About: Bacillus thuringiensis.

imparts ileum fecal incontinence, joint pains, neuralogical symptoms

kills honeybees and lady beetles, butterflies

reduces bird populations

produces bacterial toxins which may combine to produce symptoms of food poisoning

can be fatal if combined with other specific bacteria

Wikipedia: Bacillus thuringiensis.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacillus_thuringiensis
#Use_of_Bt_genes_in_genetic_engineering_of_plants_for_pest_control

The Belgian company Plant Genetic Systems (now part of Bayer CropScience) was the first company (in 1985) to develop genetically engineered (tobacco) plants with insect tolerance by expressing CRY genes from B. Thuringiensis

Usage
In 1995, potato plants producing Bt toxin were approved safe by the Environmental Protection Agency, making it the first pesticide-producing crop to be approved in the USA.[24] For current crops and their acreage under cultivation

Insect resistance
In November 2009, Monsanto scientists found the pink bollworm had become resistant to the first generation Bt cotton in parts of Gujarat, India - that generation expresses one Bt gene, Cry1Ac. This was the first instance of Bt resistance confirmed by Monsanto anywhere in the world. Monsanto immediately responded by introducing a second generation cotton with multiple Bt proteins, which was rapidly adopted. Bollworm resistance to first generation Bt cotton was also identified in the Australia, China, Spain and the United States

Secondary pests
Several studies have documented surges in "sucking pests" (which are not affected by Bt toxins) within a few years of adoption of Bt cotton. In China, the main problem has been with mirids, which have in some cases "completely eroded all benefits from Bt cotton cultivation". A 2009 study in China concluded that the increase in sucking pests depended on local temperature and rainfall conditions and increased in half the villages studied. The increase in insecticide use for the control of these secondary insects was far smaller than the reduction in total insecticide use due to Bt cotton adoption.

Another study published in 2011 was based on a survey of 1,000 randomly selected farm households in five provinces in China and found that the reduction in pesticide use in Bt cotton cultivars is significantly lower than that reported in research elsewhere, consistent with the hypothesis suggested by recent studies that more pesticide sprayings are needed over time to control emerging secondary pests, such as aphids, spider mites, and lygus bugs.

Similar problems have been reported in India, with both mealy bugs and aphids although a survey of small Indian farms between 2002 and 2008 concluded that Bt cotton adoption has led to higher yields and lower pesticide use, decreasing over time.

Pest Control: Discovery and mechanism of insecticidal action.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacillus_thuringiensis
#Use_of_Bt_genes_in_genetic_engineering_of_plants_for_pest_control

B. thuringiensis was first discovered in 1901 by Japanese biologist Ishiwata Shigetane.
In 1911, B. thuringiensis was rediscovered in Germany by Ernst Berliner, who isolated it as the cause of a disease called Schlaffsucht in flour moth caterpillars. In 1976, Robert A. Zakharyan reported the presence of a plasmid in a strain of B. thuringiensis and suggested the plasmid's involvement in endospore and crystal formation.

B. thuringiensis is closely related to B.cereus, a soil bacterium, and B.anthracis, the cause of anthrax: the three organisms differ mainly in their plasmids. Like other members of the genus, all three are aerobes capable of producing endospores. Upon sporulation, B. thuringiensis forms crystals of proteinaceous insecticidal \u03b4-endotoxins (called crystal proteins or CRY proteins), which are encoded by CRY genes. In most strains of B. thuringiensis, the CRY genes are located on a plasmid (in other words, CRY is not a chromosomal gene in most strains).

CRY toxins have specific activities against insect species of the orders Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies), Diptera (flies and mosquitoes), Coleoptera (beetles), Hymenoptera (wasps, bees, ants and sawflies) and nematodes. Thus, B. thuringiensis serves as an important reservoir of CRY toxins for production of biological insecticides and insect-resistant genetically modified crops. When insects ingest toxin crystals, the alkaline pH of their digestive tract denatures the insoluble crystals, making them soluble and thus amenable to being cut with proteases found in the insect gut, which liberate the CRY toxin from the crystal. The CRY toxin is then inserted into the insect gut cell membrane, forming a pore. The pore results in cell lysis and eventual death of the insect. Research published in 2006 has suggested the midgut bacteria of susceptible larvae are required for B. thuringiensis insecticidal activity.

In 2000, a novel functional group of CRY protein, designated parasporin, was discovered from non-insecticidal B. thuringiensis isolates. The proteins of parasporin group are defined as Bacillus thuringiensis and related bacterial parasporal proteins that are non-hemolytic but capable of preferentially killing cancer cells. As of January 2013, parasporins comprise six subfamilies (PS1 to PS6).

