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Sunday, June 24, 2001
For mold, fear may overshadow science
How serious a health risk is posed by mold in a house is a matter of debate
By Lety Laurel
Caller-Times

   Mold can infiltrate a house, rotting floors, walls and ceilings until the studs alone can be salvaged.
   And studies link high concentrations of the fungi to a list of health problems ranging from simple to serious, according to a federal environmental agency.
   Just how serious a health threat mold poses is a matter of debate, however.
   Studies have linked exposure to high mold concentrations to a range of ailments including runny noses, liver damage, acute central nervous system damage and cancer, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
   But there's no proof that mold causes serious ailments, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
   An official at the Texas Department of Health said there was no evidence that mold could be fatal.
   But a San Patricio County family this month filed a wrongful death lawsuit against a nursing home, claiming that a relative died as a result of exposure to mold.
   The family's attorneys said they believed the case was the first of its kind in the state, possibly the nation.
   Inside the box
   While the range of health effects is a matter of debate, experts agree that mold has no place in the home.
   "Think of your home as a box with windows and doors," said David Straus, professor of microbiology and immunology at Texas Tech University.
   "If contamination gets into the box, it can multiply, and eventually reach concentrations that it will affect people's health.
   "There is no reason to cause a panic, but if you have mold in your house, you need to do something about it and don't let it continue to grow."
   The types and severity of symptoms depend on the types of mold, the amount people are exposed to, their ages, their sensitivities to toxins and their allergies, according to the EPA.
   Big dose, small risk
   The chances of a healthy adult encountering enough mold to have a severe reaction are slim, but not impossible, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
   "You have to get a significant dose for a problem to occur," said Richard L. Wasserman, former chairman of the academy's public education committee.
   "The average person doesn't have an opportunity for that unless they scrape it off and eat it. But there are exceptions to that. If there are high concentrations of it, they are theoretically at a risk."
   Although many people experience only allergic reactions from mold, David Fuentes, an allergist with the Allergy and Asthma Center of Corpus Christi, said it's possible - but rare - for someone to have a deadly encounter with mold.
   "I have no doubt people are spending more time indoors these days and are more sensitized, but as for it being a killer mold, it is still pretty rare," he said. "Unfortunately I think it is has been blown out of proportion.
   "I think nowadays, you have to be careful because you have to separate fact from fiction. I don't think science has caught up with the hype yet."
   Hype-ochondria?
   Hype has caused more patients to inquire about toxic mold than ever before, some allergists said. But physicians have little information because there has been scant research and no continuing education courses for medical professionals, said Christine Wagner, a nurse practitioner in a Houston allergy clinic.
   "We're seeing patients who are concerned about it," she said. "But we're not even sure if it is an allergy or a very virulent mold that can cause the problem."
   People can find out if mold is making them sick by testing both the mold and themselves. Once the mold is identified, an allergist can perform skin tests to check for reactions to that particular mold, Wasserman said.
   An allergist can only identify which molds could cause a person to have an allergic reaction, Wasserman said.
   Although blood tests exist that can identify different types of mold, they are unnecessary for people suffering from fatigue, headache or other allergy-related symptoms, he said.
   "People do not have fungus or mold in their system without being really sick, I mean, in-the-hospital kind of sick," he said. "It could be done, but it would be a terrible waste of money."
   But how sick mold can make a person isn't the issue, said Kay Soper, indoor air quality specialist with the Texas Department of Health.
   "The bottom line is mold, under certain circumstances, does create a possible health hazard and it should be cleaned up," she said. "There are just some things you don't want crawling in your building."


Contact Lety Laurel at 886-3716 or_laurell@caller.com

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