帶病建築物症狀群Sick building syndrome

帶病建築物症狀群 我們的四周到處有黴菌，中文黴菌與霉菌同音，兩者同屬真菌類，但是所指的東西卻有差異。真菌的英文是fungus，複數則為fungi。說起來一點不錯，地球上每個人都持續暴露在真菌的環境中。這些真菌對人類的影響至鉅，好壞程度各異，從酵母菌、霉菌的微生物，到各式各樣的蘑菇植物，它們無所不在。現在筆者要討論的是其中一種特殊的真菌，學名叫做Stachybotrys chartarum，是黑色毒霉菌 (toxic black mold)。這種霉菌常會不請自來，它們入侵家園的每一個角落，隱藏在縫隙之中，或繁殖於肉眼看不見的陰暗處。有時橫行肆虐，破壞建築物，毒孢子散佈到空中，被人或寵物吸入或污染食物，危害健康，使受害者產生許多症狀。 其實房屋的災情因季節、氣候、地理位置而有不同。舉個例子，現在正好是颱風季節，熱帶風暴Fay剛過，颶風Gustav緊接而來，夾豪雨，釀水災。根據聯邦環保署 (EPA) 的報告，北美地區有二到四成的住家和建築物都受到霉菌的破壞，特別是每次嚴重水災浩劫過後。禍不單行的是，美國每年就有2900萬人因霉菌而得過敏之病。霉菌中毒是既知的事實，但多半情形不會被公開，除非變成公共衛生問題，或住家(建築物)的霉菌被檢查人員揭露時，才會引起人們的重視。EPA曾經不遺餘力，追查芝加哥一家居民水災過後受Stachybotrys 毒霉菌感染的嚴重案件，以及1993年叢生於克利夫蘭的洪水災區，27名嬰兒急性肺出血 (9死) 的報告。 ／鎮暄 2008-09-28 Sick building syndrome We are everywhere around the mold, fungus and mold Chinese is a homonym, that the two are the types of fungi, but there are differences within the meaning of things. English is a fungal fungus, is the plural fungi. Said that it is true that everyone on Earth continued exposure to fungus in the environment. These human fungus to the impact of huge, with varying degrees of good and bad, from yeast, mold micro-organisms, to a wide variety of mushroom plant, which everywhere. I now wish to discuss is one of the special fungi, the scientific name is called Stachybotrys chartarum, a black toxic mold (toxic black mold). This mold often have not been invited, the invasion of their homeland every corner to hide in the cracks, or breeding in the shadows invisible to the naked eye. Sometimes run rampant, and damage to buildings, toxic spores dispersed into the air, or by inhalation or contaminated pet food, health hazards, many of the victims have symptoms. In fact, the housing situation as a result of the season, climate, geographical location and different. For example, the time has come for the typhoon season, Tropical Storm Fay has just passed, followed by Hurricane Gustav, folder torrential rain, floods brewing. According to the federal Environmental Protection (EPA) report, North America, there are two Daosi Cheng's home and buildings are subject to mold damage, in particular, every time after a serious flood disaster. Misfortunes never come singly, the United States each year, there were 29,000,000 as a result of the above-mentioned mold allergy disease. Mold poisoning knows is the fact that, but most cases will not be made public unless the issue into the public health, or home (buildings) of the mold was exposed when the inspectors would draw attention. EPA has spared no effort to trace a Chicago residents affected by flooding after the drug Stachybotrys mold of a serious infection cases in 1993, as well as problems in the flood affected areas of Cleveland, 27 infants with acute pulmonary hemorrhage (9 dead). / The town of Xuan 2008-09-28 View more information, see the World Journal reported that e-ePaper

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HVAC系統 易遭微生物污染HVAC systems vulnerable to microbial contamination

