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IMPORTANT!
THIS IS NOT MEDICAL ADVICE
Consultation with qualified physicians
or other medical experts should be your first step in dealing with any healthcare
issue.
Symptoms of mold exposure can also be attributed to many
other health-related issues and you should always seek the appropriate
expert advice.
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Overview
Fungi
are a natural part of the environment with outdoor airborne levels subject
to numerous ambient conditions. Indoors, airborne levels of mold are
primarily influenced by outdoor organisms unless a colonies are established within the
structure.
When indoor areas have mold problems,
fungal components can be dramatically elevated over outdoor levels. These
elevated levels are generally believed to be the cause of problems with
otherwise healthy individuals.
Unfortunately, healthcare professionals
lack comprehensive data on human exposure to all types of fungi. Much of
what is known has been extrapolated from observations of animals exposed
to mold both in the laboratory and as livestock; or from studies of human
exposure in agriculture environments.
With tens of thousands of species and
considerable differences in human sensitivity, the task of qualifying and
quantifying health data is substantial.
Many molds are classified as opportunistic
pathogens meaning the organism is disease-causing given the
opportunity to infect the host.
Some mycotoxins are documented carcinogens,
implying they are suspect cancer-causing agents. People
suffering from fungal exposures are faced with difficulties. With
science lacking definitive answers to many questions, there appears to be
no shortage of conflicting opinions. |
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Exposure Routes
Mold needs access, or what is called a
pathway, into the human body in order to be problematic. The most
obvious pathways are:
Inhalation
- Breathing volatile organic compounds (VOC's), spores and/or fragments of
mold is generally considered the primary means of exposure to indoor
mold. Inhalation exposes the upper and lower respiratory tracts and
allows pathways into the blood system via the lungs.
Ingestion
- Eating food contaminated by mold allows direct exposure of the
digestive tract to mold components. Studies of people and livestock that consumed mold-contaminated food
has contributed a significant amount of data on infectious and toxic
molds.
Contact
- Touching mold or items contaminated by mold can provide a
pathway. Whereas the skin provides good protection, transfer to
mucus membranes (e.g. eyes, nose, mouth, etc.) is possible. Openings
in the skin (wounds, burns, sores, etc.) can provide a direct pathway into
tissue and the bloodstream. Certain types of molds are responsible
for infections including
ringworm, athletes' foot, jock-itch, and other forms of skin, hair and
nail diseases. |
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High Risk Individuals
Mold exposure is considered especially problematic to
infants/children, the elderly, pregnant women, immune-compromised
individuals (HIV infection, cancer chemotherapy patients, liver disease,
bone-marrow transplants, post-surgical patients, etc.), and persons with
unique sensitivities or existing respiratory conditions.
Persons with such conditions are advised
to be extra careful concerning mold exposure and should not to perform
mold cleanup activities without special precautions.
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Health Issues
The
health affects of mold are generally grouped in the following four
categories. Numerous conditions including type and species of mold,
exposure levels and methods, environmental conditions, individual
sensitivities, etc. are all considered to be factors in the response. |
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Irritation |
For some people, the
"moldy odor" can be irritating to mucous membranes, cause
headaches and other symptoms. This odor comes from volatile organic
compounds (VOC's) produced by mold as it degrades organic substrates and
is generally considered one of the primary causes of irritation. |
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Allergy |
Allergic
reactions are typically the most common health problem. Symptoms include
respiratory problems and difficulty breathing, nasal and sinus congestion,
burning/watery or reddened eyes, dry hacking cough, nose and throat
irritation, shortness of breath, skin irritation, headaches, memory
problems, mood changes, aches and pains, and possible fever. |
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Infection |
There are an estimated 100
species of mold known to cause infections in humans and immune suppressed
individuals are especially at risk. Infections can be localized or
systemic. Aspergillosis is a common fungal infection requiring
hospitalization in the U.S. Other fungi can infect hair,
skin and nails. |
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Toxicosis |
Many species of mold produce
toxic metabolites called mycotoxins which are believed to be most
prevalent in spores (both living and dead spores). Mycotoxins are of
special concern since some may present a greater hazard to humans than all
other conditions including nerve damage, organ damage, and cancer. Symptoms of toxicosis
from mold include cold and flu-like symptoms, headache, nosebleeds, memory
problems, fatigue, dermatitis, immune suppression, etc. |
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Reported Symptoms
The
following list represents some of the symptoms reported in literature
relative to mold exposure. Other symptoms specific to infectious and/or
toxic molds may be experienced.
- Respiratory problems
- Nasal & sinus congestion
- Burning, watery or reddened eyes
- Blurry vision or light sensitivity
- Dry, hacking cough
- Nose and throat irritation
- Shortness of breath
- Skin irritations
- Headache
- Memory problems
- Mood changes
- Aches & pains
- Nosebleeds
- Dermatitis
- Immune suppression
- Fatigue
- Chills/fever
As with any health issue, numerous
causative agents can elicit similar symptoms; therefore, the presence of
such symptoms is not exclusive to mold exposure.
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Related information:
ACOEM
Statement - Link to: "Adverse Human Health Effects Associated with Molds in
the Indoor Environment" American College of Occupational and
Environmental Medicine; 2002
AAP
Statement - Link to: "Toxic Effects of Indoor Molds"; American Academy
of Pediatrics; 1998
Mayo
Clinic - Link to: "The Diagnosis and Incidence of Fungal
Sinusitis"; Mayo Clinic Proceedings; 1999
IBT
Reference Labs - Lab specializing in tests and services in the area of
allergy, clinical immunology and molecular biology.
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If you
have concerns about your health and mold,
Contact your Healthcare Professional
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envirochex All rights reserved.
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