A child developed bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (a serious
mold-induced lung disorder). When the school was found to have some
Aspergillus contamination, the parents and faculty panicked, certain
that the school was the source of the child’s illness and a pervasive
threat to all in the building. The community demanded that the school
be closed immediately. Several physicians concurred with closing the
school, further fueling the panic. A more in-depth evaluation of the
child and his medical records by the medical doctor revealed two
critical facts: first, the ill child had cystic fibrosis, making him
susceptible to this fungal disease; second, he had been playing in a
mulch pile all summer, providing the near certain source of his
infection. Effective medical communication with the school and its
occupants explained these facts and why the school was not causal in
this case. The actual threat to others was minimal. The school was
permitted to reopen following limited, focused remediation.