Contact with black mold holds risks for healthy people as well as those with underlying health conditions. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that suspected toxic effects of mold exposure in humans, however, have not been proven.
While inhaling mold spores themselves won't poison people, complications of some health conditions can have fatal results. To reduce dangerous health risks to children and adults with respiratory or immune system issues, the CDC suggests removing all visible mold colonies from indoor environments.
Mold Allergies
The symptoms of mold allergies can be uncomfortable and persistent, and contribute to long-term health damage. People who have sensitivities to black mold may develop allergic reactions, which will reoccur every time they come into contact with certain fungi. The Mayo Clinic notes that mold allergies can't be cured but can be treated.
Short-term symptoms may include mild to intense itching in the eyes, ears, nose and throat. The inflammation that causes additional coughing, sneezing, runny nose and sinus congestion may hold immediate health risks for people with other respiratory diseases. Over the long term, the Mayo Clinic reports, inflammation from high-level mold exposure can become chronic and damage the lungs.
Asthma
Children with asthma, who may need adult assistance with emergency treatment, must especially be protected from mold exposure. People with asthma risk attacks of restricted breathing triggered by allergic responses to black mold, the CDC reports. The Mayo Clinic notes that damage to the airways and lungs leave asthma patients with greater health risks for fungal infection as well. Those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease may show similar reactions to mold, including coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath.
Infectious Disease
Mold exposure affords the opportunity for fungi to enter the lungs, ears or sinuses, settle and grow. Aspergillosis infections can occur in anyone but most often affects patients with compromised respiratory systems or reduced immunity. As the Merck Medical Library reports, health risks include internal bleeding, breathing restriction and the spread of infection to other organs. Surgery can successfully remove some invasive infections, but damage to kidney or liver tissue can quickly cause death.
Lung Complications
The risk of damage to lung tissue comes from long-term contact with high levels of black mold on a frequent basis. As allergic reactions cause respiratory inflammation over and over again, the tissue of the alveoli cannot recover, and irreversible damage occurs. The Merck Medical Library notes that this condition, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, diminishes lung function over months or years and can ultimately end in respiratory failure and death.
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