MARCoNS: An Under Utilized Test for Those Exposed to Toxic Indoor Mold & Other Biotoxins

What is MARCoNS:
MARCoNS (Multiple Antibiotic Resistant Coagulase Negative Staphylococci) is an antibiotic-resistant staph that resides in the deep nasal passage. It is extremely common in people who have been living in a place with toxic indoor mold or other biotoxin that can grow from water damage.

**Important side note: People always think it would never be their home, but statistically that is not the case. Indoor mold growth is extremely prevalent in homes in the USA due to either old water damage that hasn’t been properly remediated (~80% of home) or current water damage (~40% of homes) according to the EPA. Eyes or nose are not proper mold inspection methods and most home inspections during the purchase of home do not include proper & thorough mold inspection (& consequently no proper mold remediation). If a mold inspection did you not occur when you moved into your home, you can and should test, don’t guess. You can self order an ERMI at home dust sample kit, and it elevated hire a mold inspector.

Why Does MARCoNS Develop?
MARCoNs can develop in the nasal cavity when MSH levels are reduced. MSH (a hormone) levels can be depleted from mold exposure (and also other biotoxins too). Long-term mold exposure is likely to lead to a constantly activated immune system (especially for those with specific HLA Haplotypes which is ~25% of the all humans; which you can self order this test here to check) and thus increase risk of developing CIRS (chronic inflammatory response syndrome). This scenario typically allows staph bacteria to flourish and MARCoNS to develop.

What is MSH and Why is MSH Important?
Melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH) is a hormone with multiple anti-inflammatory and neurohormonal regulatory functions. MSH typically becomes too low in the vast majority of patients consistently exposed to toxic indoor mold. When MSH is low, basic defenses against invading microbes are down and this is consequently how microbes can overgrow. Note that MARCoNS is not found in the deep sinuses of normal individuals who are have NOT been mold exposed or no other biotoxin illnesses.

Low MSH & MARCoNS Go Hand in Hand
The toxic mold exposure lowering the MSH essentially creates the conditions for a nasal staph colonization and it can lead to an infection. This staph is typically “resistant” because it can survives in biofilms (“sticky mucousy webs” they intelligently create & hide behind to survive). These biofilms make it especially difficult to treat, but not impossible.

Why is MARCoNS Serious & Relevant to Many Mold Exposed People?
The staph bacteria send chemicals into the blood (exotoxins A and B). And this becomes a vicious cycle of low MSH making the patient susceptible to MARCoNS and then MARCoNS then further lowers MSH.

Low MSH and CIRS (Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome)
Low MSH is not only “bad” because it contributes to MARCoNS which is the point of this blog, but a low MSH also cause many other pillars of dysfunction in the body.  Check out the image above showing the biotoxin pathway coined by Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker. It essentially shows the pathway of harm and dysfunction that toxic mold causes in the body. You can self order CIRS bloodwork here to be performed at Labcorp.

Long term Low MSH levels:
Low MSH will usually lead to fatigue and chronic pain due to reduced endorphins, increased cytokines, hormone imbalances, intestinal permeability (why so many exposed to mold have gut problems), lower melatonin (poor sleep), and low ADH (Low Antidiuretic Hormone = extreme thirst). CIRS is what I ended up being diagnosed with from our family’s extreme mold exposure. You can read more about our story here. 

Symptoms of MARCoNS:
There are a wide range of symptoms, some of which can be debilitating and affect overall quality of life. The most common symptoms of MARCoNS include:

• Sinus congestion or labeled with “seasonal allergies”
• Recurring sinus infections
• Chronic fatigue
• Brain fog
• Multiple chemical sensitivity (scent overload)
• Headaches
• Facial pain
• Tooth pain
• Joint pain
• Anxiety and depression
• Insomnia
• Itchy or watery eyes
• Difficulty concentrating
• Memory loss

Many with MARCoNS will overall feel inflamed, reports “allergies are flaring,” tired, and difficulty with weight loss due to cascade of problems from the low MSH.