Use of spores and proteins in pest control
Spores and crystalline insecticidal proteins produced by B. thuringiensis have been used to control insect pests since the 1920s and are often applied as liquid sprays. They are now used as specific insecticides under trade names such as Dipel and Thuricide. Because of their specificity, these pesticides are regarded as environmentally friendly, with little or no effect on humans, wildlife, pollinators, and most other beneficial insects and are used in Organic farming.

Bacillus thuringiensis serovar israelensis, a strain of B. thuringiensis is widely used as a larvicide against mosquito larvae, where it is also considered an environmentally friendly method of mosquito control.

Formulations of Bt that are approved for organic farming in the US are listed at the website of the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) and several university extension websites offer advice on how to use Bt spore or protein preparations in organic farming

History: Genetically modified crops.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_modified_crops

The first genetically modified plant was produced in 1982, using an antibiotic-resistant tobacco plant. The first field trials of genetically engineered plants occurred in France and the USA in 1986, when tobacco plants were engineered to be resistant to herbicides. In 1987, Plant Genetic Systems (Ghent, Belgium), founded by Marc Van Montagu and Jeff Schell, was the first company to develop genetically engineered (tobacco) plants with insect tolerance by expressing genes encoding for insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt).

The People's Republic of China was the first country to allow commercialized transgenic plants, introducing a virus-resistant tobacco in 1992. The first genetically modified crop approved for sale in the U.S., in 1994, was the FlavrSavr tomato, which had a longer shelf life. In 1994, the European Union approved tobacco engineered to be resistant to the herbicide bromoxynil, making it the first commercially genetically engineered crop marketed in Europe.

In 1995, Bt Potato was approved safe by the Environmental Protection Agency, making it the first pesticide producing crop to be approved in the USA. The following transgenic crops also received marketing approval in the US in 1995: canola with modified oil composition (Calgene), Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn/maize (Ciba-Geigy), cotton resistant to the herbicide bromoxynil (Calgene), Bt cotton (Monsanto), soybeans resistant to the herbicide glyphosate (Monsanto), virus-resistant squash (Asgrow), and additional delayed ripening tomatoes (DNAP, Zeneca/Peto, and Monsanto). As of mid-1996, a total of 35 approvals had been granted to commercially grow 8 transgenic crops and one flower crop of carnations, with 8 different traits in 6 countries plus the EU. In 2000, with the production of golden rice, scientists genetically modified food to increase its nutrient value for the first time.

Agrobacteria are natural plant parasites, and their natural ability to transfer genes provides another method for the development of genetically engineered plants. To create a suitable environment for themselves, these Agrobacteria insert their genes into plant hosts, resulting in a proliferation of plant cells near the soil level (crown gall). The genetic information for tumour growth is encoded on a mobile, circular DNA fragment (plasmid). When Agrobacterium infects a plant, it transfers this T-DNA to a random site in the plant genome.

When used in genetic engineering the bacterial T-DNA is removed from the bacterial plasmid and replaced with the desired foreign gene. The bacterium is a vector, enabling transportation of foreign genes into plants. This method works especially well for dicotyledonous plants like potatoes, tomatoes, and tobacco. Agrobacteria infection is less successful in crops like wheat and maize.

Introducing new genes into plants requires a promoter specific to the area where the gene is to be expressed. For instance, if we want the gene to be expressed only in rice grains and not in leaves, then an endosperm-specific promoter would be used. The codons of the gene must also be optimized for the organism due to codon usage bias. The transgenic gene products should also be able to be denatured by heat so that they are destroyed during cooking.

Commerce: Business of GM Crops.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_modified_crops

The global value of biotech seed alone was US$13.2 billion in 2011, with the end product of commercial grain from biotech maize, soybean grain and cotton valued at approximately US$160 billion or more per year.

Players in agriculture business markets include seed companies, agrochemical companies, distributors, farmers, grain elevators, and universities that develop new crops and whose agricultural extensions advise farmers on best practices.

The largest share of the GMO crops planted globally are from seed created by the United States firm Monsanto. In 2007, Monsanto's trait technologies were planted on 246 million acres (1,000,000 km2) throughout the world, a growth of 13 percent from 2006. However, patents on the first Monsanto products to enter the marketplace will begin to expire in 2014, democratizing Monsanto products. Syngenta, DuPont (especially via its Pioneer Hi-Bred subsidiary, and Bayer CropScience are also major players in the US and Europe. In addition, a 2007 report from the European Joint Research Commission predicts that by 2015, more than 40 per cent of new GM plants entering the global marketplace will have been developed in Asia.

