Could Your California Dream Home be Causing Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis?
Today, most people know that breathing high levels of mold in the air can cause allergies and trigger an asthma attack in sensitive individuals. There is another condition that can also occur from inhaling mold that far fewer people are familiar with, which is known as hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP).
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that HP is a kind of lung inflammation that occurs in people that have developed immune system sensitization to inhaled organic dusts. It can sometimes be misdiagnosed for pneumonia, but the infection does not get better with antibiotics. Symptoms of HP can vary. Some people have shortness of breath, cough, muscle aches, chills, fever, night sweats and profound fatigue. These symptoms usually first appear 2 to 9 hours after exposure and last for 1 to 3 days. Other affected people may have progressive shortness of breath and cough as well as weight loss.
“HP has been documented in people who spend time in buildings with microbial contamination from mold or bacteria,” said Jason Dobranic, Ph.D., Vice President of Microbiology and Life Sciences at LA Testing and EMSL Analytical, Inc. “It may develop following either short-term or long-term exposure in some people and it is possible for someone to have both asthma and HP. At LA Testing, we provide analytical services and testing supplies to determine the presence of microbial contaminants in residential, commercial and institutional settings to help prevent people from developing HP.”
LA Testing has sponsored a video about hypersensitivity pneumonitis and mold exposure that can be seen at: http://youtu.be/Jr1mGYEPE98.
About LA Testing
LA Testing is California’s leading laboratory for indoor air quality testing of asbestos, mold, lead, VOCs, formaldehyde, soot, char, ash and smoke damage, particulates and other chemicals. In addition, LA Testing offers a full range of air sampling and investigative equipment to professionals and the general public. LA Testing maintains an extensive list of accreditations including: AIHA LAP LLC., AIHA ELLAP, AIHA EMLAP and AIHA IHLAP, NVLAP, State of California, State of Hawaii Department of Health and other states. LA Testing, along with the EMSL Analytical, Inc. network, has multiple laboratories throughout California including South Pasadena, Garden Grove, San Leandro and San Diego.
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