Re: Water Damage Bugs/Re: How would you test this mcs safe home for mold?

[Guest guest]

Adding to what Dr Thrasher said I'll say that as with mold, not all

bacteria are a problem or a health hazard. Some are essential to

life. The question is how do we determine which are which?

And that is where I agree fully with Dr Thrasher that nobody is

really looking at it.

Aino Nevalainen in Finland was the first I know of to identify gram

negative bacteria associated with WDB as early as 2004. In 2008

she reported concerns about some gram positive bacteria, which

is interesting because they usually aren't associated with WDB.

She also mentioned a possible role for ameobe acting as a host

for bacterial amplification in long term WDB.

But before we get to too concerned we must consider that there

are billions of bacteria. A November, 2007, Scientific American

article (plus others) have taken a " census " of bacteria and a

" census " of cells in a human body. The result is that our body

carries more than ten (10) times more bacteria than there are

cells in our body! The sub-title is " You are more bacteria than you

are you. "

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=strange-but-

true-humans-carry-more-bacterial-cells-than-human-ones

http://tinyurl.com/krga5u

Obviously, if most of them are life threatening or even sickening

then almost no one would still be alive. It is as important to

differentiate bacteria as it is mold. Wherein lies the problem: how

do we do that if nobody is really looking?

If you test for bacteria you will find bacteria. If you test for mold

you will find mold. What is important is the water/moisture and

other identifiable conditions supportive of mold and bacterial

growth.

Carl Grimes

Healthy Habitats LLC

-----

I will attempt to answer you questions. As you pointed out the only

information that is available is on my web site. The bacteria have been

ignored.

Testing for the bacteria is by swab samples of infested building materials

and/or bulk samples. You have the lab culture for Gram negative and

positive bacteria, identified to at least the genus level.

The bacteria and their spores as well as their endotoxins can inhabit

clothing. I suspect that a good washing will solve this problem. The

health problem is upper and lower respiratory tract infections. I also

have a client with an overgrowth of Pseudomonas as determined by stool

cultures. She was exposed to high levels of this organism in her

apartment.

The bacteria are present along with the mold colonies. They appear to be

of mutual benefit, but no one knows for sure.

As in the fungal situation, control of the moisture content is important.

They will die off if you remove the moisture. However, their dead bodies

will remain with there toxins.

No one, to my knowledge has attempted to clean up the bacteria.

Therefore, methods of removal are not available.

Jack-Dwayne: Thrasher, Ph.D.

Toxicologist/Immunotoxicologist/Fetaltoxicologist

www.drthrasher.org

toxicologist1@...

Off: 916-745-4703

Cell: 575-937-1150

L. Crawley, M.ED., LADC

Trauma Specialist

sandracrawley@...

916-745-4703 - Off

775-309-3994 - Cell

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