Biotoxin illness / Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS)

Biotoxin illness or Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS) is a chronic inflammatory condition involving primarily the innate immune system which results from exposure to a biotoxin (ie: mycotoxins from mold or toxins produced by bacteria such as Borrelia burgdorferi from Lyme disease).  Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome was a description coined by Ritchie Shoemaker, MD, to describe a subset of individuals who appeared to have a chronic inflammatory response to certain biotoxins (toxins produced by other organisms).  Some individuals are more susceptible to mycotoxin illness than others.  According to Dr. Shoemaker’s research, approximately ¼ of the U.S. population has specific genes that make them susceptible to this condition.  Normally, these biotoxins are removed from the body via detoxification pathways.  However, in these individuals, the biotoxin is not recognized by the adaptive immune system and therefore is not removed from the body.  

There is no single test to confirm a diagnosis of biotoxin illness/CIRS.  You may need a variety of medical tests to rule out other health problems that have similar symptoms.  However, there are a number of biomarkers associated with biotoxin illness that can be ordered via conventional labs and specialized lab testing that help in identifying this condition.  Assessing for levels of mycotoxins excreted in the urine and Lyme-associated infections and co-infections is also important.