title: Notes from the field: Use of unvalidated urine mycotoxin tests for the clinical diagnosis of illness--United States, 2014.
abstract: In February 2014, CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health received a request for a health hazard evaluation from a union representative in an office building. A female employee reported the onset of symptoms involving multiple organ systems upon returning to work after a prolonged absence. The employee searched the Internet for descriptions of symptoms matching hers, found a laboratory offering "toxic mold testing" direct to consumers, and submitted a urine sample, despite the absence of musty odors and signs of fungal growth in her office. The laboratory reported "positive" concentrations of two mycotoxins: ochratoxin at 2.8 parts per billion (ppb) and tricothecenes at 0.4 ppb. The laboratory cutoff for "positive" was ≥2.0 ppb for ochratoxin and ≥0.2 ppb for tricothecenes. The interpretation accompanying the laboratory report said the results "revealed that you have an unusual level of that mycotoxin(s) present in your body."
authors.forename: Melody
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawamoto
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Page
mesh_terms: D002487:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria; D009183:Mycotoxins / Q000633:toxicity* / Q000652:urine*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000652:urine*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis; D014481:United States; D054928:Validation Studies as Topic
chemical_list: D009183:Mycotoxins