Handling or breathing in the reproductive spores of black mold, or Stachybotrys chartarum, generates uncomfortable or hazardous side effects in some people. Contact with this indoor fungal growth commonly occurs in damp bathrooms or basement storage areas. According to the University of Maryland (UM) Medical Center, the symptoms of mold allergies can appear immediately or gradually after exposure. Health effects may be worse for individuals with underlying lung diseases or for anyone in very wet building conditions, such as after flooding.
Allergic Rhinitis
Allergic reactions cause the most common nose, eye and throat side effects of black mold exposure. These signs of allergic rhinitis include itchy and watery eyes and an itchy, sore throat. The UM Medical Center notes that mold allergies also irritate the nasal passages to provoke itching, excess mucus drainage and swelling that causes nasal congestion. This perennial condition can affect allergy patients periodically year round, in concert with the reproductive cycles of indoor mold growths.
Skin Rash
Some people experience allergic reactions from touching moldy items or mold growing on hard surfaces. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that black mold contact can produce skin irritation in sensitive people. People may notice itching, redness and raised bumps where their skin has touched something moldy. This side effect, called allergic contact dermatitis, usually affects the skin within 48 hours and may last for three weeks, the UM Medical Center reports.
Breathing Complications
Mold inhalation can complicate existing respiratory conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The CDC warns patients and parents of children with asthma that moldy environments can trigger severe respiratory side effects. Coughing, wheezing and progressively greater trouble breathing can lead to respiratory failure without prompt emergency treatment.
Infections
Black mold can migrate, settle and grow. When this happens with inhaled mold, it can infect the lungs, notes the CDC. This fungal infection, called aspergillosis, damages lung tissue and causes bleeding and blood clots. It occurs most often in patients who have asthma, cancer or HIV.
Lung Decay
People who experience symptoms from mold allergies on a prolonged basis may develop a chronic lung irritation called hypersensitivity pneumonitis. The Mayo Clinic relates that individuals who are subjected to frequent contact with S. chartarum and other molds can contract this disease. In the early stages, the condition may be resolved if patients leave the tainted environments. Patients with mold allergies who remain in moldy building sites, however, may suffer from chronic and incurable decay of lung tissue.
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