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NYS Toxic Mold Task Force Report 2010

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Glossary Abatement – see remediation. Acute Idiopathic Pulmonary Hemorrhage (AIPH) – as defined by the US Centers for Disease Control (MMWR, Recommendations and Reports, 53(RR02);1-12, March 12, 2004): "AIPH is the sudden onset of pulmonary hemorrhage in a previously healthy infant in whom differential diagnoses and neonatal medical problems that might cause pulmonary hemorrhage have been ruled out." Allergen – any chemical substance (primarily proteins, but also other biological and non-biological chemicals) exposure to which by inhalation, ingestion or skin contact provokes an immediate or delayed immune reaction. Allergic reactions can range from mild rash or hay-fever symptoms to potentially fatal asthma exacerbations or anaphylaxis. Ambient Air – air in the outdoor environment. Antimicrobial Treatment – application of any antimicrobial pesticide product. Pesticide products that are intended to reduce, inhibit, destroy or eliminate micro-organisms (bacteria, fungi, viruses, algae or protozoans) on inanimate surfaces are referred to as antimicrobial pesticides. Antimicrobial pesticides include (by increasing order of treatment strength) sanitizers, disinfectants and chemical sterilants. Asbestos – any naturally occurring hydrated mineral silicate separable into commercially usable fibers, including chrysotile (serpentine), amosite (cummingtonite-grunerite), crocidolite (riebeckite), tremolite, anthrophyllite and actinolite. Asthma – inflammation and reversible obstruction of the airways in the lung. The term asthma is used both for the chronic disease where airway inflammation predisposes the airways to being hyper-responsive to triggers and for acute attacks or exacerbations that result in coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath. Assessment – as used in this report: inspection of buildings for the presence of moisture problems and associated mold growth. Mold assessment activities also involve developing work plans for remediating dampness and mold problems that have been identified in a building and follow-up inspection to establish that remediation work has been successfully completed. Other common terms used for assessment include inspection and evaluation. Association – see statistical association Causal Relationship – the relationship between cause (such as environmental exposure) and effect (such as a disease or health symptom). Causation can be clearly established in an experimental setting where only one variable is manipulated at a time while holding others constant and a change is measured in the effect variable. When considering health studies in communities or populations (i.e., epidemiology studies), determining causation is a scientific judgment based on an assessment of the overall weight of evidence, taking into account factors such as measurement bias, confounding by other variables, chance associations, consistency among studies, biological plausibility, time sequence of exposure and effects and other factors. Certificate – as used in this report: a document indicating that a person has successfully completed a single training course. Certification – as used in this report: an industry credential in a specific field of expertise that is conferred on an individual who has met specific criteria for educational background and relevant work experience and has passed required examinations. Certifications generally require ongoing continuing education and periodic renewal. Certifying organizations should be independent of any training provider. Chronic Exposure – exposure that occurs over an extended period of time from many months to years. Chronic exposures can be continuous (such as breathing contaminants in ambient air) or repeated (such as daily exposure from food or in the workplace). Clinical Study – study that investigates disease or health symptoms in individual patients or small groups of patients. If known medical causes of the disease or health effects under study are not found, these studies can suggest hypotheses for possible alternative causes that could be investigated with other studies (such as epidemiology studies). vi

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