In the corn market, Monsanto's triple-stack corn -- which combines Roundup Ready 2-weed control technology with YieldGard (Bt) Corn Borer and YieldGard Rootworm insect control's the market leader in the United States. U.S. corn farmers planted more than 32 million acres (130,000 km2) of triple-stack corn in 2008, and it is estimated the product could be planted on 56 million acres (230,000 km2) in 2014. In the cotton market, Bollgard II with Roundup Ready Flex was planted on approximately 5 million acres (20,000 km2) of U.S. cotton in 2008.

According to the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA), in 2010 approximately 15 million farmers grew biotech crops in 29 countries. Over 90% of the farmers were resource-poor in developing countries. 6.5 million farmers in China and 6.3 million small farmers in India grew biotech crops (mostly Bacillus thuringiensis cotton). The Philippines, South Africa (biotech cotton, maize, and soybeans often grown by subsistence women farmers) and another twelve developing countries also grew biotech crops in 2009. 10 million more small and resource-poor farmers may have been secondary beneficiaries of Bt cotton in China.

According to a review published in 2012 and based on data from the late 1990s and early 2000s, much of the GM crop grown each year is used for livestock feed, and increased demand for meat will lead to increased demand for GM crops with which to feed them. Feed grain usage as a percentage of total crop production is 70% for corn and more than 90% of oil seed meals such as soybeans. Each year, about 65 million metric tons of GM corn grains and about 70 million metric tons of soybean meals derived from GM soybean are fed to livestock each year.

Products: Crops developed & in development.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_modified_crops

• bananas
• beef (secondary)
• cassava
• canola
• corn
• cotton
• cowpea
• cucumber
• eggplant
• maize
• papaya
• potatoes
• rapeseed
• rice
• soybean
• squash
• tobacco
• tomatoes
• wheat

Due to high regulatory and research costs, the majority of genetically modified crops in agriculture consist of commodity crops, such as soybean, maize, cotton and rapeseed. Recently, some research and development has been targeted to enhancement of crops that are locally important in developing countries, such as insect-resistant cowpea for Africa and insect-resistant brinjal (eggplant) for India.

Drugs
Bananas have been developed, but are not in production, that produce human vaccines against infectious diseases such as Hepatitis B. Tobacco plants have been developed and studied, but are not in production, that can produce therapeutic antibodies.

GM plants are being developed by both private companies and public research institutions such as CIMMYT, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre. Other examples include a genetically modified cassava with lower cyanogen glucosides and enhanced with protein and other nutrients, while golden rice, developed by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), has been discussed as a possible cure for Vitamin A deficiency. An international group of academics has generated a vitamin-enriched corn derived from South African white corn variety M37W with 169x increase in beta carotene, 6x the vitamin C and 2x folate -- it is not in production anywhere, but proves that this can be done

Herbicide resistance
Tobacco plants have been engineered to be resistant to the herbicide bromoxynil.
And many crops have created that are resistant to the herbicide glyphosate. As weeds have grown resistant to glyphosate and other herbicides used in concert with resistant GM crops, companies are developing crops engineered to become resistant to multiple herbicides to allow farmers to use a mixed group of two, three, or four different chemicals.

Pathogen resistance -- insects or viruses
Tobacco, and may other crops, have been generated that express genes encoding for insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). Papaya, potatoes, and squash have been engineered to resist viral pathogens, such as cucumber mosaic virus which despite its name infects a wide variety of plants.

Journal of Pesticide Reform,
http://eap.mcgill.ca/MagRack/JPR/jpr_ind.htm
Vol. 14, No. 3, Fall 1994, pp. 13-20
Ecological Agriculture Projects, McGill University (Macdonald Campus)
Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, H9X 3V9 Canada
ALSO at: http://www.mindfully.org/GE/Bacillus-thuringiensis-Bt.htm
Swadener, Carrie, 1994

In a purified form, some of the proteins produced by B.t. are acutely toxic to mammals. ...

B.t. is a species of bacteria that has insecticidal properties affecting a selective range of insect orders. There are at least 34 subspecies of B.t.' (also called serotypes or varieties) and probably over 800 strain isolates. B.t. was first isolated in 1901 in Japan from diseased silkworm larvae. It was later isolated from Mediterranean flour moths and named Bacillus thuringiensis in 1911. It was not until 1958 that B.t. was used commercially in the United States. By 1989, B.t. products had captured 90-95 per cent of the biopesticide market.

