By Gregory Mott
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, July 4, 2006

As last week's deluge recedes into memory and Washington-area back yards and basements begin to dry out, you might be tempted to think that the problems caused by that record rainfall are past. Well, not all of them. Some health-related effects of the dousing -- notably, pests, mold, bacteria and allergy-related problems -- may take longer to emerge, experts say, and they may develop out of sight and out of mind. Here's what to watch for:

PESTS: Protracted periods of warm, wet weather can boost the populations of potentially disease-carrying insects such as mosquitoes, fleas and ticks, says entomologist Ron Harrison, Atlanta-based director of training for the pest control giant Orkin. This means your chances of being bitten by a bug bearing West Nile virus or some other infection are greater even if infection rates in the insect population remain the same. To protect against bug bites, experts urge wearing EPA-registered bug repellants on exposed skin when outdoors. And unless you're elderly or immune-compromised, don't over-worry about West Nile: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes 80 percent of people exposed to the virus show no symptoms.

To better your odds against these pests, Harrison advises getting rid of standing water around your home. One potential breeding ground many people may not think of: water-damaged carpets or furnishings that may have been placed outside to dry. Harrison says these may even attract rodents and other vermin. He recommends getting such materials far away from the house as soon as possible.

ALLERGY-RELATED PROBLEMS: Your lawn and garden aren't the only plants to flourish after the heavy rain and look much more vibrant than they'd typically be in early July. Look down the road to bumper crops of ragweed and other allergens later in the summer, predicts David L. Rosenstreich, director of the division of allergy and immunology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the Montefiore Medical Center in New York.

MOLD AND BACTERIA: While do-it-yourselfers may think they've done a commendable job of cleaning, disinfecting and drying water-damaged areas in the home, mold may develop surreptitiously.

Mold and bacteria are always present in our homes and are not harmful in most cases, according to Liz Scott, a Simmons College biology professor who is co-director of the college's Center for Hygiene and Health. People who are allergic to mold or who have compromised immune systems may be at some risk, according to the CDC, and may experience symptoms typical of those seen in allergy sufferers -- cough, watery eyes, headache, etc.

In rarer cases, Rosenstreich says, people exposed to mold may experience hypersensitivity pneumonitis, an inflammation in the lungs that can turn into chronic lung disease. Symptoms of the sometimes-fatal disease -- which is also seen in cases where fungus infests humidifiers, heating systems and air conditioners -- include cough, fever, chills and shortness of breath. Most symptoms resolve when the allergen is removed.

Scott says people who experience allergy symptoms in areas of the home where they had not in the past might want to consider having an inspection done by a cleaning expert certified in dealing with water damage. And those who experience unusual or severe symptoms should see a doctor. ?

Comments: mottg@washpost.com.