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Exposure to Aerosolized Brevetoxins during Red Tide Events (OMB No. 0920–0494)—Revision—National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Karenia brevis (formerly Gymnodinium breve) is the marine dinoflagellate responsible for extensive blooms (called red tides) that form in the Gulf of Mexico. K. brevis produces potent toxins, called brevetoxins, which have been responsible for killing millions of fish and other marine organisms. The biochemical activity of brevetoxins is not completely understood and there is very little information regarding human health effects from environmental exposures, such as inhaling brevetoxin that has been aerosolized and swept onto the coast by offshore winds. The National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recruited people who work along the coast of Florida and who are periodically occupationally exposed to aerosolized red tide toxins.
We have administered a baseline respiratory health questionnaire and conducted pre- and post-shift pulmonary function tests during a time when there is no red tide reported near the area. When a red tide developed, we administered a symptom survey and conducted pulmonary function testing (PFT). We compared (1) symptom reports before and during the red tide and (2) the changes in baseline PFT values during the work shift (differences between pre- and post-shift PFT results) without exposure to red tide with the changes in PFT values during the work shift when individuals are exposed to red tide.
The exposures experienced by our study cohort have been minimal, and we plan to conduct another study (using the same symptom questionnaires and spirometry tests) during a more severe red tide event.
In addition, we are now planning to quantify the levels of cytokines in nasal exudates to assess whether they can be used to verify exposure and to demonstrate a biological effect (