The Threat of Foray 48B

"Bacillus thuringiensis - A species that is an insect pathogen and that has been implicated in human and mammalian infections."
Stedman's Medical Dictionary (latest edition).

A nine-year old boy suffered a life-threatening reaction when his yard was sprayed with Foray 48B. He had a rash over his entire body, including his face, and a temperature of 103 degrees F. He was vomiting and had diarrhea and his skin was non-peeling. A blood test confirmed that B.t. had cultured in his system. The B.t. culture was resistant to Penicillin and several other antibiotics.

The boy was hospitalized for 5 days then released. A week later he suffered a relapse, and was readmitted to hospital for an additional 2 days. The symptoms listed in the New Jersey Department of Health report include a "temperature of 103 degrees F lasting for 5 days. bilateral conjunctiva-injected, red, dark papillae tongue, skin peeling on palms and soles of feet, scaly and erythematous, rash on entire body."

From an EPA access to information request Re an "Unreasonable Adverse Effect Incident" involving Foray 48B.

"The reported case is of a woman of unspecified age, apparently well and without significant past illness, who was accidentally sprayed with Thuricide (a B.t. formulation) on 25 April 1988. She immediately experienced burning, itching, and swelling of her face and upper chest. Over the next four days, she developed a febrile illness, became delirious, and the day of admission to hospital apparently had a generalized seizure."

From Dr. Andrew Jin's report: "Btk as a Human Pathogen" prepared for the Vancouver Health Department, September 20, 1988

B.t. spray programs in the United States and Canada have been repeatedly put on hold due to the discovery of high levels of Streptococcus bacteria. In 1987 this happened in Ontario. "Ontario has sent samples of its B.t. to the Ministry of Health Laboratories, and anticipates results this week."

Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources News Release, May 15, 1987

As with any preparation containing microorganisms, potential concerns include pathogenicity, persistence of the microorganism in the human body, the genetic stability of the microorganism in the environment, and the ability of the microbial agent to interact with other microorganisms. As a complex mixture of chemicals, formulations may have toxic properties that are unrelated to the presence of B.t.k. For example, the available data regarding human exposure to B.t.k. formulations suggest that they cause eye, skin, and respiratory tract irritation. It is not clear, however, that these effects are caused by the microorganisms.

United States Department of Agriculture Gypsy Moth Environmental Impact Report 1995