Re: Allergy expert has advice for flood victims JAMES WEDNER

[Guest guest]

I am not familiar with Dr. Wedner, but apparently some of you all are. Can

you send me any information you have regarding Dr. Wedner being a defense

expert witness in mold litigation?

Thank you,

Sharon Kramer

snk1955@...

In a message dated 6/20/2008 5:40:36 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,

jeaninem660@... writes:

this is that defence expert doctor. maybe he needs a good dose to

help him understand.

--- In _@ic_ (mailto: )

, " tigerpaw2c " <tigerpaw2c@tig>

wrote:

>

> You'll love what this " allergy expert " has to say about Stachy....

> No wonder people can't get the correct help.

>

> Allergy expert has advice for flood victims

> PhysOrg*

>

> _http://www.physorg.http://www.physohttp:/_

(http://www.physorg.com/news133108318.html)

>

> As if the emotional and financial impact of flood damage isn't bad

> enough, floodwaters can also bring health problems. H.

Wedner,

> M.D., professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Allergy

and

> Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine in St.

Louis,

> says after the water recedes, damp homes and businesses are fertile

> grounds for mold growth, which can cause allergic reactions and

> asthmatic symptoms in sensitive people.

>

>

> " Mold loves water, " Wedner says. " When your building is flooded,

> it's very difficult to dry it out quickly and completely, and that

> allows mold to grow. Walls made of Sheetrock soak up water far

above

> the floodline, and mold can be hidden under wallpaper, carpet and

> floorboards and in ceiling tiles, furniture and clothing. "

>

> Wedner is a Washington University allergy and asthma specialist at

> -Jewish Hospital. He has conducted research investigating the

> molds and other allergens present in homes following the 1993 flood

> in the Midwestern United States.

>

> Molds (and mildew, a type of mold) are fungi, which reproduce by

> releasing spores. Inhaling the spores causes allergic reactions in

> some people. Symptoms of mold allergy include itchy, watery eyes;

> itchy, runny nose; headaches above and below the eyes; itchy ears

> and changes in hearing; itchy throat and palate; difficulty

> breathing; coughing; and shortness of breath. Mold spores may also

> trigger asthmatic reactions in asthma sufferers.

>

> If a doctor confirms that health symptoms stem from a reaction to

> mold, medical treatments are effective: those can be

> pharmacotherapy — which may include antihistamines or steroids,

> given intranasally or orally — or if necessary, immunotherapy,

often

> called allergy shots, which allow your immune system to build up a

> tolerance to the allergen. But Wedner emphasizes that the source of

> the reaction, the mold itself, also has to be removed.

>

> For those who have to deal with a flooded building, Wedner has the

> following recommendations: 1) dry it out quickly — mold will grow

> almost immediately in wet conditions; 2) cool it down — mold likes

> warmth as well as humidity; 3) remove wet materials — wet Sheetrock

> can't be repaired and must be taken out; 4) clean anything that has

> been wet — that includes clothing, which should be dry cleaned; 5)

> throw away anything that can't be thoroughly cleaned — that

favorite

> couch might have to go; 6) hire a professional to clean affected

> areas of the building with appropriate materials — often a solution

> of 10 percent bleach is used.

>

>

> In addition to allergic reactions, mold has other negative effects.

> The organisms release substances, volatile organic compounds or

> VOCs, that people can smell even at low levels. The musty odor is

> disagreeable and can make a person react at an emotional level. " If

> you feel sick when you smell mold, make sure what's making you sick

> is the mold and not the emotions associated with the smell, " Wedner

> says.

>

> Mold can also damage a building structurally. It releases enzymes

to

> breakdown cellulose, a major component of wood.

>

> Wedner indicates that although molds release natural toxins, called

> mycotoxins, these don't cause problems to people who live in moldy

> houses because the toxins don't diffuse into the air. The only way

> to be exposed to them is to swallow them.

>

> Recently, a mold called Stachybotrys, a greenish-black, slimy mold

> found on wood or paper that has been wet for several days, has

> gotten a lot of attention. Some claim Stachybotrys is the cause of

> sick building syndrome, in which people occupying a building have a

> variety of symptoms such as headaches; eye, nose and throat

> irritation; dizziness; fatigue and breathing problems. But Wedner

> says Stachybotrys itself has little to no affect on

> health. " Stachybotrys is a mold that needs a lot of water, " he

> says. " So it's a sign that there has been a lot of water in the

> building. But it's not toxic, and people generally aren't allergic

> to it. "

>

> In addition to Stachybotrys, flooded homes will also foster molds

> that require less water, such as Aspergillus and Penicillium —

bread

> and cheese molds and common components of mildew. These molds and

> others like them are the source of allergic reactions in sensitive

> individuals.

>

> Wedner is currently studying the role of fungi and fungal allergens

> in asthma, with particular emphasis on the role of fungi in the

> inner-city setting. The data demonstrates the marked prevalence of

> fungi in many homes in the St. Louis area and points out the

> importance of fungal allergens in asthma and allergic rhinitis.

With

> Anupma Dixit, Ph.D., assistant professor of community health in the

> Division of Environmental and Occupational Health at Saint Louis

> University School of Public Health, Wedner is also continuing to

> study the health effects of home flooding.

>

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