Identifying MARCoNS: “TEST, DON’T GUESS”
MicrobiologyDX is a lab that offers Nares Bacterial Culture (includes MARCoNS & other pathogens) and Biofilm analysis too. You can self order this test through MicrobiologyDx and it is a cash pay lab. The biomarkers are captured via one nasal swab that is sent back to lab to be reviewed and then results reported to you.

MARCoNS Interventions:
Various intranasal sprays can be used if MARCoNS is suspected or confirmed. After the initial 6-12 weeks of treatment, discontinue the nasal spray for 5-10 days and reculture for MARCoNS. If positive, resume a protocol as a person will likely then continue to have a low MSH, MARCoNS and their “downstream’ problems linger. If the colonization is difficult to eradicate, consider re-exposure to mold, improper remediation or non-compliance with the plan. Extended rounds of intranasal sprays for three to 12 months may be needed as this is a stubborn little mule.

Eradicating MARCoNS = Crucial to Getting BETTER!
Getting out of mold or PROPERLY remediating toxic indoor mold PLUS eradictating the MARCoNS it likely caused is one huge piece of actually getting resolving the health problems. Without fixing this, the low MSH will prevail.

Low MSH levels (which is not be checked in conventional care because it is not built into standard care algorithms yet) will “show up” as downstream labels and conditions. Meaning your symptoms often times get a label/ICD-10 and medication (“name it and tame it” approach) but in the words of rapper Ice Cube, no one is “infiltrating the dealer and finding the supplier.” WHY is the body acting out like this?

Common misses of mold toxicity can result in “downstream” only labels like:

• Depression and/or Anxiety
• ADD or ADHD
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Fibromyalgia
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Hyperlipidemia
• Asthma
• Infertility
• Overweight, obesity, weight loss resistance
• POTS or dysautonomia
• Sinus infections
• Chronic fatigue syndrome

We should be looking “upstream” more and asking WHY is the body responding this way?

Have diagnosed health problems? Are you SURE mold is not at the root of it? Have you been tested for MARCoNS? CIRS? Mycotoxin bioaccumulation?

Many live in “mold denial.” I encourage people to stop saying these phrases in lieu of objective testing of their home and their body:

• “But my house is too new” (water damage can happen to any home)
• “But my house is too old and built during a time of quality craftmanship” (water damage can happen to any home)
• “But my home inspection would have found it” (nope -not usually checked)
• “But my family would all have the same symptoms” (incorrect– so many factors influence how mycotoxin illness presents)
• “But my doctor would have tested for this” (LOL! Allopathic only aligned Medical Schools don’t teach this)
• “But it’s behind a wall so it won’t hurt me” (false – mycotoxins travel through walls)
• “But it is just a little mold” (one square inch puts off over 1 million spore per day and 500 million fragments PER DAY)
• “But it’s green mold not black mold.” (Color doesn’t matter – all toxic indoor molds regardless of color can cause bodily harm)

Ask yourself, what is it COSTING YOU
(physically, mentally, financially) to stay where you are at?

Not 100% sure if mold is at the “root of it?”

Spend 1 to 2 hours taking the course HEALING FROM MOLD to get practical information in laymen’s terms to empower you and your family today! Knowledge drives action and can get you closer to better health!

I wish you well, sending healing vibes, and from somone who has been there, my heart goes out to you.

Katie Driessens, RD, LDN, CDCES, CGN
Mold Literate Practitioner
Mold/CIRS Survivor

References:

