The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, April 17, 1997, Image 2

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    The Battalion
r> ' i? f t
Page
Thursday • April 17,191
Terror in the water — Pfiesteria causes hysteria
► Nation
A dinoflagellate is responsible
for the deaths of a large num
ber offish in North Carolina.
The microorganism can be
found from Delaware to the
Gulf of Mexico.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Millions of fish in
North Carolina’s marshlands have turned up
dead with ugly, open sores caused by a mi
croorganism that feeds on their blood. Now
some scientists suspect the organism preys on
humans, too.
More than a dozen fishermen, divers and
others have found open sores on their bodies,
reported feeling faint or complained of mem
ory loss after coming into contact with brown
water fouled with dead fish.
The organism killing the fish is known as pfi
esteria, and biologists call it “the cell from hell.”
Pfiesteria has been likened to the piran
ha of the microbial world. Yet a piranha
would not stand a chance against this
bloodthirsty menace.
Scientists say the tiny organisms secrete a
toxin that eats holes in fish, then slowly para
lyzes their muscles and suffocates them.
North Carolina State University researcher
JoAnn Burkholder, who helped discover the
one-celled organism in 1990, is convinced pfi-
esteria’s toxins sickened her and as many as
nine other researchers. She and a fellow re
searcher said they suffered severe neurological
symptoms, including memory loss, after han
dling the organism in a lab in 1993.
But she said state health officials seem more
concerned with avoiding bad publicity that
could hann tourism than investigating the pos
sible danger to humans. Although the state
committed $585,000 to study pfiesteria in 1995,
the money is just now making its way to re
searchers.
“We still need to know an awful lot,” Burk
holder said. “It’s an unfortunate tragedy that we
don’t know more by now.”
State officials defended their efforts, say
ing they are collecting evidence and study
ing the problem and there is no proof the or
ganism attacks humans. “We continue to try
to gather information within the limits of
our resources,” said Mike Moser, director of
epidemiology.
Pfiesteria, a one-celled organism called a di
noflagellate, has existed for thousands and per
haps millions of years. It has been found as far
north as Delaware and as far south as the Gulf of
Mexico. It can live in either fresh or salt water.
Nowhere has the tiny killer been more preva
lent than in North Carolina’s huge estuaries,
where slow-moving saltwater is captured behind
the islands of the Outer Banks. It has left millions
of menhaden, shad and flounder dead and rot
ting on the shores of the Neuse and New rivers.
Burkholder’s research indicates the tiny
creatures proliferate and take on a deadly form
when exposed to high levels of nitrogen and
phosphorous—byproducts of human and an
imal waste.
She and others believe the organism be
came a problem in North Carolina waters as
the state’s hog farming industry and population
rose dramatically over the past decade.
David Jones, a New Bern fishermen who
once ran a wholesale fish market on the river
shores, is convinced pfiesteria is responsible for
the severe memory lapses and other neurolog
ical problems he says he suffers.
Jones said his problems began in 1988,
when he experienced what he thought was
heat stroke while working his crab pots during
a fish kill.
“This stuff is real, and it’s bad, and I certain
ly wouldn’t want you or anyone else to have it,”
he said. “What’s inside of me eating me alive?”
Questions about pfiesteria’s effects on peo
ple have grown since a book tracing its discov
ery, And the Waters Turned to Blood by Rodney
Barker, was released earlier this month. State
officials have criticized the book and com
plained it created hysteria.
Burkholder said proving people’s health
problems are caused by pfiesteria is difficult be
cause researchers have yet to isolate and iden
tify its toxins.
Until then, doctors will not be able to test
people’s blood or tissues for evidence that the
sores or other symptoms have been caused
by pfiesteria.
Dr. Chris Delaney, a New Bern physician
who has treated two people with skin sores,
criticized the state’s handling of the issue.
“I don’t see this as high science, but the po
litical lay of the land is such that there is a lot of
resistance to change,” he said.
