Mold, dust spawn curious illness on Gulf Coast

[Guest guest]

This is ridiculous. Lingering cough? Yeah...for the rest of their lives if

they don't get some proper medical help. This is classic hypersensitivity

pneumonitis.

Mold, dust spawn curious illness on Gulf Coast

_ Gunn_

(http://www.thedmonline.com/vnews/display.v?TARGET=profile & id=emcclary)

November 08, 2005

Now that the water from Katrina’s wrath has subsided, a mysterious upper

respiratory illness known as “Katrina cough†or “Katrina’s revenge†is

starting

to show itself in the Southeast.

The illness has some of the same symptoms as the common flu, such as inflamed

nasal passages, sore throats and coughs. Doctors are saying the reason for

the outbreak of “Katrina cough†is an overexposure to mold and the high

levels of dust in the air.

“It’s a foreign body in the lungs, an irritant, that the body is reacting

against, causing inflammation and a cough,†said Odom, a family practice

physician from Water Valley.

Health officials on the Gulf Coast are still trying to find out how

widespread the disease is among residents, noting that most cases are in those

who

have gone back to storm-ravaged areas, mainly in New Orleans. Recent reports

indicate that hospitals in New Orleans have seen a 25 percent increase in the

number of patients they have seen with the “Katrina cough†symptoms.

“We are seeing patients with mild respiratory complaints that are being

caused by airborne allergens (dust, mold) from the cleanup effort,†said

Gunn, a third-year medical resident from the Louisiana State University

department of internal medicine.

The illness is said to start as a sore throat with eye irritation that moves

on to a cold and finishes with a lingering cough.

The exact cause and spread of the illness is uncertain, making wearing a mask

in the storm-affected areas a necessity.

Most of the people with the illness seem to be allergic to the dust and mold

to which they are exposed. Those allergies then make them more susceptible to

respiratory illnesses, including bacterial bronchitis and sinusitis.

The “Katrina cough†is most severe for people who have had transplants, are

undergoing chemotherapy, or who suffer from emphysema, asthma, bronchitis or

other illnesses. New Orleans’ warm climate is also contributing to the

ongoing problem with mold.

Treating the “Katrina cough†can be as simple as taking over-the-counter

antihistamines or cough suppressants. Others choose to just wait the sickness

out. Staying out of the presence of dust, molds, smoke, feathered pillows and

pets can also help with curing the illness.