Something in the Air : Quake’s Mold, Rain’s Pollen Breed High-Intensity Allergies

Just when you thought the aftershocks had subsided, doctors are warning of yet another repercussion of the Northridge earthquake: runny noses, sneezing and coughing.

With pollen and mold spore counts running five to eight times higher than normal, the symptoms of hay fever have kept many children and working people at home, school and county health officials reported Thursday.

The high counts result from heavy rains that spawned a robust growth of weeds, flowers and pollinating trees, along with rain-soaked, previously unnoticed cracks in walls and roofs that provide moist havens for the growth of molds.

Combined with high Santa Ana winds gusting across the Southland, the conditions provide a perfect prescription for a dramatic increase in illness, officials said.

“Just look around, everything is blooming,” said Dr. Shirley Fannin, director of disease control for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. But along with pollen, the less visible spores of mold are wafting in the breeze, she said.

Problems can be particularly acute in the north and west San Fernando Valley and in Ventura County, where a fungus commonly found in topsoil can cause an increase in cases of coccidioidomycosis, Fannin said. She described symptoms as “like a very bad cold that hangs on and on and on.”

“Many people don’t realize they have mold growing right next to them in their house,” said Dr. Sheldon Spector, a Brentwood allergist who performs pollen and spore counts for the Los Angeles chapter of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

Spector said he discovered during the rains that a crack in the wall of his own home in Santa Monica had allowed mold to take a healthy foothold. “It was earthquake damage, but we didn’t even know it until the heavy rains caused the crack to actually start dripping,” he said.

One patient was unable to explain her heightened allergic reactions until she hired an inspector, who found mold growing in her Santa Monica apartment, Spector said. She has temporarily moved out until the spores can be eradicated.

“It’s a bad time for anyone who suffers from tree pollen or mold allergies,” said Spector, adding that the pollen and spore counts this year are far higher than at least the last four years.

David Lofgren, plant information consultant for the Los Angeles State and County Arboretum in Arcadia, said that among the most common producers of pollen at this time of year are cottonwood trees, alders and all varieties of oaks. He also said the valleys, canyons and deserts are teeming with wildflowers, including tansies, verbena, the yellow daisy-like flowers of the brittlebush, and a variety of delphiniums. “This has been a very good year for flowers, and many of the trees have just finished releasing their pollens,” Lofgren said.

Experts said the best way to avoid problems is to stay indoors during windy periods, particularly the morning, and to use air conditioning or other filtering devices. Free information and brochures are available from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation by calling (800) 624-0044.

Santa Ana winds and temperatures that have been running 10 degrees higher than normal since Tuesday are expected to decrease later today, according to WeatherData Inc., which provides weather information for The Times.

Hay fever is not the first illness that health officials have attributed to airborne irritants resulting from the Jan. 17, 1994, earthquake. Federal disease officials attributed more than 200 cases and three deaths to an outbreak of valley fever caused by fungus carried in clouds of dust kicked up by the quake and aftershocks.

Researchers said the infection generally is not fatal and often produces no symptoms. But within two to five weeks of inhaling the spores, some people experience flulike exhaustion, coughing, high fever and even pneumonia. Older people often are more seriously affected.

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The Nose Knows Spring

Many trees, grasses and weeds have begun releasing wind- borne pollen. This means sneezing, teary eyes and stuffy noses for the 10% to 20% of people with hay fever, an allergy to plant pollens. An unusually high pollen count this year is compounding symptoms. How badly people suffer can depend on the weather and time of day.

What’s in the Air

The male flower parts produce pollen grains that contain sperm cells. They emerge when pollen lands on the female part of another plant’s flower.

A Close-Up

Pollen grains vary in shape depending on their source. Their width is less than that of a human hair.

The Effect of Rain

Because of heavy rains, trees, weeds and grasses are thriving. The current pollen count from trees, 60, is five times higher than this time last year.

The Quake’s Impact

A mold count of 949, eight times higher than a year ago, may be due to extra mold in buildings caused by earthquake- damaged leaky roofs and cracks in walls.

Tips for Sufferers * Close windows. * Use air conditioner. * Stay indoors in morning and late afternoon. * Avoid yard work or wear face mask. * Antihistamines relieve some symptoms. * Prescriptions may block symptoms. * See a doctor for treatment and advice.

Local Culprits Deodar Cedar Tree Brittlebush Valley Oak

The Dally Pollen Cycle 1. Morning Pollen Released: Most plants release pollen in the morning, and it floats up as the ground warms. 2. Afternoon Carried away: It flies farther on dry, windy days. On humid days, moisture weighs it down. 3. Evening Settles to the Ground: When the ground cools, pollen falls back to Earth. *

Weeds: Weeds pollinate from April to November, peaking in August. Local sources such a sagebrush and ragweed aren’t a big problem, but Santa Ana winds can blow weed pollen in from the desert. *

Trees: February is worst for tree pollen, when 10 major types of trees begin pollinating. Pollination continues through April. *

Grasses: Most grasses pollinate from March through October, peaking in May. Sources: Dr. David Walkington, director of Cal State Fullerton Arboretum; Allergy Medical Clinic; Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America.