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0 -N Page 112 <br /> 44-0 <br /> deemed to have been caused by exposure within that environment. Thus, it is generally <br /> accepted in the scientific community that a tempora( relationship between exposure and <br /> subsequent disease alone is insufficient to show that exposure to a chemical has caused a <br /> disease. <br /> G. Mycotoxin testing in biological samples has not been shown to be useful, reflect <br /> exposures, or clinical presentations. <br /> It is my understanding that some individuals had their urine specimens analyzed for the <br /> presence of mycotoxins by Bio-Trek,National Treatment Centers for Environmental Disease, <br /> or North America Institute of Technology. <br /> The "presence" of aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, trichothecenes, and citrinin in the urine <br /> samples is toxicologically meaningless since mycotoxins are found in a number of foods and <br /> are present in everyone from dietary sources. Aflatoxins are found in peanuts, corn, almonds, <br /> and milk (only for aflatoxin Mi).40 Ochratoxins are found in measurable quantities in maize, <br /> wheat, barley, and coffee beans and trichothccenes are found in cote and wheat.41 Wheat, <br /> oats, rye, corn, barely, and rice have been reported to contain citrinin.42 <br /> A February 2015 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) noted <br /> that urine mycotoxin tests have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration <br /> (FDA) for accuracy, diagnostic purposes, or for clinical use. 43 These tests have not been <br /> shown to be useful, reflect exposures, or clinical presentations. It is important to note that <br /> laboratories with Clinical Laboratory Improvement Admendments (CLIA) certifications that <br /> offer mycotoxin testing does not mean the laboratory testing has any clinical validity. CDC <br /> does not recommend biologic testing of persons who work or live in water-damaged buildings <br /> and also does not recommend routine environmental sampling for mold.44 <br /> n <br /> Bacteria and Endotoxins <br /> H. Bacteria are ubiquitous and the construction and maintenance of a bacteria-free <br /> indoor environment is not possible. <br /> Like mold, bacteria are ubiquitous in the environment. The types of bacteria found in the <br /> sampled Indian River County Fire Stations are the similar to those commonly found in the <br /> environment. <br /> "Food and Agriculture Organization.(2004). Food and Agriculture Organization.Worldwide Regulations for <br /> Mycotoxins in Food and Feed in 2003,FAO Food and Nutrition Papers- 81, Rome, Italy. <br /> "World Health Organization.(1990). loc. cit. <br /> 4'Bennett,J.W. and Klich,M.(2003). loc. cit. <br /> 4'Kawamoto,M. and Page,E.(2015).Use of invalidated urine mycotoxin tests for the clinical diagnosis of <br /> illness-United States,2014.MMWR. 64(6): 157-158. <br /> 4'Kawamoto,M. and Page,E.(2015). loc. cit. <br /> 64 <br />