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◄ Mycoplasma
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Mycoplasma Registry
for gulf war illness & chronic
fatigue syndrome
November 2, 1999
Original Video Script for CDC's Nov
2nd Chronic
Fatigue Syndrome Coordinating Committee Meeting
Mycoplasmas Are Contagious
by Sean & Leslee Dudley
Thousands of people diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome,
Fibromyalgia and Gulf War Illness, from all over our country and the
world have tested positive for mycoplasmas. Mycoplasmas are contagious.
Fifty-six percent of the victims on our MYCOPLASMA REGISTRY had an
airborne, contagious onset.
Mycoplasmas: Family Disease It is a slow growing epidemic that is
infecting and devastating entire families. Almost 60% of the Chronic
Fatigue Syndrome patients on our registry, have more than one person in
their households who have tested positive for mycoplasma infections.
These are husbands and
wives, fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, mothers & sons,
extended
family members and even household pets. [Slides of families tested
positive
Dr. Nicolson's PCR Blood Test
Now, there is an accurate PCR blood test and protocol designed by Drs.
Garth and Nancy Nicolson, to diagnose and treat these mycoplasma
infections. These tests are far more accurate than previous antibody or
blood culture tests. Once long term antibiotic treatment is started,
patients begin recovering. No new drugs need to be developed. We and
hundreds of MYCOPLASMA REGISTRY members are recovering after one to
three years on antibiotics. Unfortunately the CDC's criminal diversion
of CFS research funds has caused delays in diagnosis and treatment.
Some patients who have suffered years of infections may need to take
antibiotics for the rest of their lives. [Slide of Dr. Nicolson at The
Institute for Molecular Medicine]
Dr. Lo's Mycoplasma Patent
The overwhelming body of evidence from researchers forces us to
conclude that there is a national, if not global epidemic. Even Dr.
Shyh-Ching Lo, pathologist for the Department of Defense who discovered
and patented mycoplasma fermentans incognitus and mycoplasma penetrans
states in his
own patents, that Mycoplasma fermentans is the cause of Chronic Fatigue
Syndrome.
United States Patent Patent Number: 5,242,820
Date of Patent: Sep. 7, 1993
Pathogenic Mycoplasma Inventor:
Shyh-Ching Lo, Potomac, Md. Assignee: American Registry of Pathology
Washington, D.C [Dept. of Defense]
Filed: June 6, 1991 [originally applied for June 18, 1986]
"O. Other Disease States in Which M. fermentans incognitus Has Been
Implicated In addition to AIDS, M. fermentans incognitus has been
implicated in a number
of other Disease states including Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Wegener's
Disease,
Sarcoidosis, respiratory distress syndrome, Kiku-chi's disease,
autoimmune
diseases such as Collagen Vascular Disease and Lupus, and chronic
debilitating
diseases such as Alzheimer's Disease. M. fermentans incognitus may be
either
a causative agent of these diseases or a key co-factor in these
diseases.
P. Treatment of M. fermentans incognitus Infection M. fermentans
incognitus
is known to be sensitive to a number of antibiotics, including
doxycycline,
quinalones such as ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol and tetracycline.
Therefore,
effective treatment of any of the above implicated diseases should
include
administration of antibiotics to which M. fermentans incognitus is
sensitive."
[Slides: Dr. Lo's portrait, patent cover, patent excerpt]
Congressman Bob Filner
We have enlisted Congressman Bob Filner and others for their support in
bringing this epidemic to the attention of Congress. [Slide of
Congressman Bob Filner of San Diego, CA, Senior Democrat on the
Veterans' Affairs Committee, expert on Gulf War Illness] Must
Reclassify Mycoplasmas The
CDC, FDA and NIH, all have sections devoted to mycoplasma research.
They acknowledge that mycoplasmas are contagious to farm animals such
as pigs, chickens and cattle, causing arthritis, stunted growth, even
death. Vaccines have been developed and used on animals for years. Yet,
all these health organizations continue to deny that mycoplasmas can
spread through the
human population or cause illness. We demand that the CDC reclassify
mycoplasmas as a reportable contagious disease if found in the blood
and that they require every diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome to be
reported by physicians.
Recall CDC's CFS Booklet
The CDC must immediately recall its May 1999 Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
booklet. The booklet advises patients not to be tested for mycoplasma
infection.
A new booklet should recommend testing for mycoplasma and other
infections, and advise doctors that Chronic Fatigue Syndrome patients
are responding to antibiotic treatment. The CDC must stop implying that
this is a psychological disorder and stop recommending medications that
lead to severe addiction.
d. "Theoretical and Experimental
Tests A number of tests, some of which are offered commercially, have
no demonstrated value for the diagnosis of CFS. These tests should not
be performed unless required for diagnosis of a suspected exclusionary
condition
(e.g., MRI to rule out suspected multiple sclerosis) or unless they are
part of a scientific study. In the latter case, written informed
consent
of the patient is required. No diagnostic tests for infectious agents,
such as Epstein-Barr virus. enteroviruses, retroviruses. Human
herpesvirus
6. Candida albicans. and Mycoplasma incognita, are diagnostic for CFS
and
as such should not be used (except to identify an illness that would
exclude
a CFS diagnosis, such as mononucleosis). In addition, no immunologic
tests,
including cell profiling tests such as measurements of natural killer
cell
(NK) number or function, cytokine tests (e.g., interleukin-1,
interleukin-6,
or interferon), or cell marker tests (e.g., CD25 or CD16), have ever
been
shown to have value for diagnosing CFS. Other tests that must be
regarded
as experimental for making the diagnosis of CFS include the tilt table
test for NMH, and imaging techniques such as MRI, PET-scan, or
SPECT-scan.
