Many people do not react adversely to contact with mold and mildew, but in sensitive individuals or people with mold allergies, mildew or mold exposure can have wide-ranging health effects. Hay fever-like symptoms make some people miserable, while others face life-threatening infections or breathing problems. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend clearing out any type or amount of indoor mold and mildew fungal growths. Some concentrations, such as in heavily water-damaged interiors, can cause respiratory illness in otherwise healthy children and adults.
Itching Sensations
When people who are mold-sensitive or who have mold allergies inhale fungal spores in indoor air, their bodies release histamines to fight off them off. Histamines cause itching and inflammation, initially in the eyes and skin. According to the University of Maryland (UM) Medical Center, patients who fall ill from mold exposure may show red, puffy eyes that itch and overflow with tears. They may experience internal itching in the mouth and throat, or skin itching or rash anywhere on the body.
Respiratory Disorders
Histamines create additional health effects in the respiratory tract after mildew or mold exposure. A runny nose, sniffling and sneezing may make breathing more difficult. As inflammation reaches the sinuses, stuffy-nose congestion further blocks the nasal passages, and as the body attempts to discharge inhaled allergens, coughing occurs. The overall effect of airway blockage can cause wheezing and shortness of breath. The CDC notes these symptoms can arise in people with or without mold allergies, if the level of airborne allergens is great enough.
Disease Complications
People with mold allergies who also have asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other respiratory problems may have more severe health effects, the CDC relates. Emergency asthma or COPD conditions can be triggered by mold exposure, requiring immediate medication to ease severe wheezing, chest tightness and shortness of breath. These individuals, as well as patients who have cancer or who have had organ transplants, possess a higher-than-normal risk for opportunistic fungal infections, the CDC warns. Inhaled mold and mildew can inhabit the lungs or sinuses and begin to grow, potentially spreading to other systems of the body.
Lung Dysfunction
When adverse reactions to mold and mildew allergens occur repeatedly, a state of hypersensitivity pneumonitis may develop. This inflammatory lung condition irritates the airways. As the UM Medical Center reports, untreated cases and continued exposure to mold can result in chronic pneumonitis, a breakdown in lung tissue and irreversible lung disease. Health effects include chronic breathing difficulty and a loss of appetite and weight.
Member Comments