How a Mold Inspection Could Prevent Allergies

Mold Allergies are probably the most common reaction to contact with molds. Atopic individuals (those who experience allergic reactions or who have sensitivities to molds) who are exposed to mold, mold spores, or mold byproducts may manifest allergic reactions once they become vulnerable (sensitized) to the particular mold. The reactions can run the spectrum, from very mild and temporary reactions to acute, chronic illness. Of course, molds are simply one of the causes of indoor allergens. Other common causes include dust mites, cockroaches, effluvia from domestic pets and other microorganisms (molds are included in this category).

However, according to The Institute of Medicine:

1 in 5 Americans suffer from allergic rhinitis, the most common chronic disease in humans.

1 in 9 Americans suffer from allergy-related sinusitis.

1 in 10 Americans have allergic-related asthma.

1 in 11 Americans experience allergic dermatitis.

Less than 1 in 100 Americans suffer from serious chronic allergic diseases.

These statistics indicate that allergic reactions are extremely common in humans. Often times, the specific cause of the allergies is in question. Recently, the existence of mold in homes and workplaces has cropped up as a very real possibility as the cause of some of these allergic reactions.

Many different types of molds can put their spores and byproducts into the air, but only a few purified mold allergens are available for allergy tests. Individuals can become sensitized to certain molds, but this may not always be cited by a health care professional as a mold-related allergy. A positive mold allergy test indicates that an individual is susceptible to a specific allergen, but testing negative doesn't necessarily rule out a mold allergy.

According to the recently released report from the World Health Organization, the WHO Guidelines for Indoor Air Quality – Dampness and Mold:

1. Sufficient epidemiological evidence from studies conducted in different countries and climatic conditions shows that occupants of damp or moldy buildings, both homes and public buildings, are at increased risk of experiencing respiratory symptoms, respiratory infections and exacerbations of asthma. Some evidence suggests an increased risk of developing allergic rhinitis and asthma. Although not many intervention studies are available, their results show that remediation of dampness problems leads to a reduction in adverse health outcomes.

2. There is clinical evidence that exposures to molds and other dampness-related microbial agents increase the risk of rare conditions, such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis/allergic alveolitis, chronic rhinosinusitis and allergic fungal sinusitis.

3. Toxicological evidence in vivo and in vitro supports these findings by showing diverse inflammatory and toxic responses after exposure to specific microorganisms isolated from damp buildings, including their spores, metabolites and components.

4. While groups such as atopic and allergic individuals are particularly susceptible to exposures to biological and chemical agents in damp indoor environments, adverse health effects have also been widely demonstrated in non-atopic populations.

5. The increased prevalence of asthma and allergies in many countries increases the number of people susceptible to the effects of dampness and mold in buildings.

6. The prevalence of indoor dampness ranges widely within and among countries, continents and climate zones. It is estimated to be in the order of 10–50% of the indoor environments in Europe and North America, as well as in Australia, India and Japan. In some specific settings, such as river valleys or coastal areas, conditions of dampness are substantially higher than national averages.

For more information about mold allergies and a link to this WHO report (WHO Guidelines for Indoor Air Quality – Dampness and Mold) go to our BLOG by clicking on this link.

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MOLD ALLERGIES
MOLD EXPOSURE
MOLD INFECTIONS
MOLD TOXICITIES