Bacillus thuringiensis products available in the United States are comprised of one of five varieties of B.t.: B.t. var. kurstaki and var. morrisoni which cause disease in moth and butterfly caterpillars; B.t. var. israelensis which causes disease in mosquito and blackfly larvae; B.t. var. aizawai which causes disease in wax moth caterpillars); and B.t. var. tenebrionis, also called var. san diego, which causes disease in beetle larvae. Other strains of B.t. have been discovered that exhibit pesticidal activity against nematodes, mites, flatworms, and protozoa.

B.t. products are used to control moth pests in fruits, vegetables, and beehives; blackfly and mosquito pests in ponds and lakes; and several beetle pests in vegetables and shade trees. Common brand names include Dipel, Foray, Thuricide (all B.t. kurstaki), Vectobac, Mosquito Attack (all B.t. israelensis), and M-Trak (B.t.tenebrionis). ...

Mode of Action
When conditions for bacterial growth are not optimal B.t., like many bacteria, forms spores.
Spores are the dormant stage of the bacterial life cycle, when the organism waits for better growing conditions. Unlike many other bacteria, when B.t. creates spores it also creates a protein crystal. This crystal is the toxic component of B.t..

After the insect ingests B.t., the crystal is dissolved in the insect's alkaline gut. Then the insect's digestive enzymes break clown the crystal structure and activate B.t.'s insecticidal component, called the delta-endotoxin. The delta-endotoxin binds to the cells lining the midgut membrane and creates pores in the membrane, upsetting the gut's ion balance. The insect soon stops feeding and starves to death.

If the insect is not susceptible to the direct action of the delta-endotoxin, death occurs after B.t. starts vegetative growth inside the insect's gut. The spore germinates after the gut membrane is broken; it then reproduces and makes more spores. This body-wide infection eventually kills the insect. [similar to toxic Candida Albicans overgrowth] ...

- In a purified form, B.t.i.'s endotoxin is dearly toxic to mammals.
When the delta-endotoxin from B.t.i. was injected intravenously into mice, they exhibited rapid paralysis, followed by death within 12 hours. When the same dosage was injected under the skin of suckling mice, death occurred in 2-3 hours. The delta-endotoxin also caused destruction of rat, mouse, sheep, horse, and human red blood cells. When a small protein isolated from the endotoxin was administered to mice at sublethal levels, mice suffered from severe hypothermia and their heart beat slowed. ...

Environmental Fate

Very little is known about the natural ecology of B.t. It occurs naturally in many soils.
In one study, B.t. was isolated from 70 per cent of soil samples taken from around the world, and was most abundant in samples taken in Asia. More than half of these isolates were undescribed varieties of B.t. 46 B.t. has also been isolated from insect bodies, tree leaves and aquatic environments.7 It has even been recovered from paper. ...

Foliage: B.t. deposited on the upper side of leaves (exposed to the sun) may remain effective for only 1-2 days, but B.t. on the underside of leaves (i.e. protected from the sun) may remain active for 7-10 days.2 8 It is possible for it to be significantly more persistent, however. Viable spores of B.t.k. were recovered from white spruce foliage one year after application. In one experiment conducted in Japan, B.t. persisted for two years in a citrus orchard and remained toxic to caterpillars.

Water B.t.k. has been recovered from rivers and public water distribution systems after an aerial application of Thuricide 16B. Standard water treatment processes are not adequate to destroy B.t.k. spores.

B.t.i. spores and crystals bind readily to sediments in the water column, which reduces their efficacy by making them inaccessible to mosquito and blackfly larvae.

In one test, B.t.i. was applied to water, then allowed to contact mud particles.
Over 99 percent of the B.t.i. spores were found in the mud, rather than in the water, after 45 minutes. The B.t.i. retained viability and toxicity for at least 22 days, killing 90 percent of the mosquito larvae when the mud was stirred and reintroduced to the water column.

In another experiment, viable cells were recovered from the water for up to 200 days and in the sediment for up to 270 days after application.55

Air B.t.k. has been found to drift over 3,000 meters downwind during an aerial application. The distance B.t.k. is capable of drifting depends upon the amount and method of application, 56 as well as the climatic conditions. B.t. thuringiensis was measured in air for up to 17 days following an application.