HVAC系統 易遭微生物污染 不論是住家或商業建築，多數人一天之中平均有20個小時都待在室內，因此霉菌中毒對暖氣、通風設備與空氣調節系統 (即heating, ventilation, air conditioning 簡稱HVAC) 所造成的影響，不可輕忽。現代的HVAC系統與人類呼吸循環系統息息相關：HVAC系統供應調節過的空氣，確保室內人員的舒適，並讓他們在建築物內正常運作；呼吸系統輸送含氧的空氣到肺臟，再經循環到全身各處，對維持人類生命，更是不可或缺。HVAC系統內部的過濾器，是設計來捕捉微小粒子及空中的微塵，包括有機物、皮膚屑、昆蟲軀體、紙張纖維、菌類孢子等等，人類的肺臟也有同樣的功能。這些過濾器具有吸濕性，很容易變成大量霉菌孢子的溫床，尤其是HVAC系統的過濾器，堆積的灰塵與濕氣，則更加助長了霉菌孢子的繁殖。 在天氣漸漸轉涼的季節，「去水盤」中的水及「冷卻盤管」中的凝水是去除細菌及真菌增殖的好時機。這些細菌及真菌會產生過敏原，對健康不利，細菌感染也會伺機發生。受到細菌與真菌污染的物質，發出些微怪味，這是一種揮發性的有機物，可能就是嚴重污染的首要警訊，也可能是HVAC系統中污染範圍擴大的第一個徵兆。另外還有一些HVAC中的微生物，包括幾種喜歡在水中傳播的細菌: 退伍軍人桿菌 (Legionella) 會導致退伍軍人病Legionnaires’ disease 。綠膿桿菌 (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) 可能伺機引發感染。Cladosporium、Penicillium 和Aspergillus 等也都是寄生於污穢HVAC系統中常見的黴菌，它們的孢子都可能造成嚴重過敏症。 ／鎮暄 2008-09-28 HVAC systems vulnerable to microbial contamination Whether home or commercial building, and most of the day an average of 20 hours is to stay indoors, so mold poisoning of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system (that is, heating, ventilation, air conditioning referred to as HVAC) the impact of Can not be overlooked. The modern HVAC system and the human circulatory system is closely related to respiratory: HVAC system over the air-conditioning supply to ensure indoor comfort and allow them to the proper functioning of a building; respiratory air transport oxygen to the lungs via circulation to the Body, the maintenance of human life, it is indispensable. HVAC system's filters are designed to capture tiny particles and dust in the air, including organic, skin debris, the body of insects, paper fiber, fungus spores, and so on, the human lung has the same function. These filters have a moisture absorption, it is easy to become a breeding ground for a large number of mold spores, in particular the HVAC system filters, the accumulation of dust and moisture, the more encouraged the propagation of mold spores. Gradually in the cooler weather of the season, "set to water" in the water and "cooling coil" in the condensate water is the proliferation of fungi and bacteria to remove a good time. These bacteria and fungi produce allergens, adverse health, opportunistic infections will occur. Bacterial and fungal contamination by the material, issued by the smell slightly, this is a volatile organic compounds, may be seriously contaminated the first warning, or it may be contaminated HVAC system to expand the scope of the first signs. There are also a number of HVAC in the micro-organisms, including several like it in the water-borne bacteria: Veterans bacteria (Legionella) will lead to the disease Legionnaires' disease. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) may lead to opportunistic infections. Cladosporium, Penicillium and Aspergillus, and so are parasites on the dirty HVAC system common mold, and their spores may cause serious allergy. / The town of Xuan 2008-09-28 View more information, see the World Journal reported that e-ePaper

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未雨綢繆 勝過亡羊補牢For a rainy day is better than never too late to mend

未雨綢繆 勝過亡羊補牢 追查霉菌相關疾病的同時，必須仔細考查霉菌的來源。在住家內，浴室與廚房水管漏水處是滋生溫床，容易察覺; 其次是屋頂、牆壁與地板的漏水，較不容易察覺，因此可能幾年後才會被發現。地下室尤其容易變成污穢之地，滿佈霉菌，霉味撲鼻。如果對IAQ有疑問，甚至懷疑嚴重過敏症是SBS所導致，只有EPA當局可以確定霉菌是否為罪魁禍首。不過用常識，霉菌不會滋生在陽光充足的地方，因此，保持空氣流通和陽光乾燥，自可減少霉菌麻煩。有趣的是，天氣寒冷時，霉菌會在結霜之前自動死亡。所以應該持續定期做一些簡易的預防措施，定點處理。防範於未然才是明智之舉，並不需要EPA或有關單位做費用昂貴的實驗室化驗。 簡易的定期房屋檢查只需要靠敏銳的嗅覺和觀察，包括檢查天花板漏水或水管破裂的情形。如果住的是重新裝修過，或比較現代化的房子，則應檢查牆板，因為通常它是由以纖維素為主的材質所製成，容易潮濕，木質養分會滋潤霉菌的生長。環境顧問專家建議，在潮濕的冬天應將暖氣開著。檢查磁磚周圍水泥漿細線的地方有沒有霉菌，發現霉菌時，噴以硼砂混合水、或白醋及水，很容易把霉菌擦拭掉。硼砂是很好的霉菌抑制劑與消毒劑，可用來清潔一般浴室、洗臉盆、淋浴間、浴缸，及清潔牆壁等，效果很好。但是如果是天花板、牆板、地毯，已經變色，則應僱用專門工人，在控制範圍之下，把所有污染的建材全部拆除移走，並予換新。（作者為外科醫生）／鎮暄 2008-09-28 For a rainy day is better than never too late to mend Trace of mold-related diseases at the same time, we must carefully examine the sources of mold. In the home, kitchen and bathroom water pipe leakage is a hotbed to breed, easy to detect; followed by the roof, walls and floor of the leak, the more difficult to detect, it may be several years before being discovered. Particularly vulnerable to the basement into a dirty place, covered with mold, musty assail the nostrils. If you have questions IAQ, or even suspected of serious allergy is caused by SBS, only the EPA to determine whether the mold was the culprit. But with common sense, the mold will not breed in sunny areas, maintain good ventilation and sun-drying, since the mold can reduce the trouble. Interestingly, the cold weather, frost in the mold before the automatic death. Should be continued on a regular basis to do some simple precautions to deal with fixed-point. Is wise to take preventive measures, the EPA does not need or do unit costs of expensive laboratory tests. Summary of housing inspections on a regular basis just to rely on observation and a keen sense of smell, including the inspection or leaking ceiling in the main burst. If you lived in a renovated, or relatively modern houses, they should check wall, because it is usually from cellulose-based material made easily wet, nutrient-wood will moisten the growth of mold. Environmental consultants recommended that the wet winter heating should be open. Check cement tiles around the thin line where there is no mold, fungus was found, spraying water mixed with borax or white vinegar and water, it is easy to wipe out mold. Borax is a good disinfectant and mold inhibitor can be used to clean the bathroom in general, wash basin, shower, bath and cleaning the walls, and so well. However, if the ceiling is, wall panels, carpet, color has, it should employ specialized workers, under the control of all the removal of all contaminated materials removed, and to the replacement. (The author is a surgeon) / the town of Xuan 2008-09-28 View more information, see the World Journal reported that e-ePaper

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