The Canadian Occupational Safety magazine has an interesting article on mold exposure. The typical mold related lawsuit will be careful to allege exposure to Stachybotrys, an allegedly harmful mold implicated in an outbreak of respiratory disorders among young children in Cleveland. Now it seems the science behind that finding is questionable and the CDC has retracted its earlier report. From the online article:
I realize that many who read this Newsletter make a good living in the search and destruction of mold in various indoor environments. As a toxicologist, however, I have real reservations about the science (or lack thereof) currently used to support the notion that molds may readily cause adverse health effects in humans.
Much of the concern about Stachybotrys relates to reports, dating back to 1994, of a cluster of infants in Cleveland, Ohio who were diagnosed with pulmonary hemorrhage or pulmonary hemosiderosis. Since these infants were found in homes with water damage and/or contamination with Stachybotrys strains capable of producing trichothecene mycotoxins, a causal association between these serious hemorrhagic lung disorders and this mold was made
What has happened is that moot clinical studies in humans combined with misinterpreted toxicological findings in animals have led to the creation of a "junk science" abetted by both the scientifically naive and unscrupulous opportunists. [emphais added]
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has recently announced a retraction of its earlier tentative support for a link between Stachybotrys and pulmonary hemorrhagic disorder.
I think some people dont understand having breathing problems in the first place then being exposed short term or long to molds sounds very...... close to what happened with somthing called asbestos. Personaly I think its going to bite for alot of folks very soon.
Posted by: kevin | February 09, 2005 at 06:32 PM
A good observation. There are a number of breathing difficulties and other health manifestations that could be said to be linked to mold exposure, when they are not.
It is very difficult to establish casuation of medical injury arising out of mold exposure. It would be very helpful if medical science can establish some clear indicators of symptoms specific to mold exposure.
Thanks for writing.
Posted by: Joe McFaul | February 10, 2005 at 09:18 AM
Having Mold is a problem ...and some molds are difficult to handle.They are almosyt always dangerous for health.
Posted by: Home Inspector Tampa FL | September 20, 2009 at 02:35 AM
True molds are very bad and unhealthy ...they may attack the respiratory tracts or even be cause of death.
Posted by: Nyc Mold Inspections | October 04, 2009 at 09:08 AM