Re: Viral Latency, Disease, and Migrations

In sci.archaeology message
news:hk7bm1p61fmj2cmkashit2fksogejck1qi@xxxxxxx by Eric Stevens
<eric.stevens@xxxxxxxxx> . . . :


> In this part of the world (New Zealand) we insist on putting the
> vapour barrier on the outside of the wall-sandwich, which means
> that in cold weather the moister air inside the house condenses
> in whatever part of the wall insulation is at dew point. That
> way we guarantee soggy walls. It would be different if air
> conditioning for cooling was universal but it it is rare.

It has to do with flows, during the winter when the air is cooler and
holds less moisture, air should come into the house, the house should
be under negative pressure; however only when it is much cooler
outside or much dryer outside, otherwise it should be neutral. During
the summer when the air is hot outside it can hold more moisture, air
should be positive inside so that minutes amount of indoor air are
forced through the walls.

>> ... and the mold
>>spores eventually are sucked in through the electrical outlets,
>>floors, and other penetrations. These fungi, like aspergillus
>>and penicillium can weaking the immune system and cause
>>secondary infections, also they represent poor sleep, and
>>opportunities for colds and flues. Worse when the air goes from
>>humid outside to cool in dry, the cool air hitting warm gypsum
>>board really dries out and fungi know exactly what to do, make
>>lots of spores and die. In baylor when the A/C system was
>>restored after 3 weeks the sudden death of fungi and subsequent
>>drying of spores sent spore counts in some places out the roof.
>
> A good place for it. :-)

No, not good, dustmites feed on fungus spores. Dustmites then die,
then people with dustmite allergies get real sick. I cost about $3600
dollars to replace the filters in our laminar flow hoods because they
had become the death bed for dustmites and no-one could practically
work in them.

.