Resistance
Scientists once thought that the mode of action of B.t. was complex enough to prevent the development of pest insect resistance. However, time and further research proved this to be untrue. ...

Beneficial insects:
Many insects are not pests, and any pest management technique needs to be especially concerned about those that are called Beneficials, the insects that feed or prey on pest species. B.t. has impacts on a number of beneficial species. For example, studies of a wasp that is a parasite of the meal math (Plodia interpunctella) found that treatment with B.t. reduced the number of eggs produced by the parasitic wasp, and the percentage of those eggs that hatched. Production and hatchability of eggs of a predatory bug were also decreased.63 On collards, aphid-eating flies in the family Syrphidae were reduced by Dipel treatment. Both B.t.tenebrionis and Dipel have caused mortality of predatory spider mites. Dipel also has caused mortality of the cinnabar moth, used for the biological control of the weed tansy ragwort. Finally, B.t.i. has caused mortality of a moth (Synclita obliteralis) that helps control aquatic weeds in Florida.

Aquatic insects are also affected by B.t. treatments.
Canadian studies found that certain stream insects (Simulium vittatum and Taeniopteryx nivalis) were killed by applications of Thuricide and Dipel respectively. Midges (chironomids) have repeatedly been shown to be killed by B.t.i.

Birds: Because many birds feed on the caterpillars and other insects affected by B.t. applications, it is not surprising that impacts of B.t. spraying on birds have been documented. In Lane County, Oregon studies of chickadees following a gypsy moth spray program found that birds nesting in B.t.-treated areas brought fewer caterpillars to their nests than did birds nesting in untreated areas. The birds were able to-find other food, so that nesting success was not significantly impacted. ... A Canadian study found that numbers of caterpillars, followed by numbers of two species of warblers and a thrush, were reduced by B.t. treatment. In addition, there were fewer spruce grouse chicks in B.t. treated areas, and the chicks in those areas grew more slowly than chicks in untreated areas.

There is also some evidence that B.t. can be directly toxic to birds.
A study of the effects of application of Dipel to ringneck pheasant eggs found that hatching was only half as successful as hatching of untreated eggs. Because the Dipel was applied with a spreader-sticker compound (Plyac) the decrease in hatching may k a result of the Plyac and not the B.t. product.

Other animals: Because shrews often feed on caterpillars, impacts from B.t. treatments are likely. A study in northern Ontario (Canada) found that treatment with Dipel changed the structure of the shrew population. Adult males emigrated, so that the proportion of juveniles increased. The juveniles and adult females who did not emigrate shifted from a diet of caterpillars to alternative prey.

Foray 48B at high concentrations (about 3 percent) is acutely toxic to rainbow trout, probably because the product is highly acidic.

B.t.i. treatments can also affect other animals. Low concentrations of B.t.i. endotoxins decrease the weight of tadpoles and delay their metamorphosis. The B.t.i. formulation Vectobac is acutely toxic to fathead minnows, probably because "inerts" in the product deplete the dissolved oxygen in water. The B.t.i formulation Teknar was acutely toxic to brook trout fry, probably because of xylene used as an "inert" in the product. ...

Safety Review: Bacillus thuringiensis.
http://lbamspray.com/Reports/BacillusthuringiensisSafetyReview031208.pdf
Roy Upton
Lynette Caspar
Citizens For Health

... In a 1996-1997 pesticide campaign by the New Zealand government known as "Operation Ever Green", Foray 48B was aerially applied over parts of East Auckland, New Zealand. Following the spraying 375 people reported a wide variety of adverse effects. A second aerial spraying campaign of Foray 48B took place over urban areas in Auckland, New Zealand from 2002-2004 in an effort to eradicate the Painted Apple Moth. By the end of the first year of the campaign (2002) 1397 documented health symptoms had been reported by 315 people.

Reported effects included respiratory, neurological, digestive, eye, skin, musculoskeletal, endocrine, and psychological symptoms (Watts 2003).

