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Be Careful with Pig Brain Mist


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At least that is what Dr P James Dyck says not to be confused with Dr. Peter Dyck.

 

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Treatment helps those sickened by pig-brain mist

2/25/2009 10:10:38 AM

By Jeff Hansel

 

Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN

 

A new study of slaughterhouse workers made sick by pig-brain mist shows that most of them improved with treatment.

 

Dr. P. James B. Dyck will present the research results at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in Seattle, which runs from April 25 to May 2. The disease was discovered at Quality Pork Processors in Austin.

 

About 18 workers in Austin have been diagnosed with the mysterious disease, apparently after exposure to pig-brain mist in slaughterhouses. It caused neurological misfires, like weakness, pain and trouble walking.

 

Slaughterhouse employees from the "head room" harvested pig-brain tissue for human consumption. They became ill from aerosolized brain tissue exposure, researchers have said. The pressurized-air process used to harvest brain tissue was discontinued nationwide more than a year ago.

 

Sickened workers who used the same technique were also found at Indiana Packers Corp. in Delphi, Ind., and the Hormel plant in Fremont, Neb.

 

"More than a year after developing a unique neurological disorder, the affected pork processing plant workers have improved, but all have some continuing symptoms, and many have ongoing mild pain," the academy says in a statement.

 

Researchers studied 24 affected workers from the Minnesota and Indiana plants.

 

• 17 got treatment with immune therapy such as steroids.

 

• 16 improved with treatment.

 

• 12 showed "marked improvement."

 

• 2 showed "moderate improvement."

 

• 2 showed "mild improvement."

 

• 6 received no treatment but improved after exposure to brain mist ended.

 

An abstract of the study says pig brain mist caused "characteristic demyelinating nerve conduction abnormalities." Myelin is the protective material around nerves. Workers' bodies made a unique antibody to fight the foreign brain matter, researchers said previously.

 

It's rare for a new illness to develop, be discovered, be described and partially effective therapy prescribed in such a short time. The research might benefit other autoimmune disease research.

 

"There are other autoimmune disorders where the trigger is not known, so this case with a known trigger could provide us with an opportunity to understand how an antigen can trigger the body's immune system to produce disease," Dyck said.

 

Reporter Jeff Hansel covers health for the Post-Bulletin. Read his blog, Pulse on Health, at Postbulletin.com.

 

 

Dr. P. James B. Dyck

American Academy of Neurology

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