Aspergillus Fungi and Aspergillosis Exposed in New Public Outreach Video

May 10, 2011 - PRLog -- Today the IAQ Video Network released the 15th in a series of public outreach videos meant to educate families about important environmental and indoor air quality issues.  The public outreach videos have all been produced in the past year covering everything from asbestos and Legionella to the latest video about Aspergillus and aspergillosis.

Aspergillus is a genus consisting of several hundred mold species found in various climates worldwide.  It is very common in the environment and can be found in soils, on plants and in decaying plant matter. It is also found in household dust, building materials, and even in spices and some food items.

“Aspergillosis is the disease cause by Aspergillus,” reported Paul Cochrane, President of Cochrane and Associates, the company behind the IAQ Video Network.  “There are many different kinds of aspergillosis. One kind is allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA), a condition where the fungus causes allergic respiratory symptoms, such as wheezing and coughing, but does not actually invade and destroy tissue. Another kind of aspergillosis is invasive aspergillosis, a disease that usually affects people with immune system problems. In this condition, the fungus invades and damages tissues in the body. Invasive aspergillosis most commonly affects the lungs, but can also cause infection in many other organs and can spread throughout the body,” he continued.

Studies have shown that invasive aspergillosis can occur during building renovation or construction.  Aspergillus spores are also commonly found in buildings that have suffered water damage or elevated humidity levels that have allowed the mold to grow and multiply indoors.  Buildings such as healthcare facilities, with people that have weakened immune systems, need to be especially vigilant of this dangerous pathogen. Environmental testing can help identify when microbial contaminants, such as Aspergillus, are in the indoor environment and at what levels.

To view this or any of the environmental public outreach videos please visit http://www.IAQTV.com or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_de4qZpwP8Q



To learn more please visit http://www.cochraneassoc.com, email info@cochraneassoc.com or call (602)510-3179.

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About Cochrane & Associates, LLC & the IAQ Video Network
Cochrane & Associates is a business development, public relations and marketing consulting firm that specializes in the environmental, HVAC, mold and indoor air quality industries. The company has worked with many of the industries’ leading institutions and companies and continues to be an innovator in the industry. They are also the innovators behind the IAQ Video Network.