Mold and Other Risks in the Home in:The Discovery Health Channel's Special

[Guest guest]

Mold and Other Risks in the Home in:

" Is Your House Out to Get You? "

PREMIERS. DECEMBER 15 @ 8 & 11 PM ET

& .. DECEMBER 17 @ 1:00 PM ET

on the

http://www.njmoldinspection.com/news/press111405.html

MEDICAL MYCOLOGISTS INVESTIGATING FOR THE PRESENCE OF FUNGAL MOLDS

WITHIN HUMAN HABITATIONS

PRESS RELEASE:TOXIC MOLD IN THE NEWS

NEW JERSEY INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Is there a chance mold may be in your cupboard, basement, attic or

concealed in the floor, walls or ceiling damaging your home or

affecting you?

See: The Discovery Health Channel's Special:

Is Your House Out to Get You?

NEW JERSEY SCIENTIST APPEARS IN DISCOVERY HEALTH CHANNEL SHOW:

DICUSSING RISKS OF TOXIC MOLD IN THE HOME

Interviewed by Green from NJMI November 5, 2005

Professor M. J. Dvmanov, DSc., is a medical mycologist specializing

in the study of fungal molds within human habitations relevant to

human and animal health. The nationally recognized scientist

conducts indoor environmental studies for federal, state and local

government and the private sectors. Also as a lecturer he has

certified hundreds of professionals in the health care, legal,

academic, real estate, commercial, industrial and related fields

where fungi play an important role in human health.

He sometimes refers to himself as the " House Doctor " where his

patients are sick houses, buildings and other habitations. He

conducts investigations and makes a " diagnosis " . If there is a

concern or problem he prescribes a " treatment " for the habitation

as need. He appears in the coming December 15, 2005 at 8 and 11 PM

on Discovery Health Channel show entitled " Is Your House Out to Get

You? " Rebroadcast December 17, 2005 at 1 PM. (If you are reading

this at a later date check your local cable listing for a repeat

showing or obtain the DVD when available from the Discovery Channel).

The show uncovers many of the potential risks hidden in the home

including possibilities for burns, shocks and explosions from

appliances and more. With mold getting so much attention from an

infection in Ed McMahon's dog to Bianca Jagger's loss of

habitability of her New York City apartment the interest in mold is

at an all time high.

Our medical mycologist talks about the risks and hazards associated

with mold within the home or workplace. This includes the

possibility of getting sick from inhaling airborne mold spores and

fragments, touching mold covered items and damage to the home itself.

Important topics are covered especially for the first time home

owner. Get the family together and get ready to watch " Is Your House

Out to Get You? " on Thursday, December 15, 2005, 8 PM and other

dates/times - see your local cable or satellite listings.

In what turned out to be not only an exclusive 2 hour recorded

interview (interview edits with permission. Ed.) with the professor

but it was also quite startling with his revelations of discoveries

in his unpublished research. We conducted this interview shortly

after the final taping of the show in midtown Manhattan we asked

Professor Dvmanov (founder - Mycological Institute FMHH ) what do

we know about mold in the home and what is science telling us:

Are there true risks associated with mold in the home? " Simply, a

fungal mold has no place within human habitations it must not be at

home or in the workplace. All fungi have only one role in the grand

scheme of things as a catabolic molecular processor and that is to

digest and break down organic matter and complex molecular

formations into their simplest forms for recycling. In doing so the

fungi produce some interesting chemistry and problems in the

process. "

So exactly what is the problem associated with the

process? " Generally two things are the problem, the target of the

process and the resulting byproducts of the process. First, it is OK

for mold to grow on cheese such as Brie, Camembert or Roquefort, but

when you have it growing on and digesting your clothing, shoes,

furniture or your house then you have a problem. Second are the

byproducts formed such as the allergenic, cytotoxic, genotoxic and

pathogenic secondary metabolites and extrolites that are produced.

Then there are the many fungal mold related infections, diseases and

immune responses when they invade human or animal tissue. "

What are the effects of these mold toxins? " The range of effects of

toxins from mold are interesting. The penicillin vaccine is a toxin

produced by Penicillium notatum, by some of the Aspergilli and other

fungal molds that has saved countless lives - that toxin targets

nasty bacteria. Some toxins cause neurological distress and

responses including hallucinations. Cytotoxic, pathogenic and

genotoxic toxins are at the focal point for research in human health

and their effect on humans is disregarded or trivialized by many

indoor environmentalists.