1. Pandak N., Pajić‐Penavić I., Sekelj A. et al (2011) Bacterial colonization or infection in chronic sinusitis. Wien. Klin. Wochenschr. 123, 710–713.
2. Prince A.A., Steiger J.D., Khalid A.N. et al (2008) Prevalence of biofilm‐forming bacteria in chronic rhinosinusitis. Am. J. Rhinol. 22, 239–245.
3. Shoemaker R. Diagnosis of Pfiesteria-human illness syndrome. Maryland Medical Journal 1997; 521-523.
4. Shoemaker R. Treatment of persistent Pfiesteria-human illness syndrome. Maryland Medical Journal 1998; 47: 64-66.
5. Grattan L, Oldach D, Perl T, Lowitt M, Matuszak D, Dickson C, Parrott C, Shoemaker R, Kauffman L, Wasserman M, Hebel R, Charache P, Morris G. Learning and memory difficulties after environmental exposure to waterways containing toxin-producing Pfiesteria or Pfiesteria-like dinoflagellates. The Lancet 1998; 352: 532-539.
6. Shoemaker R, Bullano K. Use of pioglitazone to prevent intensification of persistent symptoms following cholestyramine treatment of patients with Post-Lyme syndrome. 2000; American Diabetes Association Annual Meeting. (conference peer review)
7. Friedman M. 2000 Maryland Family Doctor of the Year, RC Shoemaker MD.
8. Shoemaker R. Endocrine Society 6/2001. Use of rosiglitazone in treatment of hyperinsulinemic obesity in non-diabetics (conference peer review).
9. Shoemaker R, Hudnell K. Possible Estuary-Associated Syndrome: Symptoms, vision, and treatment. Environmental Health Perspectives 2001; 109: 539-545.
10. Shoemaker R. Residential and recreational acquisition of possible estuary-associated syndrome: A new approach to successful diagnosis and treatment. Environmental Health Perspectives 2001; 109: 791-796.
11. Shoemaker R. Linkage disequilibrium in alleles of HLA DR: differential association with susceptibility to chronic illness following exposure to biologically produced neurotoxins. American Society of Microbiology 2003. (conference peer review).
12. Shoemaker R, Hudnell K, House D. Sick Building Syndrome in Water Damaged Buildings: Generalization of the Chronic Biotoxin-Associated Illness Paradigm to Indoor Toxigenic-Fungi Exposure. 9/2003 5th International conference on bioaerosols (conference peer review)
13. Shoemaker R. Use of visual contrast sensitivity and cholestyramine in diagnosis and treatment of indoor air acquired, chronic, neurotoxin-mediated illness. 9/2003 (conference peer review)
14. Shoemaker R, Hudnell K, House D, Domenico P. Association of nasal carriage of methicillin resistant and multiple antibiotic resistant coagulase negative staphylococci species with deficiency of alpha melanocyte stimulating hormone in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: implication for expanded treatment options. American Society of Microbiology 2003. (conference peer review)
15. Shoemaker R, Hudnell D. A time-series study of sick building syndrome: chronic, biotoxin-associated illness from exposure to water-damaged buildings. Neurotoxicology and Teratology 2004; 1-18.
16. Shoemaker R, Rash J, Simon E. Sick Building syndrome in water damaged buildings: generalization of the chronic biotoxin associated illness paradigm to indoor toxigenic fungi. Bioaerosols, fungi, bacteria, mycotoxins and human health. Dr med Eckardt Johanning MD editor 2006.
17. Shoemaker R, Hudnell, House D, Kempen A, Pakes G. Atovaquone plus cholestyramine in patients coinfected with Babesia microti and Borrelia burgdorferi refractory to other treatment. Advances in Therapy 2006; 23: 1-11.
18. Shoemaker R, Lipsey R. Results of health screening and visual contrast testing. St. Bernard’s Parish, Louisiana. 2006. published on-line
19. Shoemaker R, House D. Sick building syndrome (SBS) and exposure to water-damaged buildings: Time series study, clinical trial and mechanisms. Neurotoxicology and Teratology 2006; 573-588.
20. Shoemaker R, Lawson W. Pfiesteria in Estuarine Waters: The question of health risks. Environmental Health Perspectives 2007; 115: A2-A3.
21. Shoemaker R, Lin K. Inside Indoor Air Quality: Environmental Relative Moldiness Index (ERMI). Filtration News 2007; 32-36.
22. Shoemaker R, Maizel M. Treatment of elevated C4a in patients with CFS using low doses of erythropoietin safely reduces symptoms and lowers C4a: a prospective clinical trial 2007, IACFS (conference peer review).
