It is odorless, tasteless and undetectable without special equipment. Dr. Richard Moon of Duke University Medical Center says carbon monoxide poisoning can be deadly. It causes damage to the brain, the heart. Symptoms include headache, nausea, vomiting in mild cases, and in severe cases it can actually cause loss of consciousness and death. Moon says most medical emergencies from carbon monoxide poisoning involve homeowners who have not had their furnaces checked for leaks.
Many cases come from people using oil, gas, propane or kerosene heaters.
I'm Tom Britt. Dr. Moon says contrary to popular myth, propane-powered fork lifts do produce carbon monoxide. In the winter-time people who work in warehouses are inclined to close the door to keep warm, and driving these trucks around inside warehouses can lead to exposure to carbon monoxide as well. It's time once again for that flu vaccine. Tom Britt has more.