|
Toxic Mold Spring Special Save $100.00 inspection package Click Here.
|
||||
| What about MOLD? | Mold Types & Images | Mold FAQ'S | ||
|
Posted by Kathy M. Monday,30 July 2001 on the Mold-Help Website. We have borrowed this article because we feel that this one of the best descriptions of the GROWING MOLD PROBLEM that we have found. Thank You Kathy. Mold has certainly made it's way into people's homes as well as the headlines recently. Many people still don't fully understand the health hazards of fungal exposure. Airborne mycotoxins from certain types of mold can definitely destroy your health. Sometimes, people are unaware that they are breathing mold spores and mycotoxins until they are very sick. Some people have a minor allergic reactions to the non-toxic mold, but once you leave the affected area they most likely recover with few serious side effects. However, if they have been exposed to the dangerous molds such as Stachybotrys or Chaetomium, they could suffer from a myriad of serious symptoms and illnesses such as chronic bronchitis, learning disabilities, mental deficiencies, heart problems, cancer, multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple chemical sensitivity, bleeding lungs and much more. Unfortunately, the government has failed to establish guidelines that determine unhealthful amounts of poor indoor air quality standards, making it impossible for thousands of sick people to obtain help during this looming national health crisis. This is the main reason why so many people are confused about the damage mold can cause. As most know, many molds can cause allergens that can affect some of the population, but some molds can also cause toxins, which can affect everyone, depending on the length of exposure. Approximately 25 million Americans suffer from allergic reactions to molds yet most of them don’t even realize that when they’re sneezing and sniffling the cause could be from fungi. The molds that produce airborne toxins that can cause serious symptoms, such as breathing difficulties, memory and hearing loss, dizziness, flu-like symptoms, and acid reflux. Common ailments from toxigenic mold---including allergies (hypersensitivity after initial toxicity), and excessive bruising---usually can be treated and reduced after people leave their contaminated environment. Often medication, diet, and other treatment protocols are necessary. But other health problems may remain permanently, such as brain damage and weakened immune systems. Eyesight, memory, coordination/balance, and hearing are generally the most common residual effects that often do not improve after treatment in most cases. Molds can be found wherever there is moisture, oxygen, and something to feed on. In the fall, they grow on rotting logs and fallen leaves, especially in moist, shady areas. In gardens, they can be found in compost piles and on certain grasses and weeds. Molds grow in our homes in moist warm areas like damp basements, closets, and bathrooms, even after the moisture has dried up. Also, molds can grow in places where fresh food is stored, refrigerator drip trays, house plants, humidifiers, garbage pails, mattresses, upholstered furniture, or foam rubber pillows. The worst place that molds can grow, however, is inside wall cavities and flooring of our homes, wherever there may be cellulose materials they can feed on, such as wood, ceiling tiles, or plasterboard, even if they are not visible, and they have sustained water damage at one time or another. This is very common if there has been a plumbing leak or a defective or worn roof. Many people are either unaware, ignorant, or in denial about the severe health hazards involved with some types of indoor household molds. Molds come in thousands of different varieties, but a few who are some of the offenders that invade our homes. Alternaria and Cladosporium are the molds most commonly found both indoors and outdoors throughout the United States. Aspergillus, Penicillium, Helminthosporium, Epicoccum, Fusarium, Mucor, Rhizopus, and Aureobasidium are also common. One of the mycotoxins, aflatoxin, is produced by the fungi Penicillium, Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. Four different aflatoxins, B1, B2, G1 and G2, have been identified with B1 being the most toxic, carcinogenic and prevalent. Another very dangerous family of toxin producers is Fusarium. The toxins zearalenone, trichothecenes or moniliformin can be formed by various types of Fusarium including F. moniliforme, F. oxysporum, F. culmorum, F. avenaceum, F. equiseti, F. roseum, and F. nivale. The most dangerous mold strains are: Chaetomium (pronounced Kay-toe-MEE-yum) and Stachybotrys chartarum (pronounced Stack-ee-BOT-ris Shar-TAR-um)
