cdc response

[Guest guest]

Hi all. My husband sent out all md awareness correspondance at one time on

Monday. Did anyone else get a response like this back from the CDC?

Sharon

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Subj: Fwd: CDC's activities regarding mold

Date: 9/24/2004 11:35:03 AM Eastern Daylight Time

From: MAKramer

SNK 1955

Response from CDC

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Subj: CDC's activities regarding mold

Date: 9/24/2004 9:31:01 AM Eastern Daylight Time

From: " APRHB-Public Inquiries " <aprhb@...>

" APRHB-Public Inquiries " <aprhb@...>

Thank you for your inquiry about CDC’s efforts regarding mold.

CDC is a public health research and education agency, not a policy or

enforcement agency. CDC does not have authority to set laws, regulations, or

policy regarding mold. That role is largely filled by local and state health

and housing authorities, and, to a lesser extent, federal authorities. However,

CDC has taken a leading role in those areas that do fall within our purview,

including:

· developing plans to strengthen state, local, and tribal capacity to

respond to mold-related issues, including (1) determining the extent to which

state programs establish coordinated responses to indoor mold exposures; (2)

working with federal and other organizations to coordinate plans related to

indoor air and mold; (3) developing a coordinated public response strategy; and

(4) identifying resources for developing and implementing responses.

· continuing to work with state health departments to identify risk

factors associated with acute idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage in infants and

producing the following reports:

o Acute Idiopathic Pulmonary Hemorrhage Among Infants Recommendations from

the Working Group for Investigation and Surveillance. MMWR March 12,

2004;53(RR02)1-12. (http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5302a1.htm)

o Case Definition for Acute Idiopathic Pulmonary Hemorrhage in Infants

(http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/airpollution/mold/AIPHIcasedef.htm)

o Investigation of Acute Idiopathic Pulmonary Hemorrhage Among

Infants—Massachusetts, December 2002-June 2003. MMWR September 10,

2004;53(35)817-820. (http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5335a4.htm)

· beginning a 5-year initiative on work-related asthma in offices and

schools, with an emphasis on moisture and mold exposures. CDC’s National

Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is leading this initiative.

· assisting states in responding to mold-related issues, including

offering technical assistance with assessment, cleanup efforts, and prevention

of further mold growth and unnecessary exposure.

· Maintaining a Mold Web site

(http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/airpollution/mold) which provides information on molds

and health and links to resources.

· Creating, in conjunction with the Council of State and Territorial

Epidemiologists, an inventory of state indoor air quality programs, which is

available at http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/airpollution/indoor_air.htm.

· Commissioning an Institute of Medicine (IOM) report

(http://www.nap.edu/books/0309091934/html/), which is a part of CDCs plan to

develop an agenda for research, service, and education related to mold. The

report provides information on the relationship between damp or moldy indoor

environments and the manifestation of adverse health effects. It also provides

recommendations for future research, which CDC and others will follow. The IOM

committee concluded that excessive indoor dampness is a public-health problem

and that the prevention or reduction of potentially problematic damp indoor

environments is a public health goal. However, they note serious challenges

associated with achieving that goal as there is insufficient information on

which to base quantitative recommendations for either the appropriate level of

dampness reduction or the “safe†level of exposure to dampness-related

agents. It is thus not possible to objectively rank dampness-related health

problems within the larger context of threats to the public’s health because

there is insufficient information available to confidently quantify the overall

magnitude of the risk resulting from exposures in damp indoor environments. The

IOM also concluded:

· Excessive indoor dampness does not cause ill health by itself

· Growth of fungi and other microbial agents is one consequence of indoor

dampness. Damp indoor environments also favor house dust mites, standing water

supports cockroach and rodent infestations, and excessive moisture may initiate

chemical emissions from building materials and furnishings.

· Mold spores are found in indoor air and on surfaces and materials—no

indoor space is free of them.

· The availability of moisture is the primary factor that controls mold

growth indoors, since the nutrients and temperature range they need are usually

present.

· The lack of knowledge regarding the role of microorganisms in the

development and exacerbation of diseases found in occupants of damp indoor

environments is due to the lack of valid quantitative exposure-assessment

methods and knowledge of which specific microbial agents may primarily account

for the presumed health effects.

· The validity for exposure assessment in the indoor environment is often

not known and few biomarkers of exposure or dose of biologic agents have been

identified.

· There are no generally accepted health-based standards for acceptable

concentrations of fungal spores, hyphae, or metabolites in the air or on

surfaces.

· Damp indoor spaces may also facilitate the growth of bacteria that can

have toxic and inflammatory effects.

The IOM recommended that animal studies be initiated to evaluate the effects of

long-term (chronic) exposures to mycotoxins via inhalation. Such studies should

establish dose-response, lowest-observed-adverse-effect levels, and

no-observed-adverse-effect levels for identified toxicologic endpoints in order

to generate information for risk assessment that is not available from

presently-available studies of acute, high-level exposures.

