Good Morning,

I'm afraid that Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is back in the news -- and it has been discovered in multiple places in North America. That's the fungus that causes chytrid disease, which causes death or mutation in amphibians.

This week's photo is of the Northern Leopard Frog, from the Nova Scotia Museum website.

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The nasty problem cost the Hargetts their home, their possessions, and even their health. "It's amazing how much it can make you sick," said Tammy Hargett.

Photo: Stachybotrys

Click here for Good Neighbor Mold Removal (Absolute Organics Restoration) (KAIT, AR - Jul 17, 2006)

The results of the District's own testing showed Denise Byrd's classroom at Jefferson Elementary in Santa Ana, had one of the highest Toxic Mold counts among 15 other classrooms that were tested.

Click here for A Teacher's Nightmare: Teacher Forced to Move From Home Because Santa Ana Unified (Jul 3, 2006)

Merck summoned to the microphone one of its announced consultants, a man whose government job was nearby, at the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Thomas J. Walsh assured the committee that Merck's data describing the patients was "extremely robust and very, very rigorous." He said his government staff had assisted in vetting the company's data. About 30% of the patients were helped by the drug, he said.

Click here for Anti-fungal drug scandal: Drug Trials With a Dose of Doubt (LA Times - Jul 16, 2006)

That's according to University of California, Berkeley professor David Wake, who has studied the area extensively and found the fungus on the skin of frogs and toads near the pass. The fungus worries Wake, but the reasons for the fungus — and the questions surrounding it — where did it come from and why are so many frogs dying? — worry him even more.

Photograph: Mountain yellow-legged frog

Click here for Fungus attacking frogs: Chytrid fungus invades Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon Parks (Union Democrat, CA - Jul 12, 2006)

The findings are startling. Scientists found mold that causes ring worm and bacteria that causes a disease of the scalp. Doctors also took control samples from where people keep their shoes on, and the bacteria was not found in those areas.

Click here for Airport Security Measures May Spread Fungus (WLNS, MI - Jul 8, 2006)

"We get a lot of questions about mold and people become alarmed when they see it in their homes and what effect this could have on their health," said John Yetman, an environmental health specialist with Fairfax County’s Department of Health. "We’re trying to get some of those questions answered . . . and explain to people that it’s not necessarily a dire situation."

Click here for Officials Warn of Mold from Water Damage - A foot of rain could result in more mold in Northern Virginia homes. (Burke Connection, VA - Jul 10, 2006)

History

First discovered in dead and dying frogs in Queensland in 1993, chytridiomycosis is a highly infectious disease of amphibians, caused by the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Research since then has shown that the fungus is widespread across Australia and has been present in the country since at least 1978. It is also found in Africa, the Americas, Europe, New Zealand and Oceania.

Photo: Corrorobee frog

Click here for Mold Education: Chytridiomycosis (Australian Department of the Environment and Heritage, 2004)

Kelly Murphy said Cristina Schulingkamp‚ an environmental engineer with the Environmental Protection Agency‚ had recently visited modular classrooms at the school and found the air to be stagnant. The carpeting was also buckling‚ and Schulingkamp felt there could be standing water‚ Murphy said. She added that Schulingkamp had also commented that such conditions could cause children to have trouble focusing in class

Click here for School Mold: Souderton Area Parents press district on mold (Lansdale Reporter, PA - Jul 14, 2006)

Concerns with indoor mould contamination arose here following Ivan's widespread water intrusion damage to all types of buildings on Grand Cayman in 2004.

Click here for Department of Environmental Health offers help to address problem of mould (Cayman Net News, Cayman Islands - Jul 14, 2006)

The San Juan Capistrano, California based company said it was confirmed by Nasdaq Staff Deficiency Letter that it had time until its annual shareholder meeting or July 5, 2007 to appoint another independent director to its board and name a third director as member of the Audit Committee in order to become compliant with requirements for continued listing. The company said it would make necessary qualified replacements in line with the requirements of Nasdaq Marketplace Rules, within the permitted time frame and would file a Current Report on Form 8- K today with Nasdaq on the matter.

Click here for Mold & Investment: American Mold Guard Reports Nasdaq Staff Letter On Noncompliance On Directors Resignation - Update (Trading Markets, CA - Jul 14, 2006)

The fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, has been implicated in amphibian deaths from Arizona to Australia, but Longcore does not have to go far from her cramped lab here at the University of Maine to find infected frogs: She has found it on frogs killed by cars on the road nearby.

Photo: American bullfrog

Click here for More Chytrid disease: Fatal frog fungus found in Maine (ChronicleHerald.ca, Canada - Jul 8, 2006)

Mr. Segal joins ACE from NetVersant, where he served as Senior Account Executive for Arizona and New Mexico, and was responsible for selling complex Internet Protocol (IP) based solutions to Fortune 1,000 Companies and local government entities. During his last quarter at NetVersant, he booked more than $2 million in sales and built the sales pipeline by more than $3.5 million. During his tenure at NetVersant, he was instrumental in increasing sales in the Arizona market by more than 65 percent compared to the prior year. Mr. Segal also served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for AZ Sites, LLP for two years, where he was responsible for re- directing the sales team’s product focus, an initiative which grew sales from $300,000 to $1.5 million while maintaining margin targets, as well as increasing the average transaction size from $2,000 to $15,000.

Click here for Mold & Investment: ACE Water Damage Solutions Adds David Segal as Director of Sales and Marketing (Newswire Today, UK - Jul 17, 2006)

At least one-third of the world's known amphibians are threatened by the combination of attacks, and up to 122 species have become extinct within the past 25 years, the international team of specialists is reporting in today's edition of the journal Science.

Photo: Yosemite toad

Click here for More Chytrid disease: EXTINCTION CRISIS FOR AMPHIBIANS - Frogs, toads and other species dying off -- new fungus magnifies environmental problems (San Francisco Chronicle, USA - Jul 7, 2006)

Ms. Mulvihill's confidential services include, depending on who she is retained by, and when:

• Analysis of property damage and personal injuries
• Conducting a property inspection
• Reviewing medical records
• Determination of the potential for a causal link between mycological issues and personal injuries
• Research of what needs to be done to prove -- or disprove -- property damage, personal injuries, and their causal links
• Determination what entity or entities might have caused property damage
• Reviewing insurance policies to determine if insurance coverage is available for the claims
• Determination what kind of expert or experts need to be retained to prove or disprove a case
• Preparation of expert witnesses for depositions
• Preparation of written discovery
• Preparation of attorneys for questioning of expert witnesses

Click here for Mold Professionals: Cynthia Coulter Mulvihill (Mold Litigation Consulting)

What The Daily Show with Jon Stewart is to evening news, The Colbert Report is to personality-driven pundit shows. Colbert brings his sarcastic charm to a half-hour report, tackling the important issues of the day and telling his guests why their opinions are just plain wrong.

Click here For Fun: The Colbert Report