Break the Mold
Whether it’s storm damage, a damp basement, or a dingy bathroom shower, mold and mildew are common household annoyances. By Rear Adm. Joyce Johnson, D.O

Molds and mildews are plants of the fungi family that grow from spores occurring naturally in the air all around us, both indoors and outside. When these spores are exposed to moisture, they begin to grow. Most species of molds are harmless. Many illnesses attributed to molds actually are caused by dust mites or bacteria, which also thrive in warm, moist environments.

Environmental molds and other fungi in your home can cause illness in three ways: allergies, toxins, and infection. Some people develop allergies to molds and experience the common signs of respiratory allergies — runny nose, itchy red eyes, and wheezing. Rarely, some allergic people develop a skin rash when they touch mold. Mold also can contribute to asthmatic attacks in asthma patients, but there is little evidence that molds actually cause asthma, especially in adults.

Some molds create a toxin when they grow. Very large quantities of some airborne mold toxins can cause disease. This is usually an occupational problem, for example when an agricultural worker is exposed to contaminated grain dust so concentrated it makes a dense fog. Sometimes mold has been suspected of causing employee illnesses in buildings, but scientific investigation often has failed to identify a specific cause. There is little evidence that mold toxins inhaled indoors cause illness in a healthy person.
 
Infection can be due to inhaled fungal spores that grow in the lungs when there isn’t a strong enough immune response to stop them. This is a special problem for people receiving chemotherapy, transplant patients on anti-rejection drugs, and people with HIV/AIDS. Patients with diabetes or diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are also at higher risk. A few fungi — typically found outside and rarely in homes — sometimes can cause serious disease in otherwise healthy people.

Air duct cleaning can remove dust, but it is not the solution to a mold problem. Mold spores are a natural part of the environment, and it isn’t really possible to eliminate them from your house. Spores cause problems when they contact moisture, so try to eliminate sources of moisture.

If you have a water leak problem, repair it and dry up any remaining water as fast as possible. If an area such as a basement is always damp, try to keep the air dry (e.g., with a portable dehumidifier). Remove any materials that have mold. If there is mold in your bathroom, clean it with a commercial “anti-mold” cleaning product, or make your own with one part chlorine bleach to 10 parts water (read labels, keep products out of your eyes, and use them in a well-ventilated area, etcetera). Mold growth and the diseases it may cause are generally preventable.
 

— Rear Adm. Joyce Johnson, USPHS-Ret., D.O., M.A., is vice president, Health Sciences, Battelle Memorial Institute, Arlington, Va. Find more health and wellness resources online at www.moaa.org/wellness.