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defective, stucco, hardcoat, brick, moisture barrier,
Exterior Insulation finish system, EIFS, drivit, dryvit,
siding, structural, environmental, mold, air quality,
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| Southeastern
Environmental Mold Gallery |
The most common types of mold found indoors
include:
- Aspergillus and its subspecies (A.
flavus, A. versicolor);
- Cladosporium
- Penicillium
- Alternaria
- Stachybotrys atra (S. atra), also known
as "Black Mold."
Often, mold spores, whether dead or alive,
cause adverse health effects, primarily of a
respiratory nature, including hay fever-like
allergic symptoms.
Many of these molds, primarily S. atra, also
produce chemical toxins known as "mycotoxins,"
which are generated and released into the air
within the mold spores, leading to the "toxic
mold" designation. Exposure to these toxins can
occur through inhalation, ingestion, or skin
contact, and can result in symptoms including
dermatitis, cough, rhinitis, nose bleeds, cold
and flu symptoms, headache, general malaise and
fever. |
| Mold Gallery |
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Aspergillus
is the most common genus of fungi in our
environment with more than 160 different
species of mold. Sixteen of these
species have been documented as causing
human disease. Aspergillosis is now the
2nd most common fungal infection
requiring hospitalization in the United
States. |
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Stachybotrys is
another fungi that has the ability to
produce mycotoxins, ones that are
extremely toxic, suspected carcinogens,
and immunosuppressive. Exposure to these
mycotoxins can result through
inhalation, ingestion, and dermal
exposure. Symptoms of exposure include
dermatitis, cough, rhinitis, nose
bleeds, cold and flu-like symptoms,
headache, general malaise, and fever. |
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There are over 30
species in the Cladosporium
genus. The most common are C. elatum, C.
herbarum, C. sphaerospermum, and C.
cladosporioides. These fungi are the
causative agents of skin lesions,
keratitis, nail fungus, sinusitis,
asthma, and pulmonary infections. Acute
symptoms of exposure to Cladosporium are
edema and bronchiospasms, and chronic
exposure may lead to pulmonary
emphysema. |
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Several species of
Fusarium can produce the
trichothecene toxins which target the
circulatory, alimentary, skin, and
nervous systems. Vomitoxin is one such
tricothecene mycotoxin that has been
associated with outbreaks of acute
gastrointestinal illness in humans.
Zearalenone is another mycotoxin
produced by Fusarium. It is similar in
structure to the female sex hormone
estrogen and targets the reproductive
organs. |
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Penicillium has
been isolated from patients with
keratitis, ear infections, pneumonia,
endocarditis, peritonitis, and urinary
tract infections. Penicillium infections
are most commonly exhibited in
immunosuppressed individuals. For
example, P. marneffei is a fungus
abundant in Southeast Asia that
typically infects patients with AIDS in
this area. |
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The mold Alternaria
is a well recognized plant disease
causing agent. It is currently comprised
of about 40-50 species. Species of
Alternaria are commonly isolated from
plants, soil, food, and indoor air.
It is recognized as an important
allergen with airborne spores and
mycelial fragments being responsible for
the allergic symptoms in individuals
with rhinitis or bronchial asthma.
Alternaria sensitivity can also lead to
severe and potentially fatal asthma. |
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