Fwd: MOLD POISONING-- THE LATEST INFORMATION

[Guest guest]

As I testify as a mold toxicologist almost every week somewhere in the US, I am surprised as to how little some testifying MD's know about chronic mold exposure. However, I have cases as an expert witness with several MD's who stay current: Johanning, Brautbar, Ordog, Heuser, etc. The latest issue of the Merck Manual and the latest textbook, Medical Microbiology, clarifies the issue.

Medical microbiology and mold toxicology are constantly evolving, changing and growing fields of science. PhD's and MD's MUST keep up if judges are going to rely on their testimony in court and they are to pass Daubert or Frye. Others are not allowed to testify due to a lack of education and get excluded by astute attorneys during deposition. I give 50-60 depositions a year and testify in court 10-12 times, since 90% of most toxicology cases settle out of court. I am the only PhD in mold toxicology who testifies in court.

Aspergillosis can develop in healthy individuals after chronic exposure to high levels of Aspergillus, especially A. fumigatus, but more easily in immune compromised individuals. It can occur in sinuses after sinusitis and maybe polyps and can be fatal. Diagnosis is made by removing and analyzing the polyps and the use of the antifungal drug amphotericin B. Aspergillus can cause pulmonary infections which can be treated with amphotericin B of fluconazole.

Aspergillus can cause fungal pneumonia of which there are three types and most people have minor symptoms and do not even know they have been infected while some become very sick. The same drugs are used for treatment for this INFECTION.

Classic aspergillosis caused by Aspergillus, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, is an ALLERGIC lung disease that mimics pneumonia but is characterized by asthma and bronchitis and lab work shows an increased dumber of eosinophils. While dermal exposure is important in many mold related diseases, Aspergillus spores that are inhaled may cause a healthy person to become sensitized and develop allergic asthma by colonizing mucus in the AIRWAYS, not deep in the lungs. In severe cases, the lungs can become scarred. The fungus can also develop fugal balls in the lungs and is called aspergilloma. Treatment is with antiasthmatic drugs, ie prednisone, not antifungal drugs since this is not an infection and with PFT's and chest x-rays. Antibody levels should be monitored as well.

As I speak at national medical conventions and write a chapter in an upcoming book, I stay current in many ways, but teaching on the university level forces one to keep up. Never take toxic mold advice from someone who is not educated in molds or fungicides or properly trained in mold toxicology, and especially from an industrial hygienist who has training in heat and air/ventiltion problems primarily, not in mold toxicology.

Dr. L. Lipsey

Professor and Toxicologist

Univ. of North Florida-OSHA Cert.

Univ. of Florida Medical Center-Jax,

Poison Control Center

www.richardlipsey.com

LIPSEY'S RESUME--Toxicology And Environmental Health Associates

As I testify as a mold toxicologist almost every week somewhere in the US, I am surprised as to how little some testifying MD's know about chronic mold exposure. However, I have cases as an expert witness with several MD's who stay current: Johanning, Brautbar, Ordog, Heuser, etc. The latest issue of the Merck Manual and the latest textbook, Medical Microbiology, clarifies the issue.

Medical microbiology and mold toxicology are constantly evolving, changing and growing fields of science. PhD's and MD's MUST keep up if judges are going to rely on their testimony in court and they are to pass Daubert or Frye. Others are not allowed to testify due to a lack of education and get excluded by astute attorneys during deposition. I give 50-60 depositions a year and testify in court 10-12 times, since 90% of most toxicology cases settle out of court. I am the only PhD in mold toxicology who testifies in court.

Aspergillosis can develop in healthy individuals after chronic exposure to high levels of Aspergillus, especially A. fumigatus, but more easily in immune compromised individuals. It can occur in sinuses after sinusitis and maybe polyps and can be fatal. Diagnosis is made by removing and analyzing the polyps and the use of the antifungal drug amphotericin B. Aspergillus can cause pulmonary infections which can be treated with amphotericin B of fluconazole.

Aspergillus can cause fungal pneumonia of which there are three types and most people have minor symptoms and do not even know they have been infected while some become very sick. The same drugs are used for treatment for this INFECTION.

Classic aspergillosis caused by Aspergillus, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, is an ALLERGIC lung disease that mimics pneumonia but is characterized by asthma and bronchitis and lab work shows an increased dumber of eosinophils. While dermal exposure is important in many mold related diseases, Aspergillus spores that are inhaled may cause a healthy person to become sensitized and develop allergic asthma by colonizing mucus in the AIRWAYS, not deep in the lungs. In severe cases, the lungs can become scarred. The fungus can also develop fugal balls in the lungs and is called aspergilloma. Treatment is with antiasthmatic drugs, ie prednisone, not antifungal drugs since this is not an infection and with PFT's and chest x-rays. Antibody levels should be monitored as well.

As I speak at national medical conventions and write a chapter in an upcoming book, I stay current in many ways, but teaching on the university level forces one to keep up.

Never take toxic mold advice from someone who is not educated in molds or fungicides or properly trained in mold toxicology, and especially from an industrial hygienist who has training in heat and air/ventiltion problems primarily, not in mold toxicology.

Dr. L. Lipsey

Professor and Toxicologist

Univ. of North Florida-OSHA Cert.

Univ. of Florida Medical Center-Jax,

Poison Control Center

www.richardlipsey.com

LIPSEY'S RESUME--Toxicology And Environmental Health Associates

[Guest guest]

I would like to THANK-YOU for making this clear to me. I am not a doctor or scientist....just a mom whose family is really sick. It's hard, finding true information relating to mold and health effects wouldn't pass the Dalbert test. Anymore information you could pass on to us would be great.