Immuno-suppressive and immuno-toxic action of contaminated honey bee products on consumers

The immune system, just as any body system, is subject to destruction and d ysfunction as a result of infection,toxins, stress and malnutrition. Second ary immune deficiencies may occur as the result of a wide variety of toxic substances abusing the physical body. One of the most important these are s ubstances having immuno-suppressive or immuno-toxic properties such as drug s, heavy metals, fertilizers, chemical insecticides and other xenobiotics p olluting food. Honey and pollen that are contaminated directly or indirectl y via the food chain by many environmental toxins such as DDT, lead, cadmiu m, mercury or chemo-therapeutics present a risk factor for the immune syste m of the human consumers of these honey bee products. The article documents the suppressive action and/or allergic possibilities of honey contaminated with sulfa drugs, antibiotics chloro-organic pesticides, nitrites and heav y metals.