Mold Medical Hazards

Mold spores can irritate the eyes and respiratory tract of people with allergies or sensitivities. They may also aggravate symptoms of certain medical conditions, such as asthma.

Some fungi produce low-molecular-weight chemicals, called mycotoxins. Mycotoxins may disrupt cellular function. However, there is no evidence that ongoing exposure to molds or mycotoxins leads to immune disorders.

Symptoms

Some molds produce toxins (mycotoxins), which are poisonous substances that can cause a variety of symptoms. These toxins are produced during fungal metabolism and released into the air as volatile organic compounds. Exposure to these chemicals can irritate the eyes, skin and respiratory system. Mycotoxins are also absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract and can cause a range of health problems, including liver and kidney damage, nervous system dysfunction, intestinal obstruction and various infections.

Most people who experience symptoms from exposure to mold have allergies, which can result in watery eyes, runny nose and sneezing. Other symptoms include itching of the nose or throat, difficulty breathing and headache. Repeated exposure to mold can increase the severity of allergic reactions. Some molds, such as Stachybotrys and Aspergillus, can also produce mycotoxins under certain conditions, resulting in serious illness.

Molds can also irritate the lungs when inhaled, especially for those who already have asthma or another chronic respiratory disease. People with immune suppression due to medication or diseases and those with existing respiratory conditions are particularly susceptible to mold-related symptoms, as well as infection.

A doctor can diagnose a mold medical mold allergy by taking a person’s medical history and conducting a physical exam. They may perform skin prick tests or blood tests to measure a person’s immune response to molds and check for specific allergy triggers.

Diagnosis

Most people who breathe in mold spores do not develop any health complications. However, molds may irritate the skin, eyes and lungs of people who have sensitivities or allergies. Some types of molds produce mycotoxins, which are fungi that can cause infection in people with weak immune systems. These infections often involve the lungs and can be life-threatening. People at risk for mycotoxins include infants and children, elderly adults and those with weakened immune systems due to disease or medication. Molds may also aggravate asthma symptoms in those with respiratory conditions like asthma.

Some doctors recommend taking a blood test to determine if you have antibodies against different kinds of molds. This type of testing detects the presence of specific IgE antibodies, which are produced by your immune system in response to allergens. However, the IgE tests do not tell your doctor when you were exposed to the mold, where it was or how much you were exposed.

If you have a combination of unexplained symptoms, it’s important to find a physician who has experience and training in diagnosing mold illness. Many physicians do not look for environmental causes of chronic illnesses and will not consider the possibility that molds could be the source of your symptoms. However, you should always seek a second opinion when you have a severe or persistent medical condition.

Treatment

Molds produce allergens, irritants and mycotoxins (fungal poisons) that can make people sick. These substances are carried in the air on mold spores and can be inhaled. Molds also release mycotoxins when the fungi grow on food or other organic material. These mycotoxins are then absorbed by the blood and distributed throughout the body. This can be especially dangerous in people with compromised immune systems, such as HIV/AIDS patients or those on chemotherapy.

Mold exposure can cause a variety of symptoms, including eye irritation, nasal congestion, coughing and fatigue. Irritant effects occur primarily on the mucus membranes and are often transient. These irritants are not the same as mold particulates, such as hyphae fragments and spores, which can have significant toxic properties and are associated with serious disease.

The major classes of modern antifungal drugs include triazoles (posaconazole, voriconazole), echinocandins (caspofungin, micafungin, anidulafungin) and AMB-based therapy (fumaric acid esters). These agents have varying degrees of activity against different molds. However, they are typically effective when started early in a mold infection, before the fungal load becomes high and the patient is immunosuppressed.

It is important to rule out other conditions that can mimic mold illness, such as inflammatory bowel disease or fibromyalgia, before making a diagnosis of mold toxicity. In addition, those on long-term immunosuppressive therapy should continue their antifungal medication, even after the mold infestation is resolved, in order to prevent relapse. Your Parsley Health provider can collaborate with your pulmonologist or immunologist to ensure you are receiving the proper care you need.

Prevention

Many people may experience mold allergies or respiratory problems from the spores produced by certain types of molds. These spores can be inhaled, absorbed through the skin or swallowed. Some molds produce toxic substances called mycotoxins, which may cause mold medical manufacturer a variety of health problems including respiratory tract irritation and gastrointestinal distress. Mycotoxins are usually only produced by certain species of mold and in response to specific environmental conditions.

Individuals with weakened immune systems are more likely to suffer adverse effects from mold exposure. Health care facilities should be vigilant to control mold growth, particularly prior to rainy seasons and warmer temperatures when opportunistic fungal infections such as mucormycosis and aspergilloma are most common.

Mold growth is more likely in damp, warm environments and can be difficult to eliminate once it takes hold. Preventative measures include repairing any water leaks, keeping the humidity at 50% or lower with air conditioners and dehumidifiers, and using nonporous cleaning materials. Regular visual inspections of the house or workplace should be made for the early detection of mold problems. If a problem is identified, the mold should be safely removed and the underlying moisture issue addressed. Identifying particular species of mold by bulk or surface sampling before remediation is rarely necessary. A reputable inspector can advise on this. However, it is important to note that mycotoxin levels in contaminated indoor air can vary considerably from one sample to the next.