Re: questions regarding mold- Carl Grimes

[Guest guest]

Toxisick,

Welcome to the board and thank you Sharon. I'm going to try to

answer some of your questions just from personal experience and

research over the years. But I think Carl, when he gets a minute,

would be best to explain this in further detail.

1. Will aflatoxins from Aspergillus fluoresce with an ultraviolet

> light which is manufactured for detection of pet urine stains?

You can't depend on a blacklight to decipher species or genera of

mold. This has to be done by a lab. Your blacklights will illuminate

just about anything, dust, mold, urine, bacteria, etc., etc. You

can't depend on this technique. From what I understand the

professionals can't depend on this technique alone.

2. Is this a conclusive method to speciate the mold?

No.

> 3. Do mycotoxins from Stachybotrys fluoresce? If so, what color?

Can't see mycotoxins with the naked eye. This to me would be

impossible and definately not reliable. Special testing to determine

what mycotoxins are present.

4. Can mold spores be transmitted from your workplace to your home

> on your shoes or clothing?

Absolutely. One of the worst problems we have is cross-

contamination. You're contaminated, hair, clothing, etc., your car,

your home. The listowner of this board before she was aware of the

mold issues and cross contamination this is how her children when

they were very young became very sick.And now they suffer the same

problems that you mentioned and many more. When they are very young

they are very suceptable. (infants)

> 5. Can sewer flies transmit mold spores?

This one I'll leave to the experts, but it's one I don't think you

need to be concerned about. If you have sewer flies then there is

other problems and I would be more concerned about bacteria.

> 6. What type of doctor should I go to for treatment?

Environmental doctors that are aware of these types of illnesses

that may stem from our environment. You can email me your state and

I can check my files for someone that may be in your area, or at

least close.

I hope this clears up some questions,

KC

>

> Sharon N. Kramer has referred me to your group to ask some

questions

> that I have about mold. I am an asthmatic who has been sickened

by

> Aspergillus and Stachybotrys at work. If you know the answers to

> these questions, please email them to me:

> 1. Will aflatoxins from Aspergillus fluoresce with an ultraviolet

> light which is manufactured for detection of pet urine stains?

> 2. Is this a conclusive method to speciate the mold?

> 3. Do mycotoxins from Stachybotrys fluoresce? If so, what color?

> 4. Can mold spores be transmitted from your workplace to your

home

> on your shoes or clothing?

> 5. Can sewer flies transmit mold spores?

> 6. What type of doctor should I go to for treatment? My primary

> physician, ENT, and allergist do not know much about mold. They

all

> just advise me to get out of the basement office that I work in.

> That's not that simple.

> If you do not know the answers, could you possibly direct me to

> someone who would?

>

> I work in a local government building which has had visible

> Stachybotrys and Aspergillus mold growth since July 2004.

> Unfortunately we did not ask the union to have it tested until

June

> of 2005, almost a full year later, so it is spreading. The union

> does not want to spend the additional approximate $8,000 to have

it

> speciated. The Public Works Department has ranged from at first

> saying it was not mold, to then saying it was not " bad mold " , to

> admitting it is Stachybotrys and Aspergillus but that it's not too

> much mold,and to them it is not a health hazard........

>

> I'm sure you've heard these frustrating stories before, but I'm

> fighting for my health and that of my coworkers.

>

> Thank you for any information you can share with me.

>