Black mold and all indoor-growing molds can cause respiratory and skin health effects in humans. Some people get allergic reactions or experience flare-ups of underlying medical conditions. Children as well as adults with chronic lung diseases have high risks for mold illnesses. Anyone can experience symptoms, however, from entering an environment where mold grows and breathing in the airborne reproductive spores. Lengthy exposure can lead to chronic, irreversible respiratory conditions. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC, recommend removing all indoor molds.
Acute Symptoms
Coughing, runny nose and itchy eyes mark the first signs of mold illness, which appear shortly after environmental contact and persist while the patient remains in the area. MayoClinic.com reports that health effects may progress to sneezing, nasal and sinus congestion, teary eyes and postnasal drip. The CDC notes that some people get contact dermatitis after touching items infested with black mold. This may result in a red, itchy rash with raised bumps.
Asthma and Eczema Triggers
Airborne allergens, including black mold spores, can set off attacks of asthma or atopic dermatitis in people who have those conditions. According to MayoClinic.com, asthma patients may begin to wheeze and have difficulty breathing after exposure to black mold. These asthma complications of mold illness may require treatment with a rescue inhaler or doctor-administered drugs.
Individuals with atopic dermatitis, or eczema, experience bouts of skin symptoms after inhaling allergens such as mold. The American Academy of Dermatology advises eczema patients to address indoor air quality to reduce their environmental mold triggers at home.
Lung Inflammation
People who inhabit moldy areas at work or at home for long periods of time place their bodies into a state of perpetual inflammation. The CDC reports that they may acquire hypersensitivity pneumonitis, a mold illness characterized by extreme lung inflammation. This state creates breathing problems and may be accompanied by fever or chills. Patients who don't treat pneumonitis may suffer permanent health effects on lung tissue and develop chronic lung disease.
Lung Infection
Mold inhalation poses additional risks for people with compromised respiratory and immune systems. Patients with cancer, HIV, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are more susceptible than normal to fungal infection.
The sinuses and lungs can house ingested mold spores, notes the Merck Medical Library. When these grow, they cause severe health effects such as internal bleeding and blood clot formation. Mold infections, or aspergillosis, can spread to the liver and kidneys and create life-threatening medical emergencies.
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