Hale-Bopp makes
big hit on Internet
WASHINGTON (AP) -TheHa
Bopp comet, which has put on!
year’s best celestial fireworks,isas
on the Internet, too. NASAsayste
Hale-Bopp computer sites havete
serving up 1.2 million images a da
The NASA sites have 4,500
ages of the comet, submitted!))
fessional and back-yard astronoc*
from around the world.
The Comet HaleBopp Home
includes a photograph made by;
ifornia astronomer the night ate: |
comet was discovered in July! 1
The address
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/comet'
dex.html.
Correction
In a page 1 story in yesterfla
Battalion, it should have readfcj
Anderson, an educational adir
tration graduate student, wontt^
Sasse Community and Unity te
► This day in history
Today is Thursday, April 17, the 107th day of 1997.
There are 258 days left in the year.
On this date:
In 1492, a contract was signed by Christopher
Columbus and a representative of Spain’s King Ferdi
nand and Queen Isabella, giving Columbus a commis
sion to seek a westward ocean passage to Asia.
In 1524, Giovanni da Verrazano reached present-day
New York harbor.
In 1790, American statesman Benjamin Franklin
died in Philadelphia at age 84.
In 1861, the Virginia State Convention voted to se
cede from the Union.
In 1941, Yugoslavia surrendered to Germany in
World War II.
In 1961, about 1,500 CIA-trained Cuban exiles
launched the disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba
in a failed attempt to overthrow the government of Fi
del Castro.
In 1964, Ford Motor Company unveiled its new Mus
tang model.
In 1964, Jerrie Mock of Columbus, Ohio, became
the first woman to complete a solo airplane flight
around the world.
In 1969, a jury in Los Angeles convicted Sirhan
Sirhan of assassinating Sen. Robert F. Kennedy.
In 1970, the astronauts of Apollo 13 splashed down
safely in the Pacific, four days after a ruptured oxygen
tank crippled their spacecraft.
Weather
Today
Tonight
Tomorrow
■"A
► Today's birthdays
Rock promoter Don Kirshner is 63. Composer-mu
sician Jan Hammer is 49. Actress Olivia Hussey is 46.
Rock singer-musician Pete Shelley (Buzzcocks) is 42.
Actress Lela Rochon is 33. Singer Liz Phair is 30.
Partly cloudy with iso
lated showers.
Partly cloudy.
Partly cloudy with iso
lated showers.
Highs & Lows
Today’s Expected 1
76°F
Tonight’s Expected
58°F
Tomorrow’s Expect
High
80°F
Tomorrow Nighii
Expected Low
62°F
IMPROVE YOUR WEALTH
BY SHARING YOUR HEALTH
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I
Work on More than your Tan
this summer ...
Take a class at UH-Clear Lake
Lighten your fall load
Get a head start
on your degree
Gain a promotion
Take a course
for the fun of it
Three, five and nine week sessions beginning June 2.
Call the Summer Session Hotline at (281) 283-2520, option 1
for a free catalog and class schedule.
University of Houston O Clear Lake
2700 Bay Area Boulevard • Houston TX 77058-1098
Ring Dance
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Rentals start at $55.95 • No other discounts or promotions apply • Must present coupon a time of reservation • Exp 4^ ^
mgmm ■ fe Bryan/College Station
^ 1100 Harvey Rd.
Jfm I next to Post Oak Mall
FORMAL WEAR 409-693-094;
TLIK I’-A ItTY asnEVTER E3STOS!
ROBERT
U J? IT Tt O !N T
&
CLOSE
1
ONE NIGHT
EVENT
Reserved Seating
available*—it’s parents
weekend v’all! -i>.» i>ba,>» <.niy
The TTarents
Weekend Concert
with special guest
SNIDER
AT:
Marooned, Altjertnonfl, CaveiiderX
Hurricane Jlarrv's, M8C Rox Office, or _. -
by phono at 1-800-00G-SHOW (7400).: _
‘Tickets subject to service c.harjre
Xloksts wol<! on n flrwt enrns, ftrwr wervs Iwuitw
Another Popular Prod uctioTT
T'
improvisational comedy
Laugh with
your parents.
(Then tell them about your
pregnant girlfriend and your
$2000 credit card bill.)