as they have been proven to produce demylenating mycotoxins among others, meaning they can lead to autoimmune disease. Under certain growth and environmental conditions, both of these fungi release toxic, microscopic spores and several types of mycotoxins that can cause the worst symptoms which are usually irreversible such as neurological and immunological damage. Some of these natural mycotoxins include a very strong class known as trichothecenes. Trichothecenes are also produced by several common molds including species in the genera Acremonium, Cylindrocarpon, Dendrodochium, Myrothecium, Trichoderma, and Trichothecium. The trichothecenes are potent inhibitors of DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis, and have been well studied in animal models because of concern about their potential misuse as agents of biological warfare, due to their ability to destroy human health (mentally and physically), and never appear in an autopsy. The disturbing factor about airborne mycotoxins is that it is impossible to know how much damage they have caused to one's health until it is too late. Therefore, It is imperative to not knowingly expose oneself even for brief periods of time in any place that smells moldy or has an appearance of mold or mildew. If you suspect that the air quality in your home is being compromised by mold spores you can have the air tested, but it can be quite expensive in some instances. It's worth it if it helps save your health. We offer these services at a very reasonable cost. You will find that our cost is generally lower than most, but this in no way compromises the value of our work. Some molds are cryophytes (these adapt to low temperatures), some are thermo tolerant (they adapt to a wide range of temperatures) and some are thermophiles (they adapt to high temperatures). Depending on the species, these microbes will grow just about anywhere. Not even a fire in excess of 500 degrees Fahrenheit has been able to destroy some molds such as Stachybotrys, (Molds, Mycotoxins, and Human Health; 2000, Dr. Michael Gray). Mold requires a compatible temperature for each species. Environmental factors (temperature, nitrogen, oxygen, etc. ) are necessary compounds for indoor molds to thrive. Mold also needs an organic source of food. People might be confused as mold can grow on glass, tile, stainless steel, cookware, etc., but it is generally feeding off of some organic source deposited on this material (oils, film, dirt, skin cells, etc. ). The fiberglass insulation which some assume that mold does not grow on their product which is a fairly true statement, however, it grows on the organic debris that become trapped in these products. Mold also grows on things such as wood, fabric, leather, gypsum, fiberboard, drywall, stucco, and many insulation fibrous materials. All molds require some form of moisture to grow however, like temperature, the amount of moisture varies for different species. Some are xerophillic (colonize under very dry conditions) some are xerotolerant (colonize under a wide range of moisture levels) and some are hydrophilic (colonize at high moisture levels). It does not have to be a leak. . . Humidity or moisture content of the substrate can often be sufficient (relative humidity 50% start becoming problematic in many indoor cases.) It can spread very easily through any HVAC system. Mycotoxins are examples of chemical substances that molds create generally as secondary metabolites, thought to possibly play a role in either helping to prepare the substrate on which they exist for digestion, as defense mechanisms, and some have suggested that they may be produced when the organisms are under stress, which could be related to competition/defense, or simply due to inhospitable environmental conditions. The mycotoxins, which are also neurotoxins (a toxin that is determined to cause neurological damage), most commonly reach people from the air, via spores from the molds in question. They are also found in small particulates at times which may often represent mold dust, small particles of mold that has dried and turned to dust. Spores, when inhaled, can begin to colonize in the sinuses and throughout the body, including the brain, lung and gut after a period of time. Sick buildings are one of the major causes of fungal illness, primarily mycotoxicosis, in industrialized nations today. The United States is the least developed in fungal illness research and assistament to the community due to the high costs and fear of reprisals, so sadly, most American physicians have little or no education in treating this health crisis. The average American physician knows only how to identify a mold hyphae under a microscope, at best. Mycotoxicosis, often mistakenly called "Toxic Mold Syndrome" out of ignorance, has reached epidemic proportions at a national level in the United States due to defective construction, lack of regular maintenance, shoddy and inappropriate building materials, ignorance, and lack of government involvement; all or in part due to the high costs of standard and substandard remediation. This illness has been so misunderstood, some who profit from the misfortunes of these poor individuals even go so low as to claim that there is no evidence to back up the fact that mold can cause permanent neurological, psychological, immunological and pathological damage, despite the medical data from well respected physicians all over the world. Paecilomyces variotii
Testimony to U.S. Congress, July 2002 (Below) State of the Science on Molds and Human Health (PDF)
Fungal hyphae
|
Provided by Mold-Help.org, these are some of the more common household molds found during our inspections, in our Chicagoland area. Aspergillus (sinusitis)