The IOM committee found:

· sufficient evidence of an association between exposure to damp indoor

environments and some respiratory health outcomes: upper respiratory tract

(nasal and throat) symptoms, cough, wheeze, and asthma symptoms in sensitized

asthmatic persons. Epidemiologic studies also indicate that there is sufficient

evidence to conclude that the presence of mold (otherwise unspecified) indoors

is associated with upper respiratory symptoms, cough, wheeze, asthma symptoms in

sensitized asthmatic persons, and hypersensitivity pneumonitis (a relatively

rare immune-mediated condition) in susceptible persons.

· limited or suggestive evidence for an association between exposure to

damp indoor environments and shortness of breath, respiratory illness in

otherwise healthy children, and the development of asthma in susceptible

persons. The specific exposure (fungi, bacteria, their constituents and

emissions, other exposures related to damp indoor environments, such as dust

mites and cockroaches, or to some combination) remains unclear.

· limited or suggestive evidence of an association with respiratory

illness in otherwise healthy children for the presence of mold indoors

· inadequate or insufficient information to determine whether damp indoor

environments or the agents associated with them are related to a variety of

other health outcomes, including acute idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage in

infants.

The committee considered whether any of the health outcomes listed above met the

definitions for the categories “sufficient evidence of a causal

relationship†and “limited or suggestive evidence of no association†and

concluded that none did.

We hope this information is useful to you.

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[Guest guest]

They investigated the shipyard I worked and took their word that it was being

cleaned up. End of case.

Janet

[Guest guest]

They investigated the shipyard I worked and took their word that it was being

cleaned up. End of case.

Janet

[Guest guest]

----- Original Message -----

From: " Angie Fette " <fettewoman@...>

< >

Sent: Saturday, September 25, 2004 11:01 AM

Subject: Re: [] cdc response

Some of those responses seemed to me to be nothing but a dance. They admit

that indoor mold seems to cause health problems, but they say they don't

have good studies. That's funny because I've read quite a few right here

that seem to link our problems DIRECTLY to heavy indoor mold exposure. Could

the big insurance companies be calling the shots here??? They would have one

hell of a lot to lose. No, I'm sitting here in a moldy duplex blowing my

nose all the time from the new sinus congestionI'm getting since I cleared

out the old long time one. I wish a senior CDC official would come here and

walk in on of the 2 back bedrooms like I just did. I would have a hanky

handy in case they barfed like I just did. Biff

[Guest guest]

----- Original Message -----

From: " Angie Fette " <fettewoman@...>

< >

Sent: Saturday, September 25, 2004 11:01 AM

Subject: Re: [] cdc response

Some of those responses seemed to me to be nothing but a dance. They admit

that indoor mold seems to cause health problems, but they say they don't

have good studies. That's funny because I've read quite a few right here

that seem to link our problems DIRECTLY to heavy indoor mold exposure. Could

the big insurance companies be calling the shots here??? They would have one

hell of a lot to lose. No, I'm sitting here in a moldy duplex blowing my

nose all the time from the new sinus congestionI'm getting since I cleared

out the old long time one. I wish a senior CDC official would come here and

walk in on of the 2 back bedrooms like I just did. I would have a hanky

handy in case they barfed like I just did. Biff

[Guest guest]

That's fantastic that they actually read it, forwarded it on and someone called

you! If you need help getting info together before you reply, there is a wealth

of knowledge on this board. And people are more than willing to help.

Brinchman of School Mold Help has a ton of info about schools.

Nomoreschoolmold@.... len Lawson, who was a speaker in DC, is in

Conneticut. They have been quite successful with lobbying. She has

presentations down to a science. She is a former teacher on permenant

disablilty from mold. Put in the " Canary Committee " to find her.

Barnett, of healthy schools network, supported our efforts this past week. Her

organization is HUGE. Mold is not their primary focus, but it is an issue they

are informed about and willing to help. Jeff O'Connor, although not a school

mold victim, is in Columbus, Ohio. He was also a speaker at Dr. Sommer's

briefing in DC. They were calling in Hospice for Jeff until he made contact

with Lillard-, Mold-Help.org. spent countless hours

counseling him and put him on natural treatments. Then put him in connection

with Dr. Marinkovich. Happy to say, Jeff is now doing quite well and is adopting

a new baby in January!

As I understand it, the University of Tulsa, just got a $15M grant to study poor

air quailty of our schools. Larkin of Mold Relief has more info on this.

@.... Janet Ammand of Home Owners For Better Builders can tell

you much about the materials they use in construction that encourage mold

growth. She pretty politically savvy, also.

This is what it is all about folks!! There is no need to reinvent the wheel

each and everytime when we have so many resources and knowledge behind us. Now

that we are back on the radar, let's use our collective knowledge to make

effective presentations and keep the momentum going.

Don't go in cold when you contact NIOSH of Ohio. Get your facts together and

ask for help from others. Bonnie in CA can come up with medical documentation to

support your position in a heartbeat. Cheri Brunner can make it look beautiful.

When you talk to all these people, you may get overwhelmed with info. Just

stick to a simple goal: Your goals should be to put together a small, concise

packet of info supporting your position, and 5 minute presentation supporting

your position and a CLEAR request of what you want done about the situation.

Good Luck in dealing with your school issue. We are all behind you and MANY are

willing to help you!

Sharon

[Guest guest]

Sue,

If interested, you can access more of Dr.Carley's work at drcarley.com.

Anita

Note: forwarded message attached.

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