16 Reflective Essays of NSCI 351

Molds are ubiquitous in nature and grow almost anywhere indoors or outdoors. Molds spread and reproduce by making spores, which are small and lightweight, able to travel through air, capable of resisting dry, adverse environmental conditions, and capable of surviving a long time. People can be exposed to mold through skin contact, inhalation, or ingestion.

Mold grows best in damp, warm environments. Wood, wallboard, wallpaper, upholstery, and dust can be a good nutrient sources. Substantial indoor mold growth is virtually synonymous with the presence of moisture inside the building envelope. Flooding, particularly when floodwaters remain for days or weeks, provides an almost optimal opportunity for mold growth.

Because of the ubiquity of mold in the environment, some level of exposure is inevitable. Persons can be exposed to mold through contact with airborne spores or through contact with mold fragments. Exposure to high airborne concentrations of mold spores could occur when persons come into contact with a large mass of mold, such as might occur in a building that has been flooded for a long time. Exposure to mold fragments could occur when a person encounters a nutrient source for mold that has become disrupted, such as would occur during removal of mold-contaminated building material. Skin contact or exposure by inhalation to either spores or fragments also could occur in a dusty environment, if the components of dust include these fungal elements.

Numerous species of mold cause infection through respiratory exposure. The types and severity of symptoms related to exposure to mold in the indoor environment depend in part on the extent of the mold present, susceptibility of individuals (for example, whether they have pre-existing allergies or asthma). In general, excessive exposure to fungimay produce health problems by several primary mechanisms, including: (1) allergy or hypersensitivity, (2) infection, and (3) toxic effects. Additionally, molds produce a variety of volatile organic compounds, the most common of which is ethanol. Allergic responses are the most common type of health problem associated with exposure to molds. These health problems may include sneezing; itching of the nose, eyes, mouth, or throat; nasal stuffiness and runny nose; and red,itchy eyes. Molds can trigger asthma symptoms (shortness of breath, wheezing, cough) in persons who are allergic to mold.

The US EPA has developed a document, “Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings”, (www.epa.gov/iaq) which presents guidelines for the remediation/cleanup of mold and moisture problems in schools and commercial buildings; these guidelines include measures designed to protect the health of building occupants and remediators.

Any structure flooded after hurricanes or major floods should be presumed to contain materials contaminated with mold if those materials were not thoroughly dried within 48 hours . In such cases, immediate steps to reduce the risk for exposure Appropriate PPE (e.g., tight-fitting NIOSH-approved N-95 respirator, gloves to limit contact of mold and cleaning solutions with skin, and goggles) should be used when performing clean-up or other activities in mold-contaminated homes or buildings after a flood. The CDC published “Mold Prevention Strategies and Possible Health Effects in the Aftermath of Hurricanes and Major Floods” This document provides excellent background information regarding mold and exposure prevention strategies and can be found on the CDC intranet at http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/hurricanes/workers.asp

Public Health

The 2001 anthrax

incidents triggered a

dramatic increase in

federal funding for

state and local

public health

infrastructure and to

re-examine the

role of public health

in “all hazards”