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Fw: Docket Control #PF-709, Good Bugs, Inc.; Pesticide Tolerance Petition Filing (fwd)

Saneters - 

is anyone out there familiar with this biological control 
mentioned below?  Apparently the company is currently seeking approval 
for its use.  Any information especially as it relates to cystic fibrosis 
would be greatly appreciated.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< *************** >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Kate Duesterberg
Center for Sustainable Agriculture
University of Vermont
590 Main Street
Burlington, VT  05405-0059
kduester@zoo.uvm.edu
   

----------
> To: opp-docket@epamail.epa.gov
> Subject: Docket Control #PF-709, Good Bugs, Inc.; Pesticide Tolerance
Petition Filing
> Date: Sunday, March 23, 1997 7:58 PM
> 
> To whom it may concern:
> 
> The above noted petition proposes to use Burkholderia (Pseudomonas)
cepacia
> strain AMMD as a microbial pesticide on various agricultural crops on the
> United States.
> 
> Burkholderia cepacia is a bacterium that is generally non-pathogenic to
> healthy humans. However, the organism can infect the lungs of individuals
> with cystic fibrosis (CF) and has been associated with significant
> morbidity and mortality in this population.
> 
> We are writing you as parents of a four year old girl who was diagnosed
> with cystic fibrosis three years ago. She has not shown B. cepacia
> colonization in her sputum samples yet, and we continue to make every
> possible effort to limit her exposure to the bacteria. Very little is
known
> about the method of transmission, although much is known about the
serious
> and often fatal consequences. We have purposely kept her out of
preschool,
> we insist on vigorous and frequent hand washing, and we thoroughly wash
all
> fruits and vegetables before consumption.
> 
> Data from the Cystic Fibrosis foundation National Patient registry
> demonstrate that nearly 4% of all CF patients (n=603) are colonized with
B.
> cepacia and notably 8% of all adults with CF are colonized with B.
cepacia.
> Although much remains unknown about the epidemiology of B. cepacia
> infection among CF patients, person-to-person transmission has been
> documented in a number of studies. In addition, some evidence suggests
that
> B. cepacia is acquired by CF patients from the environment (Fisher, et al
> J.Pediatrics 123:745-747, 1993). 
> 
> Recent research indicates that there are sub-species (or genomovars)
within
> the species B. cepacia. While B. cepacia strains isolated in CF patients
> tend to cluster in genomovar III, individuals with CF can be colonized by
> strains within all genomovars. This is contrary to the claim made in the
> above noted petition.
> 
> Currently, there is no definitive test to predict which B. cepacia
strains
> pose a risk for CF patients. We are therefore urging you to prevent the
> release of the AMMD strain into the environment until definitive evidence
> can be presented that demonstrates this particular strain of B. cepacia
> does not pose a threat to individuals with CF, including my daughter.
> 
> Poor nutrition is the second most harmful effect of CF (because of a
> reduced ability to absorb various vitamins and minerals), so we are
> constantly feeding our daughter fresh fruits and vegetables. If this
strain
> of B. cepacia is approved for use on human foods, we will be faced with
the
> choice of maintaining her diet or exposing her to bacteria which could be
> fatal to her. 
> 
> 
>