Aspergillus disease can proliferate in the sinuses leading to Aspergillus sinusitis. In those with normal immune systems, stuffiness of the nose, chronic headache or discomfort in the face is common. Drainage of the sinus, by surgery, usually cures the problem, unless the Aspergillus has entered the sinuses deep inside the skull. Then antifungal drugs and surgery is usually successful. Chaetomium
Commonly found on deteriorating wood products, chaetomium frequently emits a musty odor and is frequently found on water-damaged drywall and other lower cost construction products often used in the United Sates. It's health effects have not been well studied, however some rare compounds have on occasion been identified as mutagenic. Currently, more definitive studies are being conducted with some rather distressing results. More... Cladosporium
Cladosporium is the genera most frequently encountered in both outdoor and indoor air. It is frequently found in elevated levels in water-damaged environments. Some species may be resistant to certain types of treated lumber. Cladosporium appears gray to black or very dark green and can have a powdery appearance. The genus Cladosporium includes over 30 species. The most common ones include Cladosporium elatum, Cladosporium herbarum, Cladosporium sphaerospermum, and Cladosporium cladosporioides. More... Penicillium & Stachybotrys growing on wallboard
Penicillium
Mucor hiemalis is a fungus which may be allergenic (skin and bronchial tests). There may have been scattered reports of individuals who have been infected by this fungus through wounds. These were reported as a causation agent of a primary cutaneousmycosis in an otherwise healthy person. This organism may cause an infection called "mucorosis" in immune compromised individuals (i. e., transplant recipient, herpes, common cold). The sites of infection are the lung, nasal sinus, brain, eye, and skin. Infections may have multiple sites. More... Stachybotrys Chartarum (Black Mold) In many cases, you won't even even see it, as it grows between the walls and in hidden places - This is one of the biggest problems. . .
Stachybotrys is a greenish black mold that grows on material with a high cellulose content or such as hay, straw, wicker, and wood chips, as well as building materials such as ceiling tile, drywall, paper vapor barriers, wallpaper, insulation backing, cardboard boxes, paper files, fiberboard, the paper covering of gypsum wallboard, particleboard, jute, dust, and wood when these items become water damaged. This mold requires very wet or high humid conditions for days or weeks in order to grow. Excessive indoor humidity resulting in water vapor condensation on walls, plumbing leaks, spills from showering or bathing, water leaking through foundations or roofs may lead to growth of many types of mold, including stachybotrys.
Individuals with chronic exposure to toxins produced by this fungus reported cold and flu symptoms, memory loss, muscle aches, sore throats, diarrhea, headaches, fatigue, dermatitis, intermittent local hair loss, cancer, and generalized malaise. The toxins produced by this fungus will suppress and could destroy the immune system affecting the lymphoid tissue and the bone marrow. Animals injected with the toxin from this fungus exhibited the following symptoms: necrosis and hemorrhage within the brain, thymus, spleen, intestine, lung, heart, lymph node, liver, and kidney. Affects by absorption of the toxin in the human lung are known as pneumomycosis. The toxins may also suppress the immune system. In the January 17 issue of the MMWR, stachybotrys was implicated in a cluster of fatal pulmonary hemorrhage/hemosiderosis among infants. More... And also:
Description and Natural Habitats
Stachybotrys is a filamentous fungus occasionally isolated as a contaminant from nature and indoor environments. The geographic distribution of Stachybotrys is wide. It has been isolated from contaminated grains, tobacco, insulator foams, indoor air, and water-damaged buildings. Stachybotrys produces trichothecene mycotoxins known as satratoxins. These toxins may lead to pathological changes in animal and human tissues More... Rhizopus
Frequently found in house dust, soil, fruits, nuts, and seeds, rhizopus often grows in fruit and vegetable garbage, or in forgotten leftover food. Exposure to large numbers of rhizopus spores has reportedly caused respiratory complications. Rhizopus can be an allergen and opportunistic pathogen for immunocompromised individuals, especially those with diabetic ketoacidosis, malnutrition, severe burns, or in some cases, the common cold. May cause mucorosis in immune compromised individuals. The sites of infection are the lung, nasal sinus passages, brain, eyes, and skin. Infection may have multiple sites. This mold produces mycotoxins, which can be inhaled and ingested. Occupies a biological niche similar to Mucor allergen/toxin. The Zygomycetous fungus is reported to be allergenic/toxigen, as well. As with all toxigenic molds, this fungus can alter DNA and cause permanent neurological, psychological, pathological, and immunological damage. Cases of mucormycosis from rhizopus infection. This so-called non invasive mold has disfigured many individuals, who had seemingly effective immune systems. Systemic Fungal Disease - Mycotoxicosis: Ill patients approached us from an evacuated apartment building with several million IAQ counts of toxigenic fungi. These were the highest counts we had ever seen.
