Re: Mold experts urge caution as Vermilion Parish rebuilds

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[] Mold experts urge caution as Vermilion Parish

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Mold experts urge caution as Vermilion Parish rebuilds

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The Lafayette Daily Advertiser Thu, 31 Aug 2006 1:00 AM PDT

http://www.theadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?

AID=/20060831/NEWS01/608310330

ABBEVILLE - Residents in Vermilion Parish who are rebuilding their

homes after Hurricane Rita devastated the area, found out Wednesday

that mold could lead to serious health consequences if the houses

were not properly reconstructed.

Myrna Frederick, a Kaplan woman who has suffered non-Rita related

health problems from mycotoxin, a chemical produced by certain mold

species, said some people may end up being misdiagnosed because of

the lack of research on mycotoxins.

" Mycotoxins are for real, and they can harm your family, " she

said. " Most of the time, people who suffer from these illnesses say

they are sick and tired of being sick and tired. Because it hasn't

been studied by a lot of doctors, many can misdiagnose it or try to

get you psychological treatment, but it's a real threat. "

Dr. Dennis Hooper of RealTime Laboratories in Dallas said mold tends

to grow in areas where there is water or dampness, so homes being

rebuilt in hurricane-affected areas may be at risk for developing

mold.

" We've seen a lot of this in New Orleans and Mississippi, " he

said. " We need to recognize what it is doing to our homes and our

lives. "

Heath of Global Environmental Restoration, a Lafayette air

quality company, said symptoms of mycotoxin-related illness can

include headaches, nausea, frequent sinus infections, rashes,

fatigue, muscle aches and nosebleeds.

Hooper said while minor exposure to mold is generally not

problematic, overexposure can lead to serious health problems,

including frequent respiratory tract infections, wheezing and

pneumonia.

" People look at the photos of mold in these homes and ask how people

can live like that, but people generally don't know that it's in

their homes until they start looking, " he said.

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