| Q 1.
I heard about toxic molds that grow in homes and other buildings.
Should I be concerned about a serious health risk to me and my
family? |
A. The hazards presented by
molds that may contain mycotoxins should be considered the same as
other common molds which can grow in your house. There is always a
little mold everywhere - in the air and on many surfaces. There
are very few case reports that toxic molds (those containing
certain mycotoxins) inside homes can cause unique or rare health
conditions such as pulmonary hemorrhage or memory loss. These case
reports are rare, and a causal link between the presence of the
toxic mold and these conditions has not been proven. A
common-sense approach should be used for any mold contamination
existing inside buildings and homes. The common health concerns
from molds include hay fever-like allergic symptoms. Certain
individuals with chronic respiratory disease (chronic obstructive
pulmonary disorder, asthma) may experience difficulty breathing.
Individuals with immune suppression may be at increased risk for
infection from molds. If you or your family members have these
conditions, a qualified medical clinician should be consulted for
diagnosis and treatment. For the most part, one should take
routine measures to prevent mold growth in the home.
|
| Q 2.
How common is mold, including Stachybotrys chartarum (also
known by its synonym Stachybotrys atra) in buildings? |
A. Molds are very common in buildings
and homes and will grow anywhere indoors where there is moisture.
The most common indoor molds are Cladosporium, Penicillium,
Aspergillus, and Alternaria. We do not have accurate
information about how often Stachybotrys chartarum is found
in buildings and homes. While it is less common than other mold
species, it is not rare.
|
| Q 3.
How do molds get in the indoor environment and how do they grow? |
A. Molds naturally grow in the indoor
environment. Mold spores may also enter your house through open
doorways, windows, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning
systems. Spores in the air outside also attach themselves to
people and animals, making clothing, shoes, bags, and pets
convenient vehicles for carrying mold indoors.
When mold spores drop on places where there is excessive moisture,
such as where leakage may have occurred in roofs, pipes, walls,
plant pots, or where there has been flooding, they will grow. Many
building materials provide suitable nutrients that encourage mold
to grow. Wet cellulose materials, including paper and paper
products, cardboard, ceiling tiles, wood, and wood products, are
particularly conducive for the growth of some molds. Other
materials such as dust, paints, wallpaper, insulation materials,
drywall, carpet, fabric, and upholstery, commonly support mold
growth.
|
| Q 4.
What is Stachybotrys chartarum (Stachybotrys atra)? |
A. Stachybotrys chartarum
(also known by its synonym Stachybotrys atra) is a
greenish-black mold. It can grow on material with a high cellulose
and low nitrogen content, such as fiberboard, gypsum board, paper,
dust, and lint. Growth occurs when there is moisture from water
damage, excessive humidity, water leaks, condensation, water
infiltration, or flooding. Constant moisture is required for its
growth. It is not necessary, however, to determine what type of
mold you may have. All molds should be treated the same with
respect to potential health risks and removal.
|
| Q 5.
Are there any circumstances where people should vacate a home or
other building because of mold? |
A. These decisions have to be made
individually. If you believe you are ill because of exposure to
mold in a building, you should consult your physician to determine
the appropriate action to take.
|
| Q 6.
Who are the people who are most at risk for health problems
associated with exposure to mold? |
A. People with allergies may be more
sensitive to molds. People with immune suppression or underlying
lung disease are more susceptible to fungal infections.
|
| Q 7.
How do you know if you have a mold problem? |
| A. Large mold infestations can
usually be seen or smelled. |
| Q 8.
Does Stachybotrys chartarum (Stachybotrys atra)
cause acute idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage among infants? |
A. To date, a possible association
between acute idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage among infants and Stachybotrys
chartarum (Stachybotrys atra) has not been proved.
Further studies are needed to determine what causes acute
idiopathic hemorrhage.
|
| Q 9.
What if my child has acute idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage? |
A. Parents should ensure that their
children get proper medical treatment.
|
| Q 10.
What are the potential health effects of mold in buildings and
homes? |
A. Mold exposure does not always
present a health problem indoors. However some people are
sensitive to molds. These people may experience symptoms such as
nasal stuffiness, eye irritation, or wheezing when exposed to
molds. Some people may have more severe reactions to molds. 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. People with chronic illnesses, such as obstructive lung
disease, may develop mold infections in their lungs.
|
| Q 11.
How do you get the molds out of buildings, including homes,
schools, and places of employment? |
A. In most cases mold can be removed
by a thorough cleaning with bleach and water. If you have an
extensive amount of mold and you do not think you can manage the
cleanup on your own, you may want to contact a professional who
has experience in cleaning mold in buildings and homes.
|
| Q 12.
