indicated current and/or past exposure to WDB in over 90% of cases. Environmental testing was performed in the WDB from a subset of these patients. This testing revealed the presence of potentially mycotoxin producing mold species and mycotoxins in the environment of the WDB. Prior testing in a healthy control population with no history of exposure to a WDB or moldy environment (n = 55) by the same laboratory, utilizing the same methods, revealed no positive cases at the limits of detection.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2013 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.