Allergy Major Cause of 'Toxic Mold Syndrome' article

[Guest guest]

Found the link to this article while reading about Worst Cities for

Spring Allergies...so this may be a duplicate posting.

================

Allergy Major Cause of 'Toxic Mold Syndrome'

Thursday, February 24, 2005

By J. DeNoon

Mold allergies — not mold poisoning — cause most cases of " toxic mold

syndrome, " (search) a new study explains.

But the study also shows that many cases of mold-linked illness can't

be explained by allergic reactions. The report, by allergists A.

Edmondson, DO, Jordan N. Fink, MD, and colleagues at Medical College

of Wisconsin, appears in the February issue of ls of Allergy,

Asthma & Immunology.

The researchers examined 36 children and 29 adults thought to have

toxic mold syndrome. About half turned out to be allergic to molds.

" Our patients assumed that they were experiencing toxic mold syndrome

when, in fact, most were experiencing [allergic] reactions to various

antigens in their environment, " Edmondson and colleagues write.

That still left a sizeable number of patients whose illness could not

be explained by allergy.

" Twenty-five percent of the patients had symptoms not compatible with

[allergy], " Edmondson and colleagues write. " [Mold]-mediated

mechanisms may account for these symptoms. …The [cause] of these

symptoms … remains unclear and warrants further investigation. "

Toxic Mold Syndrome Remains Controversial

The patients, ranging in age from 1.5 to 52, had all kinds of

symptoms. Most had a runny nose and a cough. Others had headaches,

breathing problems (including shortness of breath, wheezing, and chest

tightness), itchy eyes, and nervous system problems (including

dizziness, anxiety, weakness, restless legs, memory loss, and

shaking), intestinal problems (including nausea, vomiting, and gut

pain), nosebleed, and urinary problems.

Accompanying the study is an editorial by mold expert W. Elliott

Horner, PhD, of Air Quality Sciences, Inc., in Atlanta. Horner notes

that toxic mold syndrome is extremely controversial. However, he also

points to a recent report by the prestigious Institute of Medicine

that strongly supports the idea that damp, moldy buildings can harm

people's health.

" Perhaps part of the controversy regarding the health effects of

indoor mold could be [done away with] if the ill-defined phrase " toxic

mold syndrome " were replaced by " damp building effect, " which refers

to a well-documented effect but avoids any claim of [cause], " Horner

writes.

Horner points out there is currently no accurate way to measure mold

toxins in damp buildings. Without such a tool, it is impossible to

test whether toxic mold is, in fact, causing illness. Until scientists

develop such tests, he says, people should stop arguing and start

collecting more data. In the meantime, he urges both doctors and

patients to keep an open mind about the possible toxic effects of molds.

" Although certainly not proven, the suspect with the most fingerprints

at the scene seems to be mold components shed from fungal colonized

construction and finishing materials and furnishings, " he writes. " It

is time now for data rather than diatribe. "

[Guest guest]

I hit the send button a bit prematurely.

Here's the URL (for the article below):

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,148629,00.html

--- In , " xhannahx24 " <xhannahx24@y...>

wrote:

>

> Found the link to this article while reading about Worst Cities for

> Spring Allergies...so this may be a duplicate posting.

> ================

>

> Allergy Major Cause of 'Toxic Mold Syndrome'

> Thursday, February 24, 2005

> By J. DeNoon

>

> Mold allergies — not mold poisoning — cause most cases of " toxic mold

> syndrome, " (search) a new study explains.

>

> But the study also shows that many cases of mold-linked illness can't

> be explained by allergic reactions. The report, by allergists A.

> Edmondson, DO, Jordan N. Fink, MD, and colleagues at Medical College

> of Wisconsin, appears in the February issue of ls of Allergy,

> Asthma & Immunology.

>

> The researchers examined 36 children and 29 adults thought to have

> toxic mold syndrome. About half turned out to be allergic to molds.

>

> " Our patients assumed that they were experiencing toxic mold syndrome

> when, in fact, most were experiencing [allergic] reactions to various

> antigens in their environment, " Edmondson and colleagues write.

>

> That still left a sizeable number of patients whose illness could not

> be explained by allergy.

>

> " Twenty-five percent of the patients had symptoms not compatible with

> [allergy], " Edmondson and colleagues write. " [Mold]-mediated

> mechanisms may account for these symptoms. …The [cause] of these

> symptoms … remains unclear and warrants further investigation. "

>

> Toxic Mold Syndrome Remains Controversial

>

> The patients, ranging in age from 1.5 to 52, had all kinds of

> symptoms. Most had a runny nose and a cough. Others had headaches,

> breathing problems (including shortness of breath, wheezing, and chest

> tightness), itchy eyes, and nervous system problems (including

> dizziness, anxiety, weakness, restless legs, memory loss, and

> shaking), intestinal problems (including nausea, vomiting, and gut

> pain), nosebleed, and urinary problems.

>

> Accompanying the study is an editorial by mold expert W. Elliott

> Horner, PhD, of Air Quality Sciences, Inc., in Atlanta. Horner notes

> that toxic mold syndrome is extremely controversial. However, he also

> points to a recent report by the prestigious Institute of Medicine

> that strongly supports the idea that damp, moldy buildings can harm

> people's health.

>

> " Perhaps part of the controversy regarding the health effects of

> indoor mold could be [done away with] if the ill-defined phrase " toxic

> mold syndrome " were replaced by " damp building effect, " which refers

> to a well-documented effect but avoids any claim of [cause], " Horner

> writes.

>

> Horner points out there is currently no accurate way to measure mold

> toxins in damp buildings. Without such a tool, it is impossible to

> test whether toxic mold is, in fact, causing illness. Until scientists

> develop such tests, he says, people should stop arguing and start

> collecting more data. In the meantime, he urges both doctors and

> patients to keep an open mind about the possible toxic effects of molds.

>

> " Although certainly not proven, the suspect with the most fingerprints

> at the scene seems to be mold components shed from fungal colonized

> construction and finishing materials and furnishings, " he writes. " It

> is time now for data rather than diatribe. "