Parent’s Weekend
Friday & Saturday
April 18 & 19
10 p.m. Dixie Theatre (doors open at 8 p.m.)
Tickets are $6 available in advance at Rother’s
Bookstores and Marooned Records.
ht tp: //ht tp. t am u. ed u: 8000/~fslip
The Battalion
Rachel Barry, Editor in Chief
Tiffany Moore, Managing Editor
Kristina Buffin, Sports Editor Wesley Poston, City Editor
Stew Milne, Visual Arts Editor Alex Walters, Opinion Editor
John LeBas, Aggielife Editor Chris Stevens, Web Editor l
Jody Holley, Night News Editor Tim Moog, Photo Editor
Helen Clancy, Night News Editor Brad Graeber, Cartoon Editor
Staff Members
City Desk - Assistant Editor: Melissa Nunnery; Reporters: Rebecca Torrellas, Brandon Hausenfluck, Laura Olive® 0
Roy, Graham Harvey, Jackie Vratil, Benjamin Cheng, Shikonya Cureton, Joey Schlueter, Kathleen Strickland,Msossi
Alanis & Shea Wiggins
Aggielife Desk - Assistant Editor: April Towery; Feature Writers: Aaron Meier, Shea Wiggins, Michael Schaub.DapW |
Phillips, Brandon Truitt, Missy Price, & Karen Janes; Page Designers: Artie Alvarado & Daphne Phillips
Sports Desk - Assistant Editor: Paul Mitchell; Writers: Jamie Burch, Jeremy Furtick, Matt Mitchell, Courtney Lyons.De® 1 * |
Ramirez, Chris Ferrell, Lara Zuehlke & Nicole Smith; Page Designer: Eric Proctor
Opinion Desk - Assistant Editor: James Francis; Columnists: Jon Apgar, David Boldt, Mason Jackson, Stephen Llano,
Hill, Donny Ferguson, Kate Shropshire, Dave Johnston, Glenn Janik, General Franklin, Robby Ray, Courtney PliP 5 '
John Lemmons, Brandon Hausenfluck,Travis Chow & Jeremy Valdez
Night News - Page Designers: Jennifer Bishop, Angie Rodgers, Joshua Miller, Lisa Wells & Michele Chancellor
Copy Editors - Elisa Douglass, Missy Davila, Shea Wiggins, Gina Panzica & Matt Weber
Visual Arts Desk - Assistant Photo Editor: Dave House; Photographers: Rony Angkriwan, Patrick James, Derek Deitwo,
Robert McKay, Ryan Rogers & Amy Dunlap; Graphic Artists: Jennifer Maki, James Palmer & James Vineyard: On®* |
ists: Michael Depot, Chad Mallam, David Hoffman, John Lemons, Ed Goodwin & Quatro Oakley
Webmasters - Dusty Moer, Sara Candy, David Friesenhahn & Daniel Holwerda
News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in the Division of Student |
cations, a unit of the Department of Journalism. News offices are in 013 Reed McDonald Building. Newsroom pi*
845-3313; Fax: 845-2647; E-mail: Batt@tamvml.tamu.edu; Internet Address: http://bat-web.tamu.edu.
Advertising: Publication of advertising does not imply sponsorship or endorsement by The Battalion. For campfif
cal and national display advertising, call 845-2696. For classified advertising, call 845-0569. AdvertisingoW' : |
are in 015 Reed McDonald, and office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Fax: 845-2678,
Subscriptions: A part of the Student Services Fee entitles each Texas A&M student to pick up a single copy ofTlieBsSj
ion. Mail subscriptions are $20 per semester, $40 per school year and $50 per full year.To charge by Visa, Mastfr f
Card, Discover or American Express, call 845-2611.
The Battalion (ISSN #1055-4726) is published daily, Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesteisa«( 1
Monday through Thursday during the summer session (except University holidays and exam periods) atTexasAW* I
University. Second class postage paid at College Station,TX 77840. Postmaster: Send address changes to Tie
talion,015 Reed McDonald Building,Texas A&M University, College Station,TX 77843-1111.