Allergy expert has advice for flood victims

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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.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.