Reports of a pathway marker for CFS as well as a urine marker for CFS
are
undergoing further study; however, neither is considered useful for
diagnosis
at this time. " [page 10]
Double Blind Studies Needed The CDC & NIH must fund double-blind
studies with antibiotics to determine which are most effective against
specific strains of mycoplasmas or we will demand that Congress take
away funding from the CDC and NIH as it has taken away funding from the
DOD for Gulf War Illness.
Mycoplasma Registry 303 N 47th Street, J-10 San Diego, CA 92102-5961
telephone: 619-266-1116 e-mail: mycoreg@juno.com © 1999 Sean &
Leslee Dudley
Mycoplasma Registry
for gulf war illness & chronic
fatigue
syndrome
April 22, 1999
Letter to the Chronic Fatigue
Syndrome
Coordinating Committee
by Sean & Leslee Dudley
Thousands of civilians and military personnel throughout the world are
now testing positive for Mycoplasmas fermentans incognitus; 80% with
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and 65% with Gulf War Illness. It is long
overdue for CFS
be acknowledged as a contagious disease, and not a psychological
ailment. Dr. Garth Nicolson has provided accurate diagnostic PCR blood
tests for the detection of Mycoplasmas. The VA is starting a double
blind study for Mycoplasma using Dr. Nicolson's PCR blood test and
antibiotic protocol. People on our Registry test positive for one to
four species of Mycoplasmas. They are taking antibiotics, recovering
and testing negative in one to three years. It's been a decade since we
were both diagnosed with CFS. We caught
it before the Gulf War began; Sean with irritable bowel syndrome and
Leslee with Fibromyalgia and Lupus. We tried. many CFS treatments
including IV gamma globulin, a double blind interferon trial and
various medications. (Leslee is on page 96 of Dr. Jay Goldstein's
"Betrayal of the Brain").
As Gulf War Illness became known, we recognized the symptoms as
CFS/like.
We tested positive for Mycoplasma fermentans incognitus, started
antibiotic treatment and began recovering. Sean was the first civilian
to be retested using a bone marrow biopsy. After seven months on
antibiotics; he still tested positive. Two years ago, we appeared on
national TV as civilians who had GWI/CFS with the good news that there
was a PCR blood test and an
antibiotic protocol. Responding to hundreds of phone calls, we started
asking
questions and keeping statistics. These are some of our preliminary
findings.
The Registry is 84% civilians, 16% military, 59% women, 28% men and 13%
children.
How Did Their Illness Start?
56% attributed it to a probable
airborne exposure. The 20% who caught it in a hospital setting after an
accident or surgery, also indicates its contagious nature. The people
with trauma or chemical exposure may have been previously infected, but
the disease only fully developed after their immune systems were
suppressed. However, 6 % caught it from vaccinations that may have been
contaminated with mycoplasma or experimental live mycoplasma vaccines.
How Long Before They Were Disabled?
When Did Their Symptoms First Begin?
In the 1970's and 1980's, people became infected with M. fermentans
after experimental injections while in the Armed Forces or in civilian
prisons, as in Huntsville, TX. Their families subsequently became
infected. As it slowly spread into the population, the numbers spiked
as our troops were given vaccines in preparation for the Gulf War. The
incubation period is 2 to 18 months.
Occupation At Onset?
People are likely to catch this disease as a result of their
occupations. Contagiousness is demonstrated by the largest group being
health care workers and the next largest group being teachers and
students. It passes into the civilian community by people who have
frequent contact with the public such as sales people, receptionists,
lawyers, entertainers, waitresses and clerks. People we counted as
having military connections, worked at or near military bases, in
aerospace fields, dockworkers, merchant marines, truckers and airline
personal.
Are Other Family Members Or Friends Infected?
With couples, when the first person to become infected is a man, 84% of
the female partners tested positive. If the first partner to become
infected is a female, 48% of the male partners tested positive. When
one parent was infected, 92% of the children tested were positive. Most
people on our Registry report close relatives or friends as becoming
symptomatic. Even pets get sick and die. Registry's Recommendations
Before the cold war,
people who had CFS were suffering from a naturally occurring type of
mycoplasma.
Mycoplasma fermentans incognitus is a genetically altered biological
weapon
made more virulent, more drug resistant and more contagious. The
Department
of Defense owns the patents to it. The CDC and NIH have know about
mycoplasmas
for many years, having worked with the DoD. The only thing that has
changed
is that now, we the victims, know about it too.
1. CDC must reclassify mycoplasmas as a reportable contagious disease
if found in blood/ 2. FDA must test all vaccines for mycoplasma
contamination.
3. Blood supplies must be tested routinely for mycoplasmas, as is now
done for HIV.
4. All military personal must be tested for mycoplasmas.
5. Health care workers, teachers and students must be tested for
mycoplasma infection.
6. NIH must fund studies for mycoplasma research.
7. All Gulf War Illness research must be taken away from the DoD.
8. All CFS, GWI, and Fibromyalgia patients should be tested for
contagious diseases such as: Mycoplasma, Chlamydia, Brucella,
Streptococcus and HHV-6
9. Family members and pets of those infected should be tested and
treated.
Mycoplasma Registry 303 N 47th Street, J-10 San Diego, CA 92102-5961
telephone: 619-266-1116 e-mail: mycoreg@juno.com © 1999
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