In this study, most of whose host defense mechanisms were compromised from toxigenic fungal exposure ranged from minor to fatal and often are caused by organisms that normally reside on or inside body surfaces. In the hospital setting, they frequently result from colonization by antibiotic-resistant organisms (opportunistic fungi) and unskilled physicians who often misdiagnose, disregard, and prescribe drugs that can be potentially detrimental to the immunocompromised hypersensitized patient who often are unknowlingly poisoned by the to T-2 mycotoxins they have been exposed to in the sick building they have been exposed to.
The American medical industry, who is generally trained in finding a “quick fix” to the immediate symptoms with often ineffective pharmaceuticals, rather than finding a permanent corrective action plan. This generates a great disservice to the general public, who is basically trusting and ignorant to doctors upon their initial consultation, until they discover that these placebo treatments are ineffective and the patient is making no progress; sometimes too late in regards to finding aggressive and alternative treatment options for these patients who are at times, gravely ill. Host
defense mechanisms--physiologic, anatomic, or immunologic--may be
altered or breached by disease or trauma or by procedures or agents used
for diagnosis or therapy. Infections in this setting, often called
opportunistic infections, occur if antimicrobial therapy alters the
normal relationship between host and microbe or if host defense
mechanisms have been altered by age, burns, neoplasms, metabolic
disorders, irradiation, foreign bodies, immunosuppressive or cyto The
underlying alteration predisposes the patient to infections from
endogenous micro flora that is nonpathogenic or from ordinarily
harmless, saprophytic organisms acquired by contact with other patients,
hospital personnel, or equipment. These organisms may be bacteria,
fungi, viruses, or other parasites; the precise character of the host's
altered defenses determines which organisms are likely to be involved.
These organisms are often resistant to multiple antibiotics, as they
contain fungi. Drug Therapy and Impaired Host Defense Mechanisms Antibiotics
alter the normal micro flora of the skin, mucous membranes, and GI tract
and may result in colonization by new organisms. Colonization is
harmless unless followed by super infection, which refers to invasion by
indigenous or environmental organisms resistant to the administered
antibiotic. Factors predisposing to super infection include extremes of
age, debilitating diseases, and prolonged treatment with antibiotics,
especially broad-spectrum ones. Super infections usually appear on the
4th or 5th day of therapy and may convert a benign, self-limited disease
into a serious, prolonged, or even fatal one. The diagnosis of super
infection by a normally commensal organism is certain only when the
organism is recovered from blood, CSF, or body cavity fluid. Corticosteroids,
often mistakenly prescribed by unskilled or uninformed physicians
looking for a “quick fix,”
alter many aspects of host defenses; one of the most important is
inhibition of the movement of neutrophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes
into the inflammatory exudate. Corticosteroids may reactivate quiescent
pulmonary TB, histoplasmosis, coccidioidomycosis, and blastomycosis.
