SLUDGE VICTIMS

Subject: sarcodiosis/Gilmanton

Date: Sat, 20 Jan 2001 12:28:54 -0500
From: "Diane St. Germain"
To: Helane Shields
Talking to a nurse down-wind from sludge- site. Said her neighbor-age 59 - developed sarcodiosis - within the 1ast few years, died last August. Her house is about 1500 feet downwind from 'sludgesite. See following discussion of 'etiology' of sarcodiosis:
The International Thoracic Teaching Resource: Diseases of Altered Immunity and Diseases of Uncertain Etiology

Sarcoidosis

Jeffrey R. Galvin, M.D.
Michael P. D'Alessandro, M.D.
Yasayuki Kurihara, M.D.
Peer Review Status- Internally Peer Reviewed

Clinical Sx:
50% of the patients with Sarcoidosis are asymptomatic at diagnosis.
Constitutional symptoms when present include weight loss, fatigue, weakness, and malaise. Symptoms of pulmonary involvement such as dry cough and shortness of breath develop in 20-30%. The incidence of involvement is about 20-30%.
Etiology/Pathophysiology:
The etiology is unknown. Granulomatous inflammation is invariably present and there is *speculation that this is a response to inhaled foreign material*. The most likely agents are *mycobacteria* and less likely gram-negative bacteria. However, culture from affected tissue is almost always sterile. Additionally, there is no evidence of --human-to-human transmission of the disease.

NEW HAMPSHIRE - GILMANTON - 59 YEAR OLD NEIGHBOR DOWNWIND OF SITE WHICH HAS BEEN SLUDGED FOR MANY YEARS, DIES OF SARCOIDOSIS.