Health Effects (Warnings)

ingestion
• if ingested, may cause bacterial gastroenteritis:
  abdominal cramps, vomiting and diarrhea [EG7826, EG7841 strains]
  (PAN Database)

• ingestion could result in gastrointestinal irritation, purging, fluid loss, drop in blood pressure and hypernatremia, with long term exposure producing pneumonociosis and lung fibrosis
  (Valent 2001a) (this refers to the DiPel PRO DF formulation, which includes unspecified inerts)

... following the 1993 and 1994 aerial spraying of Foray 48B over urban areas in BC, Canada residents reported a variety of effects on insects including:
• no honeybees from first spray to end of July
• reduction in wasp populations
• reduction in bumble bee populations
• ladybird populations drastically depleted all season
• wood bugs speckled with yellowish blotches
• drastically reduced butterfly and skipper populations
• population overgrowth of other caterpillar species outside the sprayed area, including the tent caterpillar
• mutated, more aggressive, blue (new color) tent caterpillars were observed in year following the spraying
• first year spraying did not eradicate small introduced gypsy moth population

  (Young 1994)

Autism: Bacteria Bio-film and Bio-pesticide BT.
http://www.autismone.org/content/
bacteria-bio-film-and-bio-pesticide-bt-bacillus-thuringiensis-new-hypothesis-relevant-autism
A presentation in 64 slides.

LINK: http://www.nosprayzone.org/pesticides/btk.html

... Many patients with autistic symptoms have persistent dysbiosis.
Treatment of GI issues often alleviates symptoms we call autism. ...

We summarize the points made in the literature and remarks below:

Bt is the same cellular organism as B. cereus (causes gastroenteritis) and B. anthracis (causes anthrax). The only difference is in one "organelle" of the cell, called a plasmid, that produces proteins. Each plasmid produces a unique protein that attacks a target life form. In the case of Bt, that life form is a caterpillar or other insect life forms. ...

Can Bt become anthrax? Theoretically, yes - it could exchange a plasmid with a wild anthrax germ. Also, it is not easy to tell anthrax, B. cereus, and Bt apart - they look the same and grow in the same environments, and even test the same in some genetic tests. See this Seattle Weekly article for an interesting view.

When Bt is sprayed, it can and does infect many people in the target zone, setting up colonies in their respiratory tract and maybe in their intestines that live for weeks or months. ...

A complete physical map of a Bacillus thuringiensis chromosome
Carlson-CR; Kolsto-AB J-Bacteriol. 1993 Feb; 175(4): 1053-60

Bacillus thuringiensis is the source of the most widely used biological pesticide, through its production of insecticidal toxins. The toxin genes are often localized on plasmids. We have constructed a physical map of a Bacillus thuringiensis chromosome ... Ten of the strains were hemolytic when grown on agar plates containing human erythrocytes. Nine of the strains were positive when assayed for the presence of Bacillus cereus enterotoxin. We conclude that B. thuringiensis is very closely related to B. cereus and that the distinction between B. cereus and B. thuringiensis should be reconsidered.

Q-218 Comparative Cytotoxic Effects of Commercial Insecticidal Bacillus thuringiensis
Products Using insect and Human Cell Bioassay.
A.F Tayabali, V.L. Seligy, H Health Canada, Ottowa, Ontario Canada.
Presented at General Meeting, American Society of Microbiologists, May 1999, Chicago.

Quoting the study, "The patterns of damage to insect and human cells were the same".
Their conclusion, "This study establishes for the first time the cytotoxic effects of commercial Bt products, which are largely target cell independent, resulting from an infection-like process."

Bt: Miracle Organic Pesticide or Potential Environmental Disaster?
http://www.nosprayzone.org/pesticides/quickBtfacts.html

... Increasingly, the types of Bt being used are rare strains that are performance-enhanced or sometimes enetically engineered. The use of Bt pesticides has spread from farms and occasional homeowner use to the praying of millions of acres every year around the world, often over large tracts of forest land or areas with large urban populations.

The Bt strains being used are applied at rates up to one billion times the natural levels. Often, they wipe out entire families of insects in the sprayed areas. For instance, Btk, a strain used to control moth pests such as tussock and gypsy moth, kills all insects in the Lepidoptera family (moths and butterflies). Soil biota is also affected -- there is evidence to show that nematodes and predator insects (that would naturally control the pest population) are depressed also. ...

Bt toxin found in blood of pregnant women and fetuses.
http://www.gmwatch.org/latest-listing/1-news-items/
13047-bt-toxin-found-in-blood-of-pregnant-women-and-fetuses
Corresponding author at:
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Sherbrooke Hospital Centre,
3001, 12e Avenue Nord, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada J1H 5N4.
Tel.: +1 819 820 6868 x 12538; fax: +1 819 564 5302.
Sunday, 10 April 2011

EXTRACT: CryAb1 toxin [was] detected in [pregnant women], their fetuses and [non-pregnant women].
This is the first study to reveal the presence of circulating [pesticides associated to genetically modified foods] in women with and without pregnancy, paving the way for a new field in reproductive toxicology including nutrition and utero-placental toxicities.

