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I was pleased to note that the authors mentioned the damage to the
reproductive system of rats caused by pyridostigmine bromide, DEET and
permethrin, reported by Abou-Donia and colleagues (1). Since I disclosed
the synergistic interactions of these chemicals at a U.S. Senate Veterans’
Affairs Committee hearing in 1994, I have tried to get the idea across
that these substances (in combination) might cause responses that are more
potent and qualitatively different than might be expected from the
individual substances.
I have often observed spokespeople of the U.S. and U.K. governments
claim that the “causes” of Gulf War illnesses must be diverse as the
illnesses found among the veterans, yet Abou-Donia’s research (1) clearly
demonstrates multiple targets for the substances. Another constant
criticism of research that has demonstrated potentiation of toxicity
between pyridostigmine bromide, DEET and permethrin has been that the
doses were unrealistically high. Those critics have been silent, or
incorrect, with respect more recent work which has carefully approximated
doses encountered by Gulf War troops.
1. Abou-Donia MB, Suliman HB, Khan WA, Abdel-Rahman AA. Testicular
germ-cell apoptosis in stressed rats following combined exposure to
pyridostigmine bromide, N-diethyl m-toluamide (DEET) and permethrin. J
Toxicol Environ Health A. 2003;66:57-73.
Gulf War Infertility
I was pleased to note that the authors mentioned the damage to the
reproductive system of rats caused by pyridostigmine bromide, DEET and
permethrin, reported by Abou-Donia and colleagues (1). Since I disclosed
the synergistic interactions of these chemicals at a U.S. Senate Veterans’
Affairs Committee hearing in 1994, I have tried to get the idea across
that these substances (in combination) might cause responses that are more
potent and qualitatively different than might be expected from the
individual substances.
I have often observed spokespeople of the U.S. and U.K. governments
claim that the “causes” of Gulf War illnesses must be diverse as the
illnesses found among the veterans, yet Abou-Donia’s research (1) clearly
demonstrates multiple targets for the substances. Another constant
criticism of research that has demonstrated potentiation of toxicity
between pyridostigmine bromide, DEET and permethrin has been that the
doses were unrealistically high. Those critics have been silent, or
incorrect, with respect more recent work which has carefully approximated
doses encountered by Gulf War troops.
1. Abou-Donia MB, Suliman HB, Khan WA, Abdel-Rahman AA. Testicular
germ-cell apoptosis in stressed rats following combined exposure to
pyridostigmine bromide, N-diethyl m-toluamide (DEET) and permethrin. J
Toxicol Environ Health A. 2003;66:57-73.
James I. Moss
Gainesville
Florida
USA
http://members.cox.net/jimmoss/index.htm
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests