Airborne Fungal Contaminants can be an Indoor Health Hazard

Most people have been unfortunate to at some point witness water damage in their home, school, or place of business.  Water damage, whether from a flood, leaking roof, or broken pipe, can lead to mold growth in as short as 24 to 48 hours.
 
When mold begins to grow indoors it can lead to indoor allergies that last year round, trigger asthma attacks in susceptible individuals, and even result in fungal infections in some people with a weakened immune system.  There are serious infections that people can acquire by breathing certain airborne fungal spores. 
 
One common indoor mold that can result in all three outcomes is known as Aspergillus.  The fungus can cause an infection known as aspergillosis. There are several different kinds of aspergillosis. One kind is allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA).  ABPA causes allergic respiratory symptoms, but does not actually invade and destroy tissue in the body.  Invasive aspergillosis, another type of the infection, is a disease that usually affects people with weakened immune systems. During invasive aspergillosis the fungus actually invades and damages tissues in the body.
 
Franco Seif, President of Clark Seif Clark (CSC), one of the nation’s premier providers of indoor air quality (IAQ) and mold inspection and consulting services, has spent much of his career helping people identify fungal contaminants in their homes, offices, and schools.  “Aspergillosis can be a devastating disease and people should not be in buildings with high levels of Aspergillus growing in the indoor environment,” stated Mr. Seif.  “Often times, people may not even know they have mold growth because the mold is growing behind walls or in areas that are out of sight.  At CSC, our expert staff is available to help identify IAQ problems caused by airborne pathogens, mold, and other types of indoor air quality contaminants.”
 
CSC recently sponsored an online video about airborne fungal pathogens that can be seen at:
http://youtu.be/BMWFUqTu5w8
 
To learn more about airborne pathogens, mold, and health and safety issues, please visit http://www.csceng.com, email csc@csceng.com or call (800) 807-1118. 
 
About Clark Seif Clark
CSC was established in 1989 to help clients in both public and private sectors address environmental, IAQ, and health and safety (EH&S) issues.  CSC is a leading provider of these services with multiple offices along the western seaboard and southwest. The company believes in science-based protocols and has a strong background in engineering, making them the preferred environmental consultants to healthcare facilities, architects, schools, builders, contractors, developers and real estate professionals.

Contact Information

Paul Cochrane

President

Cochrane & Associates, LLC

Contact via E-mail