Through Michigan's mosquito abatement program, Malathion and Chlorpyrifos were fogged through my neighborhood, ages 3-8
I am now chemically sensitive and have suffered their effects my whole life
MALATHION
I am now chemically sensitive and have suffered their effects my whole life
MALATHION
Malathion belongs to the organophosphate family of chemicals that were originally developed as nerve gas agents under the Nazi Third Reich. These agents are all toxic to the brain through similar mechanisms of damage, although some at lower exposures than others. This chemical class has been the cause of more toxic encephalopathy in the medical practice of Dr. Ziem than any other single chemical class. Exposure to organophosphates has been recognized as capable of inducing heightened sensitivity to chemicals for a quarter of a century and Malathion is the fourth most common pesticide reported to the US EPA as associated with the onset of chemical sensitivity. The first two most common agents are also organophosphates.3 Malathion by products stored in the body inhibit prompt breakdown of malathion, increasing its toxicity.1 Permanent nerve damage can occur, with muscle, auditory and vestibular dysfunction, weakness and easy fatigability. Vestibular dysfunction can impair balance and gait. Chronic brain damage can result from organophosphate exposure.,, Organophosphates can also impair function of the immune action of white blood cells, increasing recurrent infection rates of the upper and lower respiratory system,5 and have other damaging immune effects. Malathion exposure is associated with damage to multiple body organs, especially the brain and nervous system. Demyelination (damage to nerve cell coating which impairs normal nerve function) of nerve cells can also occur. Chronic neuropathy with weakness and other abnormalities of arms, legs, balance, gait, etc. can also occur with organophosphate exposure. Prolonged persistent weakness, headaches, respiratory, gastrointestinal, visual and other systemic changes as well as other Malathion effects are substantially the same as for Chlorpyrifos, another oranophosphate. Organophosphates were first developed in Germany during World War II by the I.G. Farben Company, which developed them as nerve gas agents in warfare. Chlorpyrifos is closely related chemically to these chemical warfare agents developed under the Third Reich and are in the same chemical family.
The first report of CHEMICAL SENSITIVITY associated with organophosphate exposure was in 1966, fairly soon after chlorpyrifos was introduced to the market. A review of 114 cases three years after exposure showed chemical sensitivity present in 22 or 19%. An additional 18 or 16% developed other persistent chronic health problems following exposure to organophosphate including seven with persistent headaches, six with visual disturbances, and five with increased nervousness. Because Tabershaw and Cooper, the authors of this study, were frequent consultants to industry and widely published, and this article appeared in the mostly widely read occupational journal of its day, industry should have been aware of this work (Tabershaw, I.R. and Cooper, W.C. "Sequelae of acute organic phosphate pesticide poisoning." Journal of Occupational Medicine 8:5-20, 1966).
Organophosphates interfere with the function of the nervous system by interfering with nerve transmitters, including muscarinic, nicotine, and brain nerve transmitters. Muscarinic nerve receptors, which are located in organs such as the heart, endocrine glands, blood vessels, and other smooth muscle organs have altered function resulting in symptoms such as wheezing, nausea, abdominal cramps, visual disturbance, and even vomiting.
Nicotinic nerve receptors are located in the nerves of skeletal muscles and the ganglia of the autonomic nervous system and interference with their function causes symptoms such as muscle twitching and cramping, fatigue, weakness, rapid or irregular heart rate, and changes in blood pressure. Delayed effects can occur as well following acute or repeated chronic exposures. These can involve the peripheral nerves resulting in impaired balance and increased weakness. The nerves controlling the intestinal and urinary tract can be interfered with causing reduced control of bladder and bowel function.
Neurotransmitters in the brain can also be affected by organophosphate compounds resulting in symptoms such as confusion, tremors, poor coordination, sleep disturbance, weakness, anxiety, impaired coordination, mood alterations, etc. Persistent neurobehavioral alterations in brain function can also result. There are also reports in the literature for both humans and animals of disturbances of porphyrin metabolism which can be persistent following exposure to organophosphates. Other changes with organophosphates includes increased susceptibility to infectious diseases, possibly because of disturbances of immune function, impaired liver function, loss of vigor and acceleration of the aging process as well as loss or decline in potency and libido. Both chlorpyrifos and diazinon have been associated with alterations in brain function in humans consistent with the general description for organophosphates above.
