RV Legionaires Death in RV Melaque Mexico

moisheh wrote:
Just drive anywhere around Tucson and see the thousands of airplanes stored in the desert. They Are mold free! Altitude has nothing to do with mold. It is dampness and heat. But even then you need something else. Old food crumbs and even things like mud . RV's are bad for mold as the roofs and windows often leak. Old trailers in Mexico are a good example of a breeding ground! Probably stains on the ceiling and walls from leaks. Swamp coolers are like a mold factory! When the roofs leak water gets into the fiberglass insulation in the walls or ceiling. I bet if you opened a wall in one of those old trailers you would find black mold.

Moisheh

More of less true, but altitude in Mexico usually (but not always) translates to dry and cool. If you find a place at high altitude in mexico with kittle vegetation, that usually means dry & cool, not that you should not at least put calcium carbonate in bowls in there to drag out any moisture you can. My choice would be to store it at a place like Mazamitla under a breathable cover with a couple of vents & windows cracked underneath.

Mold is a serious problem. In some Canadian provinces if an inspector finds mold the building may not be occupied until the mold is removed. Big job! many buildings have dirt floor crawl spaces. natural breeding ground for Mold. The curs is to remove the mold, put down 6 mil poly sealed to the side walls and cover with gravel. I doubt you could remove the mold from an old RV. Carpeting would have to be removed and the floor sealed. All upholstery would have to go! The side walls and roof would have to be inspected. Any of the above would exceed the value of the unit.

Moisheh

Is there a test device to see if there is mold lurching in a rig. I think this could be a bigger problem than what is realized. There has been no public talk about the problem down here. People are so insulare and do not believe in the RCAF flight Safety moto. Learn from other peoples mistakes because you are not going to live long enough to make them all yourself. And Report and Talk about safety issues.

Just drive anywhere around Tucson and see the thousands of airplanes stored in the desert. They Are mold free! Altitude has nothing to do with mold. It is dampness and heat. But even then you need something else. Old food crumbs and even things like mud . RV's are bad for mold as the roofs and windows often leak. Old trailers in Mexico are a good example of a breeding ground! Probably stains on the ceiling and walls from leaks. Swamp coolers are like a mold factory! When the roofs leak water gets into the fiberglass insulation in the walls or ceiling. I bet if you opened a wall in one of those old trailers you would find black mold.

Moisheh

I will disagree that the cause of this couple's illness is a result of "mold." I speak from first hand experience. I've had Legionella Disease in March 2006 and I almost died because of it. I was in the hospital for 10 days, mostly I don't remember anything about the event, except getting a biopsy on my lungs to figure out what the problem was. Then it was finally diagnosed Legionella and the doctors could focus on a cure. Which by the way, was successful! (I'm still here, but do have some diminished lung capacity, to this day).

I say this, because "mold" is not the cause of Legionella. The couple you are referring to may both indeed, hve Legionella, but they did not get it from mold. Even 10 years ago, they knew mold was not the cause. Here's a medical description of the desiese, what causes it, and what to look for. It's not Mold.

By the way, my previous history from about 2 weeks before reaching death's door, I encountered all 5 of these causes listed below. I was never exposed to "mold."



From the Center for Disease Control and Prevention vsite:

Legionella is a type of bacterium found naturally in fresh water. When people are exposed to the bacterium, it can cause illness (Legionnaires’ disease and Pontiac fever). This bacterium grows best in warm water, like the kind found in

Hot tubs
Cooling towers (air-conditioning units for large buildings)
Hot water tanks
Large plumbing systems
Decorative fountains

Legionella are NOT spread from one person to another person.

Cooling towers use water to remove heat from a process or building. They are often part of the air conditioning systems of large buildings. In contrast, home and car air conditioning units do not use water to cool, so they do not aerosolize water (spread small droplets of water in the air) and are not a risk for Legionella growth.


Exposure and Transmission

People are exposed to Legionella when they breathe in a mist or vapor (small droplets of water in the air) containing the bacteria. One example might be from breathing in droplets sprayed from a hot tub that has not been properly cleaned and disinfected.

Less commonly, Legionella can be transmitted via aspiration of drinking water, which is when water “goes down the wrong pipe,” into the trachea (windpipe) and lungs instead of down the digestive tract. People at increased risk of aspiration include those with swallowing difficulties.

Legionella cannot spread from one person to another person. A person diagnosed with Legionnaires' disease or Pontiac fever is not a threat to family members, co-workers, or others. However, if you believe that your workplace was the source of the person's illness, contact your local health department.

Most people exposed to the bacteria do not become ill. If you have reason to believe you were exposed to the bacteria, talk to your doctor or local health department. Be sure to mention if you have spent any nights away from home in the last two weeks.

Bounder Lew wrote:
See you mate. What about the other 4 rigs that are there. I know number one was full of mold 5 yrs ago. they smoke in it and air condition it . I wouldnt step inside myself??

Not sure, but would not store an RV on the coast. Better to store it at high altitude and have it towed down for the summer.

That's horrible news....man the things we need to think about but probably don't. Thankfully up here in the desert of Puerto Peñasco mold is not an issue.

See you mate. What about the other 4 rigs that are there. I know number one was full of mold 5 yrs ago. they smoke in it and air condition it . I wouldnt step inside myself??

Must be on the same wavelenght, i just posted about it in the thread about storage. I was here in the park when it happened. Myself, I would never store my RV at under 5000 ft. On top of that you risk losing it to a hurricane. See you around town lew, I am here for 5 weeks