tiny huricane beasties may be deadly

A scientific report shows that clean up crews and others working with the molded debris from Huricanes Rita and Katrina can breathe in spores from a black mold (stachybotrys chartarum). The microbe produces a toxin (satratoxin) that kills brain cells! It also produces, as a side effect, asthma. In animal tests, within one day, up to 80% killed the nerve cells that detect smells.

Beware.

[Science News, March 25, 2006.]