Mid-Atlantic Residents Warned of Airborne Fungal Pathogens As Hurricane Cleanup Continues

Nov. 12, 2012 - PRLog -- As homeowners and businesses continue to cleanup and rebuild following Hurricane Sandy, residents across the Mid-Atlantic are being reminded to be careful of breathing air contaminated with mold spores.  

Many buildings in the region suffered flooding and water damage two weeks ago, and now high levels of mold are being reported in many of the affected properties by health experts.  Exposure to elevated levels of mold may trigger allergies, asthma attacks, and in susceptible individual, fungal infections.

One type of mold often found in water damaged properties is known as Aspergillus.  In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “The most common indoor molds are Cladosporium, Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Alternaria.”

“Breathing in air that has Aspergillus spores can result in an infection known as aspergillosis,” reported Susan White, Ph.D., CMC, President of Sussex Environmental Health Consultants (SEHC), a Delaware based environmental consulting firm.  “There are several different kinds of aspergillosis. One kind is allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, or ABPA.  It is a condition where the fungus causes allergic respiratory symptoms, such as wheezing and coughing, but does not actually invade and destroy tissue in the body. Another kind of aspergillosis is invasive aspergillosis.  It is a disease that usually affects people with weakened immune systems. In this condition, the fungus invades and damages tissues in the body.”

SEHC provides comprehensive indoor air quality (IAQ) investigations to identify environments that may have elevated levels of Aspergillus and other types of microbial and chemical contaminants.   They recently sponsored an online video about airborne fungal pathogens that can be seen at:
http://youtu.be/BMWFUqTu5w8



To learn more about SEHC’s indoor air quality, environmental, or health and safety services please visit http://www.sussexenvironmental.com, email susan.white@mchsi.com or call (302) 947-1810.
 
About Sussex Environmental Health Consultants, LLC
SEHC is a certified woman owned business that provides environmental and health and safety consulting services.  The company is located in the Mid-Atlantic and services customers nationwide.  SEHC provides solutions to clients ranging from homeowners to Fortune 500 Corporations.