Molds And Other Fungi - What You Can Do To Help Yourself: Allergies
Content provided by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School
Molds and other fungi
Molds and other fungi
The spores of fungi (molds, mildew, yeasts, and mushrooms) are ubiquitous and, like pollen, are very light and travel in the air. Capable of surviving in dry, adverse conditions, fungal spores can live a long time. However, they especially thrive in a damp, warm environment.
Molds
While there are many hundreds of species of molds, the role of most of them in allergies and human disease in general remains poorly understood — with several notable exceptions. For industrial and agricultural workers, exposure to certain molds can lead to respiratory illnesses such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis; examples are farmer’s lung, woodworker’s lung, and malt worker’s lung, which are immune-mediated hypersensitivity reactions that don’t involve IgE.
Outdoor molds include Alternaria, whose spore count peaks in late summer/early fall, and Cladosporium, whose spore count peaks during the summer months. People who are allergic to mold should avoid exposure to airborne molds, remembering that mold spore counts increase in warm, humid weather.
Indoor molds are also common. In 2002, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that more than 1,000 different molds had been found in U.S. homes — for example, Aspergillus, which is associated with some pulmonary diseases. Although indoor molds are known to cause allergies and exacerbate asthma, whether they cause toxic effects — which are different from allergies — has not been proved scientifically.
Is mold toxic?
Mold is known to trigger allergies and asthma but thus far, the evidence is insufficient to state that mold in homes has toxic effects on the body. In a 1993 study, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) reported that airborne fungal allergens were definitely associated with allergic rhinitis/conjunctivitis, allergic asthma, and hypersensitivity pneumonitis. In a follow-up report in 2002, the IOM concluded that although there was insufficient evidence that molds were the cause of asthma, they did exacerbate the asthmatic condition. And doctors have long recognized the connection between respiratory diseases caused by the inhalation of mold spores and an allergic response. In addition to asthma and hypersensitivity pneumonitis, two other immunologic disorders — allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis and allergic fungal sinusitis — have been associated with mold.
It’s important, however, to make a distinction between the recognized mold allergies and what has come to be known as the “toxic house” syndrome, where mold — or the toxins given off by mold — are claimed to have caused a host of ill-defined diseases. This has resulted in much litigation against contractors and others. Many of the claims are based on fears about Stachybotrys mold, and a number of studies have been conducted in support of mold causing pulmonary hemorrhage or memory loss. But other studies — including one by the CDC in 1999 — could find no proven connection and disputed the toxicity claims. Toxic mold remains a controversial area and its health effects remain unproved.
Tips for avoiding indoor mold allergens
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Find and fix the source of the dampness favored by mold. Molds like moist places.
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Remove rotten wood. Molds live off dead vegetable matter such as wet, rotten wood.
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Clean mold-covered surfaces with bleach and water (1:10 ratio). Don’t mix bleach with ammonia. If mold has impregnated the drywall and insulation, you’ll have to rip out and redo.
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Remove mold-impregnated carpets and throw away any moldy items (clothing, books, papers).
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Use an air conditioner or dehumidifier during the humid summer months.
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Keep the bathroom mold-free.
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Add mold inhibitors to paint when redecorating.
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Keep household humidity below 50%.
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Keep the house well ventilated.
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If you have house plants, don’t overwater; it encourages mold in the soil.
Tips and techniques for preventing mold
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| Last updated: | August 21, 2006 |
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| Reviewed By: | Faculty of Harvard Medical School |
Medical content reviewed by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School. Harvard Health Publications, Copyright © 2007 by President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Used with permission of StayWell.
This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. By using AOL Body, you indicate that you have read, understood, and agreed to our Terms of Service, Use of Content Agreement and AOL Body Advertising Policy. Read more about our content partners.
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