Should we be afraid of mold? " Clearly the medical literature

documents mold as an etiological agent (cause, ed.) for many human

health conditions. A recent publication by A.V. Costantini, MD from

the UN's WHO in a collaborative work where hundreds of studies

document fungal mold and their toxins involved as the cause of many

diseases. Medical mycologists will not culture some molds in the lab

because they pose such a high risk and danger for infection. But for

a human of average health living in a dry mold free environment the

risk is limited and they need not be concerned. "

How common are mold diseases? " We encounter infected humans and

their animals from time to time that have fungal disease. A disease

caused by a fungal mold is called a mycosis. Often a fungal

infection, a mycosis or a fibroid immune response to the presence of

fungal mold is called a cancer. Two of my recent studies involved a

26 year old female with a large mold growth in her left lung that

required surgical removal and a 65 year old male with a brain cancer

that was later diagnosed as being 2 different fungal mold growths.

She fully recovered. His condition is currently considered hopeful.

In our investigation we found their homes were fully contaminated

with the genus and species involved in their disease. "

Who is at most risk? " It is about dosage of specific mycotoxins and

exposure to specific fungal molds, an individual's health status,

genetically about 25% of the population has an innate sensitivity to

fungal mold and other contributing factors. Some groups are clearly

more vulnerable. The humans most at risk are infants, elderly and

those that have become neutropenic (low white blood cell count. Ed.)

or immunocompromised for many reasons. Keep any open wounds clean

and properly treated. Post surgical infections from fungal mold are

surprisingly common not just from airborne mold but also the water.

If you are told by your physician your are allergic to penicillin

then you clearly have an increased sensitivity to the genera

(families) of fungal mold that produce that toxin. But what is even

more interesting is that the presence of some of these fungi may be

related to yeast infections in humans. "

This is the first I have heard of yeast infection being associated

with mold. " Medical mycologists and physicians understand that

yeasts such as the common candidas are just a different form of the

same mold. There are many molds that can turn into a yeast and some

of these yeasts turn into a mold. We see this routinely in the

laboratory. It is a phenomena called dimorphism, some will also take

on additional forms and are known as pleomorphs. This has been

observed for over a 100 years and we now fully understood how and

why these various morphologies come into being. "

How can I tell if there is a mold problem in my house? " Often you

can see mold and or smell it but sometimes it is odorless to you or

there are minimal sensory indicators. In one of our recent studies a

home owner found they had a mold problem because their dog was

diagnosed by a veterinarian and put on the antifungal Itraconazole

(Sporanox) for pets. Her physician later determined she was also

mold infected. The house was later found to contain hundreds of

square feet of mold in the walls, floor and ceiling that was

concealed by the seller of the recently purchased home and not noted

or suspected by the home inspector. "

Do you also find this problem in apartments? " A little less so than

in single family houses mainly because apartments have no cellars or

attics since these areas are common harbors and reservoirs with the

potential for mold growth. Fungal mold can be found anywhere and

especially in damp basements where it is hidden in the wall. In

habitations such as apartments you will find mold most often in

kitchen and bathroom ceilings, walls and floors especially if there

have been leaking steam or water pipes. Another good place to look

is about the dish or clothes washer if you have one. "

Do you ever find it in the office or workplace? " Some of the most

interesting investigations and findings have been conducted and

revealed where people are working due to the specialized and

concentrated activity in the nature of the business. This is

especially true in food processing areas that are not properly

maintained. A recent case involving a 175,000 square foot executive

office building that housed hundreds of workers we found ductwork

fully contaminated with mold associated with kitchen cafeteria

operation. Upon entry at the reception area the mold odor was

immediately detected but almost unnoticed by the majority of

workers yet symptomatic complaints were widely reported. We found

fungal mold to be present throughout the building. "

" It is highly recommended that prior to taking occupancy of any new

building that management have a full investigation of indoor air

quality with a focal point for fungal mold especially if there is

any history of water damage. We see many instances where companies

move into a new office that has mold or other indoor air quality

issues. I continuously advise management that any and all new

offices be fully investigated before moving workers to a new

location since poor indoor air quality or mold presence affects

performance, production and does account for lost work days. I also

recommend that management take note and observe their employees for

indicators that there may be a problem by listening to complaints

and acting promptly with a certified investigation. "

What are the symptoms of mold exposure? " Depends on many factors.

Your personal health, the amount of mold, duration of exposure and

the species of mold you are being exposed to is very critical. There

is a long list of exposure symptoms of which allergic and immediate

type one responses with watery eyes and sneezing that is common.

