Morgellons Breakthrough

October 19, 2006

Several readers have sent in links to a story on a web site headlined: "Morgellons Disease: New Lab Finding Point to Silicone/Silica and High Density Polyethylene Fibers, Are These Now Being Sprayed on Means and Vegetables?" You need to read this report.

Now, is it true? Is this the source of Morgellons? I put the question to Randy Wymore, head of Morgellons Research at Oklahoma State University. The short answer is probably not, while it's great work, this doesn't look like the breakthrough solution to the Morgellons mystery:

Dear George,

I have been asked to comment about the results in a manuscript, by Dr. H. Staninger, that discuss Morgellons Disease. First, I am very happy that other professional researchers are involving themselves in trying understand this perplexing disease. There are 3 central points that I will comment on:

1) The composition of the outer casing is made up of high density polyethylene (HDPE) fibers. The Morgellons fibers that I have examined do not seem to have an outer casing. The red and blue fibers seem to be homogenous throughout. We have concentrated on the red & blue fibers because they have been the largest point of contention from the medical community. As many will point out, "We don't grow red & blue fibers." Agreed, we do not. On the other hand, the red & blue fibers ARE most definitely present, even under unbroken, unscarred and non-lesioned skin. That is why the colored fibers have been the focus of research here at OSU-CHS. The red and blue fibers can be placed in incredibly harsh solvents and detergents, placed in oxidizing and reducing environments and even heated to near boiling in these liquids with no change in the macro- or microscopic appearance of the fibers. Some of the solvent/temperature combinations would readily break down HDPE, but we did not observe this. If the red & blue fibers were encased with HDPE either the FTIR spectroscopy or the gas chromatography would have easily detected this, as polyethylene materials, whether high density or low density are in common organic compounds and in all of the databases. The gas chromatograph experiments heated the fibers to ~1,400 F and this is many hundreds of degrees higher than the boiling temperature of HDPE, but no volatile organics were given off that would indicate HDPE. Now, I am in no way dismissing the results of the manuscript in question. There are many different fibers that have been described, some of which I have seen, and it is possible that a different type of fiber was analyzed and found to contain HDPE. Because our formal research is in such preliminary stages, including the development of an epidemiology study, there is also the possibility that Morgellons Disease may have more than one causative agent involved. I have no reason to think that, but it remains a possibility.

2) The use of HDPE throughout the nanotechnology world to encapsulate viral genetic material. I am definitely no expert on this topic. In trying to understand some of the difficult to comprehend aspects of Morgellons Disease I have read some literature on the topic of nanotechnology. I am not aware of the widespread use of HDPE for the purpose mentioned in the manuscript. There were 2 references in the manuscript for the widespread use of HDPE for this purpose (21 & 22). Unfortunately, #21 is self-referencing the manuscript and #22 is a web-link that I could not get to work, so I was not able to view the basis author's contention on this matter. A quick pubmed search did not reveal any papers that discussed this topic. Someone who works in the nano-technology world would be better qualified than me to address this point. It may well be commonly used, but until references can be obtained, it is impossible to comment on in a proper fashion.

3) The silica/silicon connection. I am neither a pathologist nor a histologist, and so I would not recognize the differences silica or silicon from diamonds. For me, looking at the images meant very little due to my lack of any basic experience on this subject. As with all science, once other labs will need to replicate the results that are presented. I believe that this paper has (or will be, I'm not sure) submitted to a pathology journal. I am sure that one or more reviewers of the manuscript will have histology experience and hopefully some experience with silicon/silica damage to tissue.

I hope that Dr. Staninger and other scientists will continue to work on various aspects of Morgellons Disease. The Morgellons population is suffering greatly and many more hands are needed to get to the bottom of this mystery and devise a strategy that will offer an effective and definitive cure.

Please excuse any typos; writing a semi-coherent response at 5:55 AM with only 1 cup of coffee is not easy an easy task!

Sincerely,

Randy

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