Patients receiving corticosteroid treatment (especially in high dose)
for RA, ulcerative colitis, asthma, sarcoidosis, SLE, pemphigus, or
Cushing's syndrome have increased susceptibility to infection from usual
and unusual bacteria and tend to develop infections with chaetomium and
stachybotrys, as previously mentioned. Aggressive
treatment is necessary to end myco
This is an excerpt from the Finnish Journal of Environmental Medicine - Establishing effective protocols for systemic fungal disease; especially in North American patients For more complete Mold Information please visit But please remember us for your Inspection and control needs. |
This information is for people who have or may have mold problems in their homes. It presents the health concerns associated with mold exposure and advice on finding and removing mold contamination. What is Mold?Molds are fungi. Molds grow throughout the natural and built environment. Tiny particles of mold are present in indoor and outdoor air. In nature, molds help break down dead materials and can be found growing on soil, foods, plant matter, and other items. Molds produce microscopic cells called "spores" which are very tiny and spread easily through the air. Live spores act like seeds, forming new mold growths (colonies) when they find the right conditions. What does mold need to grow?Mold only needs a few simple things to grow and multiply: Moisture. Nutrients. Suitable place to grow. Of these, controlling excess moisture is the key to preventing and stopping indoor mold growth. Should I be concerned about mold in my home?Mold should not be permitted to grow and multiply indoors. When this happens, health problems can occur and building materials, goods and furnishings may be damaged. Health EffectsCan mold make me and my family sick?Mold can affect the health of people who are exposed to it. People are mainly exposed to mold by breathing spores or other tiny fragments. People can also be exposed through skin contact with mold contaminants (for example, by touching moldy surfaces) and by swallowing it. The type and severity of health effects that mold may produce are usually difficult to predict. The risks can vary greatly from one location to another, over time, and from person to person. What symptoms might I see?The most common health problems caused by indoor mold are allergy symptoms. Although other and more serious problems can occur, people exposed to mold commonly report problems such as: Nasal and Sinus Congestion, Cough, Wheeze, sneezing, sore throat, skin, and eye irritation, upper respiratory infections, sinus infections, frequent colds, flu like symptoms, and more... Are the risks greater for some people?There is wide variability in how different people are affected by indoor mold. However, the long term presence of indoor mold growth may eventually become unhealthy for anyone. The following types of people may be affected more severely and sooner than others: Infants/children, the elderly, people with respiratory illness such as Asthma and allergies, people with immune deficiency problems such as HIV, Chemotherapy patients, and organ transplant recipients. Those with special health concerns should consult a medical professional if they feel their health is affected by indoor mold. Are some molds more hazardous than others?Some types of mold can produce chemical compounds (called mycotoxins) although they do not always do so. Molds that are able to produce toxins are common. In some circumstances, the toxins produced by indoor mold may cause health problems. However, all indoor mold growth is potentially harmful and should be removed promptly, no matter what types of mold is present or whether it can produce toxins. Is there a mold problem?Molds are always found in the air outside and in all buildings. They come into the home in many ways —through open windows or doors, on clothing, pets, food or furniture. The problem starts when mold grows inside the home. Some mold growing, for example on the window sill but not elsewhere, is not a cause of concern. You can clean the mold yourself. The presence of mold is a sign that there is too much moisture in your home—a situation which must be corrected. Have your home Inspected by a professional such as Fungi Finders to find the extent of the mold problem. How does MOLD enter the home? Mold spreads by creating reproductive cells called spores and sending them into the environment. Mold spores are too small to detect with the naked eye. They are everywhere around us and you cannot avoid being exposed to them. Mold spores travel in the air and attach to people's skin, clothing, shoes, shopping bags and belongings. Other ways spores can enter your home invisibly are:
Once spores enter, they can settle onto carpeting or other surfaces inside your home. You cannot keep spores out of your home, but regular home cleaning and maintenance often can prevent mold problems before they arise. How can I prevent mold from growing in my home? While mold spores are all around us, mold growth can be prevented. As mentioned earlier, mold growing in your home requires MOISTURE, WARMTH, and FOOD. Depriving mold of any of these three items will stop it from growing, but it will not kill the mold that is already there. Mold spores will remain dormant, and if the moisture, warmth and food all reappear, mold will begin to grow again. The most important steps in controlling mold growth are to clean any existing mold and to eliminate excessive moisture. You can take numerous precautionary steps:
|
||
