October 20, 2000
Summary
of Presentation on Mold
By Peter H. Wald, MD, MPH
Board-Certified, Occupational Medicine, Medical
Toxicology, Internal Medicine
Principal, WorkCare
www.WorkCare.com
Presented September 7, 2000
Oak Avenue Middle School, Temple City
Background On
Services Provided To La Rosa Elementary
On September 1, 2000 , La
Rosa Elementary School in Temple City contacted
Dr. Peter P. Greaney, M.D., of WorkCare to
provide medical consulting services regarding a
mold species found in one of its
classrooms. Dr. Greaney, a board-certified
physician in occupational medicine and
specialist in toxicology, is President/CEO of
WorkCare, a national provider of occupational
health consulting services.
La Rosa Elementary
retained Dr. Greaney to provide clinical
guidance in assessing the public health risks
related to the discovered mold. Following
are highlights of Dr. Greaney's presentation,
which was delivered on September 7 at a
community meeting called by the Temple City
Unified School District (District).
Fungi and
Mold: A Definition
Fungi are
microscopic organisms that are part of our
everyday world. Fungi can be categorized
into several species, including mold, mildew and
mushrooms. Certain forms of fungi have
proven to be beneficial to humans. Beer,
bread and penicillin are all products made from
fungi.
Mold is
a species of fungi that lives in virtually any
indoor or outdoor environment in which there is
moisture, an area to grow and a source of food
(organic material). They are commonly
found in buildings, with the most common types
being Cladosporium, Penicillium, Aspergillus,
and Alternaria. Molds reproduce by making
spores, which are tiny, lightweight fragments
that may become airborne. Generally
speaking, people are exposed to molds everyday
without adverse health
effects.
Health Risks
Associated With Mold
Although molds are a
natural part of our environment, exposure to
certain types of airborne mold spores can cause
allergic reactions, asthma episodes and other
respiratory problems. In addition,
exposure to high spore levels can cause the
development of an allergy to the mold. Health
impacts from mold/mildew occur when individuals
are exposed to large doses of mycotoxins, which
are by-products produced from the molds.
However, adverse health
effects from exposure to mycotoxins differ from
person to person. While some people may be
highly sensitive to mycotoxins and experience
adverse health effects, other people exposed to
the same dosage of the mold will be
unaffected. The mere presence of mold
found indoors does not indicate a public health
risk.
Groups at Higher
Risk
Certain population groups
have a greater health risk when exposed to
mold. These people include infants and
children, elderly, immune compromised patients,
pregnant women and individuals with respiratory
conditions.
Toxic Molds
Certain types of mold are
considered toxic and require immediate risk
management decisions. These species
include Stachybotrys chartarum, Aspergillus
versicolor, A. flavus, A. fumigatus and Fusarium
moniliforme.
Though, not all species
of mold are toxic, standard public health
practices include removal from exposure through
clean up or remediation, combined with public
education on the potential for harm. This
prudent approach suggests that the discovery of
excess molds found indoors—regardless of
type—should be handled in a consistent manner.
What is
Stachybotrys Chartarum?
Stachybotrys chartarum is
a greenish black mold that has been found in
environments with high moisture content.
Growth occurs when there is moisture from water
damage, excessive humidity, water leaks,
condensation and flooding. Stachybotrys
chartarum may produce mycotoxins and is a
relatively uncommon mold.
Because Stachybotrys
chartarum's spores do not easily become
airborne, contamination of indoor air by this
mold is uncommon. The specimen of this
mold found on the tissue box in Room 7 was
gummy, indicating that the mold had not
sporulated.
Health Effects of
Stachybotrys Chartarum
Although no lethal cases
have been reported, Stachybotrys chartarum has
the potential to cause symptoms such as
coughing, wheezing, runny nose, irritated eyes
or throat, skin rash or diarrhea. A causal link
between Stachybotrys chartarum and the
development of idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage
among infants has not been conclusively
proven.
Laboratory Tests
for Stachybotrys Chartarum
Only a few physicians
have used an antibody test for Stachybotrys
chartarum. Such tests have not always
indicated positive results when exposure to
Stachybotrys chartarum had been proven.
Antibodies developed by a person exposed to the
mold can only document that exposure has
occurred. Since exposure to fungi
routinely occurs in both outdoor and indoor
environments, this information is of limited
value. It is possible that a positive test
result may be an earlier encounter with
Stachybotrys chartarum.
Remediation
Efforts
The District has taken
aggressive measures to protect the public health
of students, teachers and administrators at La
Rosa Elementary. The District has hired an
environmental consulting company to conduct
invasive testing, visual inspections and air
quality monitoring. Following the findings
from the consultant's report, the District hired
the Janus Company to carry out extensive mold
remediation efforts.
Summary Of
Presentation
For parents and teachers
concerned about health risks caused by molds, it
is important to recognize that we are not
dealing with a mysterious substance. Fungi
have been around forever, and those in the
medical, environmental and health community have
adopted well-established protocols for managing
public health issues associated with mold
exposure. The District has utilized these
resources to remedy the situation.
Although no test
currently exists that proves an association
between Stachybotrys chartarum and particular
health symptoms, we encourage people with
persistent health problems to consult their
physician if they believe their illness is
caused by exposure to mold.
This page relates to the
Osh.Net Newsletter Article of October 20, 2000
"Summary of Presentation on Mold"
For more information
relating to this article click below:
Q
& A Fact Sheet on Mold & Antibody
Testing for Exposure
Links
to Useful Indoor Air Quality Related Web Sites
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