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Common Molds May be
Responsible for a Surprising Number of Ailments
By Tom Philbin
SHORTLY AFTER Debbie and Ray Bowman moved into
their new home in Seminole, Fla., Debbie started to experience
itchy, watery eyes and a chronically stuffy nose. Thinking
she might be allergic to the plants around her house, she
contacted an allergist, who prescribed a series of medications,
including decongestants, antihistamines and antibiotics. But
Debbie's symptoms got much worse: heavy congestion, headaches
and pain in her ears.
 "At
a luncheon I almost fell over from dizziness," she says.
Meanwhile, her husband had no health problems.
During a vacation in New England, Debbie's symptoms
cleared up, and she remained healthy on her return to Florida
while staying overnight at her mother-in-law's. But when the
Bowmans went back to their own house, Debbie was miserable
again. Finally an allergist suggested that she contact an
air-cleaning firm. When the representative came, he opened
the central air-conditioning system and discovered the source
of all the problems: a colony of thick gray mold.
Millions Allergic
Scientists are documenting what many had long
suspected: household mold can make you sick. Harvard professor
John D. Spengler and colleagues, notably microbiologist Harriet
Burge, have conducted air quality research over many years.
Spengler says that in homes across North America, the presence
of molds and mildew has been associated with increases in
upper and lower-respiratory symptoms. According to the government
affiliated Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Clearinghouse,
as many as 30 percent of U.S. homes have a mold problem. And
experts estimate that between 13 million and 26 million Americans
may be allergic to molds, both indoor and outdoor.
Mold is a fungus, and under the microscope a
typical specimen may look like a plant, featuring a tangle
of threads called a mycelium. When a mold sends its spores
into the air, or its mycelium breaks up and becomes airborne,
people can inhale the particles.
Most people aren't allergic to mold. But the
immune system of those who are often releases histamines,
resulting in a range of adverse reactions, including breathing
difficulty, stuffy nose, sneezing, coughing and irritation
of the eyes or skin. More severe allergic reactions can include
headaches, nausea, fatigue, asthma and an inability to concentrate.
There are hundreds of thousands of species,
and common household molds are Penicillium, Aspergillus and
Cladosporium. These white, green or blue-green, and dark brown
fungi can grow in just a few days. Cladosporium, for instance,
forms on bathroom windows where water condenses. These molds
often cause relatively mild allergic responses, though they
can lead to more serious problems.
Some other molds may be much more hazardous.
In the mid-1990s doctors at Cleveland's Rainbow Babies and
Children's Hospital noticed that a larger than usual number
of infants were being admitted with bleeding lungs -- pulmonary
hemorrhage -- and some were dying from the ailment. Investigators
found that water damage from flooding and various leaks was
much more common in the homes of infants with pulmonary hemorrhage;
some homes had slimy black molds growing, including Stachybotrys
Atra, which may contain poisons that cause internal bleeding.
Fortunately, such molds are considered to be rare indoors.
Of course, not all allergic reactions are caused
by mold; dust and pollen could also be the cause. There are
now simple tests that check for allergies to dozens of molds.
In one of these tests, the "prick test," a doctor
applies a mold allergen to the skin, then pricks the skin
without drawing blood. If the area develops a welt , you have
a mold antibody.
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