Wet Weather Leading To High Mold Counts

(CBS) -- All the rain we've been having is making mold counts go sky high and those with allergies are just miserable, reports CBS 2's Pamela Jones.

Sam Farina says severe symptoms pushed him to see his allergist.

"I start to feel real tired and then I'll get itchy eyes," said Farina.

He runs a tree service and says the heavy rain soaking the Chicago area is only making his allergies worse.

"The rain? Yes, it's not good. None of it's any good. The thing with the mold is you really can't get away from it," Farina said.

Dr. Rachna Shah says mold is thriving so much, even people who've never had bad allergies before are feeling sick.

"It's been so wet, and rainy and a little humid, too. It's the been like the perfect temperature for mold to grow," said Dr. Shah.

Dr. Joseph Leija at Gottlieb Memorial Hospital studied the last official Midwest air allergen count for the year today at Gottlieb Memorial Hospital in Melrose Park.

"The worst offender is the alternaria," said Dr. Leija. "Pollen is not a problem. Because the seasons are over for the trees, the grasses the weeds are out but we have problem with the mold allergies."

Keeping outdoor allergens outdoors will be key until temperatures drop low enough for a hard freeze.

"Your taking your evening walk or you take a run in the morning, coming back inside, rinsing off, washing your hair, because all of those mold spores, they really stick, too," said Dr. Shah.