August 6, 2002 - GSU Battles Toxic Mold Problem
The Georgia Southern University Eagles' locker room wasn't the only musty and damp place on campus this summer.Four types of mold - including the toxic mold stachybotrys - were found growing in several campus buildings following reports of allergy-like illness."We live in a hot, humid climate and sometimes things like this happen," said university spokesman Michael Sullivan. "Mold is something we deal with all the time, as everyone else in this part of the country does."
In late spring, the university received a series of complaints about illness caused by exposure to mold in Health Services, Communication Arts, Williams Center and Anderson Hall, according to a May 30 memo from University Environmental Health and Safety Manager Gene Anderson."The visual inspection of the structures identified not only fungi growth but insect fragments, dust/dirt, and flea infestation." Anderson wrote. "The visual inspection revealed that GSU does have work spaces that were both unsanitary and unhealthy."
Cladosporium, penicillium and.phpergillus are common indoor molds.Stachybotrys is less common, but is not rare, according to the Centers for Disease Control. It is called toxic mold because it produces toxins and has caused hemorrhaging in rare cases involving people who were taking immune suppression drugs or were exposed to the mold through a puncture wound or in massive amounts.It is not necessary to determine if molds are toxic, according to the CDC. They should all be treated the same with respect to potential health risks and removal.Experts recommend that the moisture source be stopped, moldy carpet, drywall, insulation and wood be removed and replaced and salvageable items be washed in a water and bleach solution.
Although some people complained of allergy-like symptoms, no one became seriously ill. Two people did request that they be moved out of the affected buildings. For mold-sensitive people, exposure to molds can cause symptoms such as nasal stuffiness, eye irritation, or wheezing. Some people, such as those with serious allergies to molds, may have more severe reactions, including infections. But not all people react to molds in the same way. And there is no way to determine exactly how serious of a health risk Georgia Southern's mold was.
According to the CDC, standards for judging what is an acceptable, tolerable or normal quantity of mold have not been established."Most (mold reactions) are manifested as allergic reactions but this is where it becomes murky because everyone reacts differently," Brown said. "There's no way to say what kind of how much can make a person sick."
"Kama ilivyoelezwa hapo juu, ""Jumba la kuvalia la Georgia Southern University Eagles sio mahali pekee pa mvua na mvua katika chuo kikuu mwaka huu, aina nne za kuvu - ikiwa ni pamoja na stachybotrys ya sumu - zilipatikana zikikua katika majengo kadhaa ya chuo kikuu kufuatia ripoti za ugonjwa wa mzio." "Tunaishi katika hali ya hewa ya joto na unyevu na wakati mwingine mambo kama haya hutokea", alisema msemaji wa chuo kikuu Michael Sullivan. "Mwindo ni jambo tunaloshughulika nalo wakati wote, kama vile kila mtu mwingine katika sehemu hii ya nchi anavyofanya". Chuo Kikuu cha UCLA kilipokea malalamiko kadhaa kuhusu magonjwa yanayosababishwa na kuambukizwa kwa kuvu katika Huduma za Afya, Sanaa za Mawasiliano, Kituo cha Williams na Ukumbi wa Anderson, kulingana na kumbukumbu ya Mei 30 kutoka kwa Meneja wa Afya na Usalama wa Mazingira wa Chuo Kikuu Gene Anderson. "Uchunguzi wa macho wa majengo hayo uligundua si ukuzi wa kuvu tu bali pia vipande vya wadudu, vumbi-chafu, na kuambukizwa na chawa". Anderson aliandika hivi: "Uchunguzi wa kuona ulifunua kwamba GSU ina maeneo ya kazi ambayo yalikuwa ya ukosefu wa usafi na ya afya". Cladosporium, penicillium na pheroglyphs ni aina ya kuvu za ndani, na Stachybotrys ni ya kawaida, lakini sio nadra, kulingana na Vituo vya Udhibiti wa Magonjwa. "Kuna uwezekano wa kuambukizwa na ""mchanganyiko wa sumu"" katika watu ambao wamekuwa wakitumia dawa za kuzuia kinga au waliambukizwa kwa njia ya kidonda au kwa kiasi kikubwa, na kwa hivyo ni muhimu kujua ikiwa ni sumu." Kwa sababu ya hatari ya afya, wataalamu wanapendekeza kwamba chanzo cha unyevu kikome, zulia la kuvu, ukuta wa gips, insulation na mbao ziondolewe na kubadilishwa, na vitu vinavyoweza kuokolewa visafishwe katika maji na suluhisho la bleach. Ingawa baadhi ya watu walilalamika juu ya dalili za mzio, hakuna mtu aliyekuwa mgonjwa sana, watu wawili waliomba kuhamishwa kutoka kwenye majengo yaliyoathiriwa. Kwa watu walio na hisi ya kuvu, kuambukizwa na kuvu kunaweza kusababisha dalili kama vile kufungwa pua, kuchochea macho, au kupiga kelele. Watu fulani, kama vile wale walio na mzio mbaya wa kuvu, wanaweza kuwa na athari kali zaidi, kutia ndani maambukizo. Lakini si watu wote wanaokabiliana na kuvu kwa njia ileile. Kwa hivyo, hakuna njia ya kujua ni nini hasa kinachohusika na hatari ya afya ya Georgia Southern. Kulingana na CDC, viwango vya kuamua ni kiasi gani cha kuambukizwa cha kuambukizwa cha kawaida, cha kawaida, au cha kawaida haijaanzishwa. "Mengi (ya athari za kuvu) huonekana kama athari za mzio lakini hapa ndipo inapoanza kuwa na funguo kwa sababu kila mtu huitikia kwa njia tofauti", Brown alisema. "Hakuna njia ya kusema ni aina gani ya kiasi gani kinachoweza kumfanya mtu awe mgonjwa".