NOTE: Bt corn (maize) was developed by transferring cry1Ab from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) into corn. It is to be found in the most common GM corn - Monsanto's Bt MON810 (marketed with the trade name YieldGard) - a corn genetically engineered to resist corn borers by producing its own insecticide, the Cry1Ab toxin. Global production of Bt corn takes place on many millions of hectares worldwide and many different types of foods contain Bt corn. In the European Union, seven countries - Austria, Hungary, Greece, France, Luxembourg, Germany and Bulgaria have banned Mon810.

Maternal and fetal exposure to pesticides associated to genetically modified foods in Eastern Townships of Quebec, Canada
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21338670

Aziz Aris (a,b,c) and Samuel Leblanc (c)
(a) Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
University of Sherbrooke Hospital Centre, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
(b) Clinical Research Centre of Sherbrooke University Hospital Centre, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
(c) Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
Reprod Toxicol. 2011 Feb 18.

Abstract
Pesticides associated to genetically modified foods (PAGMF), are engineered to tolerate herbicides such as glyphosate (GLYP) and gluphosinate (GLUF) or insecticides such as the bacterial toxin bacillus thuringiensis (Bt).

The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between maternal and fetal exposure, and to determine exposure levels of GLYP and its metabolite aminomethyl phosphoric acid (AMPA), GLUF and its metabolite 3-methylphosphinicopropionic acid (3-MPPA) and Cry1Ab protein (a Bt toxin) in Eastern Townships of Quebec, Canada.

Blood of thirty pregnant women (PW) and thirty-nine nonpregnant women (NPW) were studied.

Serum GLYP and GLUF were detected in NPW and not detected in PW.
Serum 3-MPPA and CryAb1 toxin were detected in PW, their fetuses and NPW.
This is the first study to reveal the presence of circulating PAGMF in women with and without pregnancy, ....

GM food toxins found in the blood of 93% of unborn babies.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1388888/GM-food-toxins-blood-93-unborn-babies.html
By Sean Poulter, UPDATED: 10:07 GMT, 20 May 2011

Toxins implanted into GM food crops to kill pests are reaching the bloodstreams of women and unborn babies, alarming research has revealed.

A landmark study found 93 per cent of blood samples taken from pregnant women and 80 per cent from umbilical cords tested positive for traces of the chemicals. ..

.. it is now clear the toxins designed to kill crop pests are reaching humans and babies in the womb -- apparently through food. ...

To date the industry has always argued that if these toxins were eaten by animals or humans they would be destroyed in the gut and pass out of the body, thus causing no harm.

Food safety authorities in Britain and Europe have accepted these assurances on the basis that GM crops are effectively no different to those produced using conventional methods.

Most of the global research which has been used to demonstrate the safety of GM crops has been funded by the industry itself.

The new study was carried out by independent doctors at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, at the University of Sherbrooke Hospital Centre in Quebec, Canada.

... Traces of Bt toxin were found in the blood of 93 per cent of the pregnant mothers -- 28 out of 30. It was also found in 80 per cent of the umbilical cords -- 24 out of 30.

In the non-pregnant group, traces were found in the blood of 69 per cent -- 27 out of 39. It is thought the toxin is getting into the human body as a result of eating meat, milk and eggs from farm livestock fed GM corn.

The Canadian team told the scientific journal Reproductive Toxicology: ... the Bt toxin was "clearly detectable and appears to cross the placenta to the foetus".

... Pete Riley said: "This research is a major surprise as it shows that the Bt proteins have survived the human digestive system and passed into the blood supply -- something that regulators said could not happen. ...

Fact-checking about gmo-foods.
http://www.seattleorganicrestaurants.com/vegan-whole-foods/fact-checking-gmo-foods/

n the last few decades many Americans have been suffering from different chronic diseases. Many factors could be contributing in the increase in chronic diseases but the most important one is indeed our diet, even more so than our lifestyle. ...

While inserting genes into DNA of a plant or an animal for its modification, a virus or bacteria is also inserted which is tasked to to turn on the gene. This process in creating a foreign DNA through bacteria insertion could result in mutation and changes at the cellular level which could cause many side effects that would take years to discover past its point of no return. ...

