Some Storm Damaged Buildings in Puerto Rico Contaminated with Mold Could Lead to Fungal Infections

Less than two weeks ago, Hurricane Irma brought powerful winds, storm surge, flooding and heavy rains to parts of Puerto Rico. Today, the region is bracing once again for possible property damage due to Hurricane Maria that is threatening to make landfall later this week.
 
All of the moisture brought by hurricanes and the property damage they cause often results in water damaged homes and buildings that support the growth of mold. Not only is mold a respiratory irritant, allergen and asthma trigger for some people, some types of mold that flourish in water damaged buildings can also cause fungal infections in some people. 
 
“There are groups of people that are more at risk of developing a fungal infection from spending time in a moldy building and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides a list of questions to help identify which of us are most at risk,” said Harry Pena, President of Zimmetry Environmental. “Some of the CDC’s most relevant questions include: are you taking any medications that affect your immune system; are you receiving chemotherapy or radiation treatments; have you recently had a transplant; are you living with HIV/AIDS; and what types of activities are you doing? As it is clear to see, many of the most at risk individuals likely reside in healthcare facilities and long-term treatment centers.”
 
Working to protect people from exposure to fungal pathogens and other microbial irritants, allergens and asthma triggers are the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) experts at Zimmetry Environmental. Their professionals offer comprehensive testing, monitoring and consulting services to identify, mitigate and eliminate these types of exposure risks in Puerto Rico. They also recently sponsored an educational video about the CDC’s 10 questions to help people learn their chances of getting a fungal infection that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/vVUAmNTVhzs
 
To learn more about Zimmetry Environmental and their IEQ, indoor air quality (IAQ), environmental, and compliance testing and consulting services, please visit www.zimmetry.com, call (787) 995.0005 or email info@zimmetry.com .
 
About Zimmetry Environmental
Since 2002, Zimmetry Environmental has been providing environmental consulting services to building owners and managers, architects, engineers, EHS professionals and Fortune 500 companies.  The company is based in Puerto Rico and provides services across the Caribbean and Central America.  The professionals at Zimmetry offer environmental compliance, indoor air quality, asbestos, lead-based paint, Phase I ESAs and general environmental consulting services.
 

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Paul Cochrane

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Cochrane & Associates, LLC

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