Mold and your health

Molds can trigger asthma episodes in sensitive individuals with asthma.  People with asthma should avoid contact with or exposure to molds.

Mold and Asthma
More online resources:

• http://www.aanma.org Allergy and Asthma Network/Mothers of Asthmatics
• http://www.aaaai.org American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
• http://www.lungusa.org American Lung Association
• http://www.aafa.org Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America:
• http://www.niaid.nih.gov National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases:
• http://www.njc.org National Jewish Medical and Research Center

For people that are sensitive to mold exposure to mold can cause symptoms such as nasal stuffiness, eye irritation, wheezing, or skin irritation. Those with serious allergies to mold may have more severe reactions. Severe reactions may occur among workers exposed to large amounts of molds in occupational settings, such as farmers working around moldy hay. Severe reactions may include fever and shortness of breath. Some people with chronic lung illnesses, such as obstructive lung disease, may develop mold infections in their lungs.

EPA's publication, Indoor Air Pollution: An Introduction for Health Professionals , assists health professionals in diagnosis of patient symptoms that could be related to an indoor air pollution problem. It addresses the health problems that may be caused by contaminants encountered daily in the home and office. Organized according to pollutant or pollutant groups such as environmental tobacco smoke, VOCs, biological pollutants, and sick building syndrome, this booklet lists key signs and symptoms from exposure to these pollutants, provides a diagnostic checklist and quick reference summary, and includes suggestions for remedial action. 

EPA Document Reference Number 402-R-94-007, 1994.
Allergic Reactions - excerpted from Indoor Air Pollution: An Introduction for Health Professionals section on: Animal Dander, Molds, Dust Mites, Other Biologicals .  

A major concern associated with exposure to biological pollutants is allergic reactions. Notable triggers are allergens derived from house dust mites; other arthropods, including cockroaches; pets (cats, dogs, birds, rodents); molds; and protein-containing furnishings, including feathers, kapok, etc. In occupational settings, more unusual allergens (e.g., bacterial enzymes, algae) have caused asthma epidemics. Probably most proteins of non-human origin can cause asthma in a subset of any appropriately exposed population.
Consult the following links for information:

• National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
• RWJ Molds in the Environment Factsheet
• Questions and Answers on Stachybotrys chartarum and other molds Stachybotrys or Stachybotrys atra (chartarum) and health effects

Mold