Toxic oil syndrome
| Toxic oil syndrome | |
|---|---|
| Classification and external resources | |
| ICD-9 | 710.5 |
| DiseasesDB | 32044 |
Toxic Oil Syndrome or simply Toxic Syndrome was the name given to a disease outbreak in Spain in 1981, which killed over 600 people.[1] Its first appearance was as a lung disease, with unusual features: though the symptoms initially resembled a lung infection, antibiotics were ineffective. The disease appeared to be restricted to certain geographical localities, and several members of a family could be affected, even while their neighbours had no symptoms. Following the acute phase, a range of other chronic symptoms were apparent. However an article appearing in the generally respected Guardian Newspaper gives a comprehensive set of fact which appear to totally refute the TOS explanation and instead points to organo-phospate poisoning and a systematic cover up by the Spanish Government and the WHO.[2]
Contents |
[edit] Overview
The cause was traced to the consumption of colza oil that had been intended for industrial rather than food use.[3] It had been imported as cheap industrial oil by the company RAPSA at San Sebastián, handled by RAELCA and refined by ITH in Seville. It was sold as "olive oil" by street vendors at weekly street markets and was therefore used on salads and for cooking. The commonly-accepted hypothesis states that toxic compounds derived during the refinement process, used to remove the aniline and to denature oils intended for industrial use, were responsible.
Once the origin of the syndrome was realised, public health officials organized an exchange programme, whereby those who had bought the oil could exchange it for pure olive oil, thereby quickly ending the outbreak.
The conclusion that oil was the cause for TOS is based on strong epidemiological evidence, since up to now, experimental studies performed in a variety of laboratory animals have failed to reproduce the symptoms of human TOS. None of the in vivo or in vitro studies performed with toxic-oil-specific components, such as fatty acid anilides and esters of PAP, have provided evidence that these markers are causally involved in the pathogenesis of TOS. [4]
The fact that the first cases of the syndrome were located in Madrid, near the U.S. military base in Torrejón de Ardoz, and the secrecy surrounding the huge investigations, spread the idea of a conspiracy. (Actually, the product had been exported from France and fraudulently passed as cooking oil). Also, several of those affected by the TOS claim they never consumed that oil. Although the oil was mainly sold on street markets, a considerable percentage of the patients were upper class. Another theory suggests the toxic reaction was triggered by organophosphate compounds used in pesticides.[5]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ "Spanish toxic oil syndrome" at Dorland's Medical Dictionary
- ^ http://www.mindfully.org/Pesticide/Organophosphate-Poisoning-Coverup.htm
- ^ "A Long Trial in Spain on Fatal Tainted Food". New York Times. August 2, 1987. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DEFDE1F3CF931A3575BC0A961948260. "The mysterious illness broke out in the spring of 1981, mostly in the Madrid area. The symptoms included respiratory problems, skin disorders and a weakening of the body's immune system. The oil had been bought from street vendors by many low-income families, restaurants and others. ..."
- ^ Toxic Oil Syndrome - 10 Years of Progress
- ^ Guardian article: The Spanish Cooking Oil Scandal - Cover-Up The Guardian, Aug 25, 2001
[edit] External links
- WHO Report: Toxic Oil Syndrome - Ten years of progress
- Slide show from a lecture about TOS
- Article in "Proteomics" about characteristic genetic markers in TOS-patients.
