Public Health Alerts West Nile Virus

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West Nile Virus Information Center (pg 3)
 

HOW CAN CHEMICAL SPRAYS HURT YOU?

Who Is Most Apt to Develop Illness from the Chemical Exposures?

Chemicals, such as pesticides, are most apt to harm the unborn fetus of a pregnant mother, infants, the elderly, those who have allergies such as asthma, other allergies or autoimmune diseases (fibromyalgia, lupus, multiple sclerosis etc).
Anyone with a weakened immune system from cancer treatment or radiation is more at risk.

Those who have never had symptoms from pesticides can possibly develop these either immediately or in a few days after a chemical exposure. Once this happens they can be what doctors call “chemically sensitized”. From then on, whenever they are exposed to even the most minute amount of any chemical in the future, it is possible for the original symptoms to recur. Those who already have a known chemical sensitivity can become mildly or very seriously ill. Some can be totally incapacitated and their symptoms can last for weeks to years. They often tend to flare repeatedly with each additional chemical exposure and this exquisite sensitivity can last for many years. The rare person with an inordinate chemical sensitivity can die from one single unavoidable miniscule chemical exposure.

What Symptoms Do Chemicals Typically Cause?

The typical acute or chronic symptoms from chemicals can include burning in the nose or throat and burning or numbness on the face or extremities, nose bleeds, weakness, extreme fatigue, dizziness, headaches, muscle aches, tender skin spots, problems walking, seizures, sudden rages or unexplained episodes of crying, depression, irritability or aggression. It is not uncommon to notice an inability to think clearly or write normally because the brain can be so severely affected.

What Are the Characteristic Symptoms from Pesticides Such as Pyrethroids, Pyrethrums with Piperonyl Butoxide ( Anvil)?

In minutes, but maybe in a few days, pyrethroid-like pesticides have been reported to cause some combination of the following: a respiratory illness, sudden severe asthma, dizziness, headaches, fatigue, hay fever, extreme weakness and skin problems (burning, numbness, rashes and hives), eye irritation, an increased sensitivity to sound and touch, depression, heart failure, a lowered sperm count (in animals the testis also shrink), reproductive sex hormone problems, thyroid disease, tremors, miscarriages, preterm deliveries, and kidney, liver, intestinal and nervous system damage and circulatory difficulties, such as an irregular heart beat. It is possible for pregnant women (or animals), to have a brain-damaged or developmentally-delayed offspring. This can occur if the unborn are exposed to a most minute amount of toxic chemicals. especially early in their pregnancy. The EPA has reported that pyrethrins can be likely carcinogens because in animal tests they can cause thyroid tumors and farmers who use them have a higher risk of leukemia than normal.

What Are the Characteristic Symptoms from a Malathion or an Organophosphate Pesticide Exposure?

Organophosphates can extensively hurt the human body, potentially damaging the lungs, intestines, bladder, heart, muscles, nerves and brain. They also affect the behavior of both humans and animals. Malathion is admittedly a low level cause of cancer. Studies indicate farmers develop lymphomas, apple growers, leukemia and flour mill workers using organophosphate chemicals develop cancer, cotton workers have defective infants and exposed children can develop myopia or eye defects. It is most alarming to learn recently that Maricopa country has been spraying toxic malathion for some time and most of the community did not seem to be aware of it.

Examples of Organophosphate Dangers:

It has been reported that mothers who use an organophosphate flea shampoo (dichlorvos) on their pet during their pregnancy double the chances of a brain tumor developing in the baby they are carrying by the age of five years. Prenatal or infant exposure to organophosphate pest strips unquestionably increases the risk of leukemia in young children. Could this or other chemicals be related to the 30% increase of brain cancer and the 10% increase in leukemia that is unfortunately evident in today’s children? We must start to ask such questions.

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