Long term symptoms may include, pyrexia (fever Ed.), peritonitis

(stomach pain), lymphadenopathy and melioidosis (swollen lymphs or

glands), headache, chills, sleep disturbance, cutaneous (skin)

lesions, sinusitis, itching, and more. Other times humans experience

a delayed type two response six or more hours then have resulting

flu like symptoms that may last for weeks. Then there are other

exposures that result in asymptomatic responses - you will have to

attend one of my lectures. If your physician believes you have been

exposed they may order or perform tests that will require samples to

be sent to a laboratory that will tell if you have had any

significant immunological responses to mold exposure. "

What tests are there available? " There are many different tests that

your physician can prescribe if there are indications that the tests

are called for. If your home or habitation was investigated and

there is history of water damage or a significant mold presence you

should provide a qualified investigation report to your physician

and allow the physician to determine relevancy to your health. Your

immune system typically responds with elevated IgG, IgA and IgE and

other antibodies in both salvia and blood when exposed to members of

the genus Aspergillus and Penicillium, both are a common allergenic

fungal mold group. There are other tests, markers and indicators of

exposure and infection including the use of a fungal mold PCR panel,

serum analysis that your physician, allergist or immunologist will

screen you for and may order such tests and others if such

indicators of exposure or illness are present. "

How about testing my home? Should people test their own homes. I

hear it's easy? " I always shake my head when I hear about testing.

Testing is a methodical scientific process considering many complex

factors. Nearly all testing on your own is pointless. The common

mold kits you buy can be taken anywhere and something will grow and

it will be a fungi or fungal mold of some kind and even the

possibility of algae, plants, yeasts and bacteria. The often

misunderstood and misused air test kits too are a problem, just like

the sample kits they are not being used correctly or appropriately

in nearly all cases reviewed. As an example I was called in a legal

matter to review a recent inspection where the mold spore counts

were in the millions for an air sample, such a count is not normally

possible. I later interviewed the " mold inspector " that did the

testing and he disclosed that he placed the air sampler right on top

of the mold forcing into the air cell and representing it as an " air

sample " - I am an advocate for rigorous training and qualified

certification for this practice. Internet mold inspection diploma

mills or correspondence courses just don't provide adequate training

or experience for investigating when there is a true risk present. "

" Test kits in the hands of a non scientist these kits have little

value other than telling you what we all know already that mold

spores and fragments are normally present everywhere. Without fully

understanding this simple fact and what it means to an investigator

or inspector leads to more confusion and most cases unnecessary

alarm, distress and expense. Key questions have to be formulated for

every investigation before any testing is to be considered. If you

have the potential for a fungal mold related problem nothing less

than a fully qualified scientific study must be performed. "

" People need to be aware that fungal mold is often the same color or

offers little contrast to the background making that mold

undetectable by the untrained eye. A recent case in Monmouth county

had such a presence of a very nasty mold with a young occupant with

a mold infection that was later identified in the home in a massive

but unseen presence. Another case involved a newer construction of

about 5 years that had no water leaks but considerable dampness

presented extensive growth with hundreds of square feet of

Aspergillus nidulans that was the same color as the surface of the

construction material almost totally invisible to the untrained

eye. "

You mention these molds by name. Why should I know what they are? " I

know, we are often told by people that do mold clean up it does not

matter and just clean it. Well in cases that is true if you do not

have a health issue or if it is a simple case with fungal mold about

the sink or tub. If there is a health issue or concern such as a

related allergy, respiratory condition or even an infection then you

must know the allergen or pathogen, advise your physician and making

it part of your medical history and record. Knowing that these fungi

could and do a times cause serious health injury or diseases you

certainly must know which ones they are. "

" You also want to know whether these fungi pose a health risk so

that the workers are adequately protected and the proper procedures

are implemented in the remediation such as full containment and

control. In the case where the mold poses no problem as in many

cases the remediation may only cost you a fraction of what it may

cost if you have a presence of a mold that poses high risk or

possible health injury to workers. If the mold presence is benign

it may even be something you can do on your own saving you hundreds

to tens of thousands of dollars. On the other hand if you have a

limited presence of a potentially infectious fungi your biggest risk

is spreading it throughout the property. Only a fully qualified

specialist can tell you the difference and relevancy to your

experience. Obtain the most qualified investigation possible. "

Will a filter, ion or ozone machine in my home help if I think I

have odors or mold? " When it comes to odors, indoor air quality

issues or relating to mold presence there are no simple answers to

what will provide you a benefit in any environment. These may

benefit you or not. Indoor environments can become very complex.

Some people use ozone generators, in some cases these generators

will actually make your home more toxic and dangerous and damage

your health and furnishings if not used properly. Be careful and

selective before introducing any new system especially ozone. Obtain

a expert study, opinion and recommendation before installing such a

system. Do not turn your indoor environment and the air your breathe

into a uncontrolled laboratory experiment. "

So what do I do if I have odors or come home from work and get sick

all the time? " You made the first critical observation and that is

the connection with the place that is giving you the problem. We see

this all the time. Once you have firmly concluded it is your home

that is giving you the problem then its time for a full indoor

environmental assessment. That is where the science comes in.

Unfortunately there are no simple ways of testing and it does

require a high level of expertise and applicable science.