23. Shoemaker R, Giclas P, Crowder C, House D. Complement split products C3a and C4a are early markers of acute Lyme disease in tick bite patients in the United States. International Archives of Allergy Immunol 2008; 146: 255-261.
24. Shoemaker R, Maizel M. Innate immunity, MR spectroscopy, HLA DR, TGF beta-1, VIP and capillary hypoperfusion define acute and chronic human illness acquired following exposure to water-damaged buildings. 2008. International Healthy Buildings (conference peer review)
25. Shoemaker R, Maizel M. Exposure to interior environments of water-damaged buildings causes a CFS-like illness in pediatric patients: a case/control study. 2009 bulletin of the IACFS
26. Shoemaker R, House D. Characterization of chronic human illness associated with exposure to cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms predominated by Microcystis. 2009 Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms pg 653.
27. Shoemaker R, Exposure to water damaged buildings causes a readily identifiable chronic inflammatory response syndrome successfully treated by a sequential intervention protocol. Biology of Fungi, International Mycology Congress 2009 (conference peer review)
28. Shoemaker R, House D, Ryan J. Defining the neurotoxin derived illness chronic ciguatera using markers of chronic systemic inflammatory disturbances: A case/control study. Neurotoxicology and Teratology 2010; 633-639.
29. Shoemaker R. ACOEM position statements on mold: ploys and lies. Published on line 2011.
30. Shoemaker R, House D, Ryan J. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) corrects chronic inflammatory response syndrome (CIRS) acquired following exposure to water-damaged buildings. Health 2013; 3: 396-401.
31. Shoemaker R. House D, Ryan J Structural Brain Abnormalities in Patients with Inflamatory Illness acquired Following Exposure to Water Damaged Buildings A Volumetric MRI Study Using Neuroquant. June 17, 2014
32. Ryan J. Wu Q. Shoemaker R. Transcriptomic Signatures in Whole Blood of Patients Who Acquire CIRS Following an Exposure to the Marine Toxin Ciguatoxin. August 8 2015
33. Medically sound investigation and remediation of water-damaged buildings in cases of chronic inflammatory response syndrome.Berndtson K, McMahon S, Ackerley M, Rapaport S, Gupta S, Shoemaker R, January 19, 2016
34. Indoor Environmental Professionals Panel of Surviving Mold CONSENSUS STATEMENT Medically sound investigation and remediation of water-damaged Buildings in cases of CIRS-WDB; Larry Schwartz CIEC, BSME, MBA, Greg Weatherman CMC, Michael Schrantz CIEC, CMI, BPI-BA/EP, Will Spates CIAQP, CIEC, Jeff Charlton, ACIEC, AACIEH, Keith Berndtson MD, Ritchie Shoemaker MD April 12, 2016
35. Reduction in Forebrain Parenchymal and Cortical Grey Matter Swelling across Treatment Groups in Patients with Inflammatory Illness Acquired Following Exposure to Water-Damaged Buildings. McMahon SW, Shoemaker RC, and Ryan, JC April 12, 2016
36. Internal Medicine Review- Intranasal VIP safely restores volume to multiple grey matter nuclei
37. in patients with CIRS- April 2017 Shoemaker, R., Katz, D., Ackerley, M., Rapaport, S., McMahon, S., Berndtson, K., Ryan, J.
38. Shoemaker, RC and Lark, D – 2016, HERTSMI-2 and ERMI: “Correlating Human Health Risk with Mold Specific qPCR in Water-Damaged Buildings” #658 in Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Indoor Air Quality and Climate, International Society for Indoor Air Quality and Climate, Ghent, Belguim.
39. 2018 Diagnostic Process for Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS): A Consensus Statement Report of the Consensus Committee of Surviving Mold
40. Urinary Mycotoxins: A Review of Contaminated Buildings and Food in Search of a Biomarker Separating Sick Patients from Controls; Shoemaker, Ritchie; Lark, David
41. Shoemaker, R. Ryan, J. Medical Research Archives, Volume 4, Issue 7. RNA-Seq on patients with chronic inflammatory response syndrome (CIRS) treated with vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) shows a shift in metabolic state and innate immune functions that coincide with healing

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3920250/
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