THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, August 1, 1995 TAG: 9508010231
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MARA STANLEY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 98 lines
Phyllis Allgood sneezed. Then she wheezed. Her eyes watered and her nose dripped.
She couldn't see the microscopic mold spores that were attacking her sinuses, but she was armed for battle.
``You don't go anyplace without tissues,'' said the 52-year-old allergy sufferer as she pulled a crumpled paper napkin out of her pocket. ``You just suffer until you can take your injection again or your antihistamines.''
Allgood, a Chesapeake resident, is allergic to molds and fungi, which thrive in humid weather.
Like other residents of Hampton Roads, she has been more miserable since a heat wave engulfed the region almost three weeks ago.
A high of 92 degrees made Monday the 20th day in a row of 90-degree weather, according to the National Weather Service in Norfolk. The 50-percent humidity made it feel like 98 degrees. This was somewhat more comfortable than many days earlier in the heat wave.
``High humidity is going to enhance mold growth,'' said Dr. Burton Moss, a Norfolk allergist.
Spores are the microscopic reproductive cells of mold and fungus. They are carried on wind currents.
There is no escape.
``You cannot get away from molds if you are allergic like you can get away from a dog,'' Moss said. ``Just because you can't see them doesn't mean they're not there. They are outdoors and indoors.''
The number of microscopic mold spores in the air is very high this summer, according to the Norfolk Department of Public Health, which daily records the amount of possible allergens in the air.
Three prevalent molds - Alternaria, Cladosporium and Helminthosporium, all thrive on humid, shady places. They can be found in bathrooms, on kitchen pipes, walls and rocks, according to Alpha Diallo, Health Department lab director. All three are known to cause problems for allergy sufferers.
In July, the Health Department recorded an average of .9 Alternaria spores per square centimeter of air. There were of 2.3 Cladosporium spores and an average of 2.0 Helminthosporium spores per square centimeter of air.
Diallo said an average less than 1 is normal. ``But anything higher than 2, people have to be wary about it,'' he said.
The spores, when inhaled by a person who is allergic, cause certain respiratory-system cells to release chemicals. These chemicals cause uncomfortable symptoms, Moss said. One of the chemicals, histamine, is what makes your nose run, itch and sneeze. Other natural chemicals can cause congestion or wheezing.
An allergic reaction can cause coughing, sneezing, wheezing, sinus headaches, congested, runny or itchy noses, or puffy, itchy eyes.
``I've been sneezing my head off for the last couple of days,'' said Sheri Jett, 27, a Portsmouth resident who was a patient at Chesapeake Ear, Nose and Throat Associates.
``The high humidity really makes a difference. Patients have a lot more symptoms,'' said Bonnie Dooly, a registered nurse at the allergy clinic at Chesapeake Ear, Nose and Throat.
Many patients are also allergic to pollen from trees, grass and weeds, Dooly said. ``So for some it's a double whammy,'' she said.
Pollen counts have not been as high as the mold count, however, Diallo said. The July averages for pollen species were .3 and below, he said.
A source of relief from mold allergies may be an air conditioner, which helps to dehumidify a room, Dooly said. Also use mildew and mold removers in the bathroom and kitchen to prevent the spread of molds.
When showering or boiling water, use an exhaust fan to vent the steam, she said.
If symptoms are really bad, medicine may help.
Dooly suggested using an over-the-counter antihistamine to stop runny noses and a decongestant to shrink nasal passages.
``Do not use over-the-counter nasal sprays'' for more than three days because they are addicting, Dooly warned. ``If the patient's symptoms are that severe, they need to see a doctor.''
Tracy Smith's sinus headaches and sneezing from allergies to mold and pollen got so bad that she began to receive shots at the Chesapeake clinic Friday. The 25-year-old Virginia Beach mother of a 3-year-old and a 3-month baby hopes for relief.
``When I wake up in the morning I'm pretty miserable,'' Smith said Monday. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by Paul Aiken
Dr. Jeffrey Powell checks the nasal passages of an allergy patient
in the offices of Chesapeake Ear, Nose and Throat Associates. ``The
high humidity really makes a difference. Patients have a lot more
symptoms,'' says Bonnie Dooly, a registered nurse at the clinic.
Color staff graphic
Research by Mara Stanley
Graphic by Robert D. Voros
Source: Norfolk Dept. of Health
Mold Spores
[chart showing normal levels and current levels]
For copy of graphic, see microfilm
KEYWORDS: ALLERGY by CNB