What should people to do if they determine they have Stachybotrys
chartarum (Stachybotrys atra) in their buildings or
homes? |
A. Mold growing in homes and
buildings, whether it is Stachybotrys chartarum (Stachybotrys
atra) or other molds, indicates that there is a problem with
water or moisture. This is the first problem that needs to be
addressed. Mold can be cleaned off surfaces with a weak bleach
solution. Mold under carpets typically requires that the carpets
be removed. Once mold starts to grow in insulation or wallboard
the only way to deal with the problem is by removal and
replacement. We do not believe that one needs to take any
different precautions with Stachybotrys chartarum (Stachybotrys
atra), than with other molds. In areas where flooding has
occurred, prompt cleaning of walls and other flood-damaged items
with water mixed with chlorine bleach, diluted 10 parts water to 1
part bleach, is necessary to prevent mold growth. Never mix bleach
with ammonia. Moldy items should be discarded.
|
| Q 13.
How do you keep mold out of buildings and homes? |
A. As part of routine building
maintenance, buildings should be inspected for evidence of water
damage and visible mold. The conditions causing mold (such as
water leaks, condensation, infiltration, or flooding) should be
corrected to prevent mold from growing.
|
Specific Recommendations:
 | Keep humidity level in house below 50%.
| Use air conditioner or a dehumidifier during
humid months.
| Be sure the home has adequate ventilation,
including exhaust fans
in kitchen and bathrooms.
| Use mold inhibitors which can be added to
paints.
| Clean bathroom with mold-killing products.
| Do not carpet bathrooms.
| Remove and replace flooded carpets. |
| | | | | |
|
| Q 14.
I found mold growing in my home; how do I test the mold? |
A 14. Generally, it is not necessary
to identify the species of mold growing in a residence, and CDC
does not recommend routine sampling for molds. Current evidence
indicates that allergies are the type of diseases most often
associated with molds. Since the susceptibility of individuals can
vary greatly either because of the amount or type of mold,
sampling and culturing are not reliable in determining your health
risk. If you are susceptible to mold and mold is seen or smelled,
there is a potential health risk; therefore, no matter what type
of mold is present, you should arrange for its removal.
Furthermore, reliable sampling for mold can be expensive, and
standards for judging what is and what is not an acceptable or
tolerable quantity of mold have not been established.
|
Q 15.
A qualified environmental lab took samples of the mold in my home
and gave me the results. Can CDC interpret these results?
|
A 15. Standards for judging what is
an acceptable, tolerable, or normal quantity of mold have not been
established. If you do decide to pay for environmental sampling
for molds, before the work starts, you should ask the consultants
who will do the work to establish criteria for interpreting the
test results. They should tell you in advance what they will do or
what recommendations they will make based on the sampling results.
The results of samples taken in your unique situation cannot be
interpreted without physical inspection of the contaminated area
or without considering the building’s characteristics and the
factors that led to the present condition.
|
| Summary:
In summary, Stachybotrys chartarum (Stachybotrys
atra) and other molds may cause health symptoms that are
nonspecific. At
present there is no test that proves an association between Stachybotrys
chartarum (Stachybotrys atra) and particular health symptoms.
Individuals with persistent symptoms should see their physician.
However, if Stachybotrys chartarum (Stachybotrys atra) or
other molds are found in a building, prudent practice recommends
that they be removed. Use
the simplest and most expedient method that properly and safely
removes mold. |
|
March 10, 2000 : MMWR
Update: Pulmonary Hemorrhage/Hemosiderosis Among Infants ---
Cleveland, Ohio, 1993-1996
Report
to the CDC Working Group on Pulmonary Hemorrhage/Hemosiderosis
- June 17, 1999
Some additional information on fungi and fungal
diseases at the CDC Web site:
CDC/NCID Division of Bacterial and Mycotic
Diseases: Fungal
Diseases
NIOSH publication: HISTOPLASMOSIS:
Protecting Workers at Risk
Emerging Infectious Diseases article: "Emerging
Disease Issues and Fungal Pathogens Associated with HIV Infection"
by Neil M. Ampel, M.D. University of Arizona College of Medicine,
Tucson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Tucson, Arizona, USA
Emerging Infectious Diseases article: "Coccidioidomycosis:
A Reemerging Infectious Disease" by Theo N. Kirkland,
M.D., and Joshua Fierer, M.D., Departments of Pathology and
Medicine, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine
and Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Diego,
California, USA
California Department of Health Services
Indoor Air Quality
Info Sheet
Mold in My Home: What Do I Do? July 2001
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