Fortunately in all of my cases the causative agents are identified

within hours. "

Are there any new developments in medical mycology? " News moves

prudently in the sciences and even more so in life sciences

pertaining to human health. In the field of genomics, molecular

biologists made a key finding based upon the DNA of a bacteria. One

of the causes of pneumonia identified as Pneumocystis carinii, a

parasitic protozoan bacteria, has been reclassified and identified

as a fungi due to genomics was renamed in 1999 as Pneumocystis

jiroveci. For medical mycologists this was an interesting discovery

and an important reclassification for treatment of pneumonia. "

Yes, but what does that mean? " Good question, it answers what

medical mycology and molecular medicine is all about. Simply fungi,

plants bacteria and humans all have a different molecular and

cellular makeup. Drugs are designed to target the difference in the

cells, cell function, their internal organs and reproduction. There

has been an increase in optimism for the health care profession

because of this research and we now have pharmaceuticals designing

their drugs to target these pathogens with more selectivity based

upon a better understanding of those targets. "

What do we know about mold, cancer and other fungal related

diseases? " We know that mold produces many toxins and exposure to

some molds result in a cancer or disease. We know that the common

skin mole is more closely associated to fungal M - O - L - D than to

any M - O - L - E. That is why dermatologists tell humans to watch

for any changes in their M O L E. Mold produces melanin to protect

its DNA from UV radiation. The melanin, brown spots, remain after a

benign fungal mole has died off or become dormant.

I have investigated cases where initial diagnosis was cancer and

later from biopsy and culture identified as a mold growth.

Unfortunately there are not enough post mortem autopsies to

determine the cause of death other than nebulous catch all clinical

definitions as the cause such as tumor or cancer. Macroscopy (low

magnification) also fails in histopathpology to adequately identify

fungal pathogens. Far more deaths are caused by a fungal mold than

anyone would believe. If you only knew. "

" If you want to read something very interesting see Leyland H.

Hartwell's * Noble Prize in Medicine Lecture delivered on December

9, 2001. In his opening speech he introduces the fact that in

culture cancer cells, often described by histopathologists as

undifferntiated carcinomas, are immortal in that they continue to

grow, when normal human cells do not. If cancer cells are not human

then what are they? Fungal mold? I'll email you a copy or provide a

link " * download link

Are we making progress in diagnosis and treatment?

" Yes, yes. Progress on multiple fronts not just in research but also

in diagnosis and treatment of humans exposed and infected by

fungi. I am especially pleased with the research work and the

protocol for diagnosis of fungal exposure and disease developed by

Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker, MD. Unquestionably he is on all material

points with his protocol described in " Mold Warriors " . It is of the

utmost importance that a diagnosis be made as quickly as possible.

In the area of prevention, treatment and reported " cures " of

mycosis or fungal infections too often identified as " cancers " the

work of Dr. Young as outlined in his work " The ph Miracle "

merits considerable attention since the role acidosis plays in

disease - understand that " cancers " and mycoses are all found in the

acidic milieu! "

" At the same time I know there is so much being learned so fast that

scientists are just overwhelmed with their findings and conclusions.

We are certainly living in very intersting times. "

A final question: What is happening in research?

As you know this is focal point of my studies and many interesting

discoveries have been made. A recent Japanese study suggests that

fungal mold toxins have the ability to signal the beta cells in the

pancreas to shut themselves off in a cellular process called

apoptosis or programmed cell death. These beta cells produce

insulin. We may find a mycotoxin from a fungal mold or yeast that is

causing this disease present in type one diabetics. "

" Another controversy that yet needs to be resolved is the mystery of

AIDS. The early belief that the HIV virus is the (a) cause has been

completely discounted by the medical and scientific community. Given

what medical molecular mycologists now know about the dimorphic

nature of some fungi and the extrolites of these fungi, specifically

that many are anti-antibody we are beginning to look at Gaston

Naessens' somatid pleomorphs and their relationships with yeasts

such as Candida, the mycobacterium and mycoplasmas as the cause in

whole or playing a major role in formation of AIDS complex, mycoses,

cancers and many other diseases. Naessens' understanding clearly is

supported by medical mycologists the fact that many fungi are

dimorphic and even more so - pleomorphic. "

" With global research efforts in molecular medicine and medical

mycology well under way are clearly getting a better picture of

fungal mold and the role it plays in human health. I am very verty

excited and optimistic that we will see new treatment and some cures

for many common human afflictions that are fungal in origin by our

pharmaceutical industries. "

Very interesting. Thank you for your time. " Thank you for your

interest. "

For an earlier interview (2000) and more please see: What is Fungal

Mold Mycology?

Updated: December 22, 2005

Copyright 2005-2006 Discovery Channel and NJMI

Follow - up interview March 14, 2006

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