Gastrointestinal Problems:
Bt corn was first introduced into the market by Monsanto in mid 90s.
The bacillus thuringiensis (BT) is a bacteria that is sprayed on vegetables to kill pests.
Engineers inserted BT bacteria into corn and soy. So every cell in GMO soy or corn is producing toxic protein and the pests are killed by the GM plants themselves. BT toxin breaks the stomach of pests with one bite. No wonder why we are facing an epidemic of gastrointestinal problems here in US. Although EPA says that BT doesn't harm human beings and animals, a study published in February 2012 shows that BT toxin actually kills human cells. ...

There has been only one study performed on human beings about side effects of GM foods.
The study showed that a part of gene in Roundup ready soy was transferred into DNA of bacteria that was living inside intestine. As a result Roundup actually didn't kill any bacteria but turned the intestine into a living pesticide factory. Some researchers even believe that if you stop eating GM foods, the GM proteins could be still alive and active inside you.

AUTISM:
Since the introduction of GM foods, autism rates have gone up drastically.
If we can't say for sure GM foods are causing autism, we can't also say for sure that they aren't. Studies show that the stomach of GMO fed animals turned dark and the animals suffered from inflammation and irritation. The same side effects we see with autism children. ...

Dr Arpad Pusztai ... found some disturbing result that GM engineering foods were actually unsafe causing pre cancer cell growth, digestive tracts, damage to liver and lower immune system. ...

Reality: Personal Experience reported to my doctor, 2013.

Enhancement: Foods contaminated with BT avoided/reduced, 2013-04 ...

I began experiencing chronic fecal incontinence, usually of a minor expression, about 3 years ago (2009). It would happen suddenly and without warning. At times, a feeling of near diarrhea urgency would appear. At such times, remaining seated became nearly impossible. For a long time, it appeared to be unconnected to any particular food or emotional expression. I had never previously had this symptom.

I mentioned this difficulty to my General Practitioner, several times, Dr. **** of *****, who offered no comment or explanation. I periodically searched the Internet and the library for articles that might provide some understanding of the stimulating or precipitating influence and any suggestion for resolving it. Initially, there was nothing for fecal incontinence with most entries pointing to urinary incontinence.

To provide clothing protection, a small degree of protection was desired. Products available for urinary incontinence appeared to be all that was available. They were too big, too costly, and inappropriate. I settled on using a light duty, long, female menstrual pad, or two, positioned further to the rear to cover the anal region. I quickly found that the "Kotex natural balance, extra coverage, Lightdays liners, unscented" to provide adequate protection, comfort, and low cost. The packages periodically go on sale for 50% off.

In March, 2013, I discovered an article on the Internet which stated that

Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) imparts ileum fecal incontinence, joint pains, neuralogical symptoms ...

Other articles noted that BT had been genetically engineered into these products/foods:

• bananas
• beef (secondary)
• cassava
• canola
• corn
• cotton
• cowpea
• cucumber
• eggplant
• maize
• papaya
• potatoes
• rapeseed
• rice
• soybean
• squash
• tobacco
• tomatoes
• wheat

These were eliminated or minimized in my diet.

I found with consistency and immediacy, that my degree of symptom occurrence mirrored EXACTLY the amount of likely BT modified foods I had eaten. Symptoms could appear in as little as 20 minutes after eating a serving of the foods. The Reaction was not to any SINGLE, or Several items. It was associated with MANY specific items, and possibly, to the Quantity of such items, together with a possible strength of presence of the BT gene in the substance. As I was able to discern better in what the gene was placed, and avoid such, my symptoms diminished in intensity, and occurrence. It is most difficult, I find to avoid ALL such products, ALL of the time .. yet I do well enough that I seldom require protection any longer.

A possible explanation is as follows, and may indicate its seriousness in correct diagnosis within the healthcare field. If one takes too many probiotics, they will get the same symptom. If one has a healthy gut with adequate flora, eating foods which one's Reptilian Structure responds to as more sources of probiotics can lead to an overabundance signal. As constipation is one of the primary North American health complaints, the increased "laxative" influence of such modified foods may actually be health enhancing. However, the prevalence of this symptom (usually in men) has resulted in a company marketing a "men's panty protection shield" on television, since April, 2013. A misdiagnosis of "aging" may happen often, as well as expectations of lack of muscle tone, or overweight, or organ weakness. This could result in prescriptions for numerous and costly tests, ineffectual drugs or supplements, or demands for lifestyle changes (weight loss, increased activity) which could aggravate the symptoms, or, be ineffectual.

If you are inclined to write articles to submit to journals or colleagues, and you find this worthy of mention to others, you can quote my experience and findings as an example. I did put together a summary of some research info on BT which I can forward, if that is of interest. This is becoming a chronic cultural problem.