Introduction To Mold

The State of the Science according to the CDC
Fungi are a kingdom of organisms that include mushrooms, mildews, molds, and yeasts. It is estimated that there are between 50,000 and 250,000 species of fungi, and fewer than 200 have been described as human pathogens that can cause infections.

Molds are ubiquitous in nature and grow almost anywhere indoors and outdoors. More than 1,000 different kinds of indoor molds have been found in U.S. homes.

Molds spread and reproduce by making spores, which are very small and lightweight, able to travel through air, capable of resisting dry, adverse environmental conditions, and hence capable of surviving a long time. Molds need moisture and food to grow, and their growth is stimulated by warm, damp, and humid conditions.

Although most molds are not life-threatenings, some specific molds can be hazardous. For example, black mold is extremely toxic; however, is rarely found. Two mold-produced toxins (aflatoxins and ochratoxin A) have been classified by the National Toxicology Program as human carcinogens (http://ntp-server.niehs.nih.gov/). Chronic ingestion of these toxins from eating contaminated foods has been associated with liver and kidney tumors in animals and people.

Respiratory illnesses among workers may be attributed to mold exposures. Molds can cause illnesses in situations other than humid indoor environments. Molds also have been associated with some cancers

Molds can cause infections in susceptible people, particularly in hospital settings where 9% of hospital-acquired (nosocomial) infections are caused by fungi. Respiratory infections due to inhalation of the fungus Aspergillus have been documented mostly in immunocompromised individuals.

“Black Mold”
What is Stachybotrys chartarum (Stachybotrys atra)? Stachybotrys chartarum (also known by its synonym Stachybotrys atra) is a greenish-black mold. It can grow on material with a high cellulose and low nitrogen content, such as fiberboard, gypsum board, paper, dust, and lint. Growth occurs when there is moisture from water damage, excessive humidity, water leaks, condensation, water infiltration, or [flooding].
Constant moisture is required for its growth. It is not necessary, however, to determine what type of mold you may have. All molds should be treated the same with respect to potential health risks and removal.

Although, “Black Mold” is considered a hazard to human health, to date, a possible association between acute idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage among infants and Stachybotrys chartarum (Stachybotrys atra) has not been proved. Further studies are needed to determine what causes acute idiopathic hemorrhage. (Center for Disease Control)

Not all mycotoxins are bad!
Remember that a mycotoxin is really just a toxic compound produced by a fungus, although that target of the compound is not necessarily humanity. Indeed, fungi probably generally make these compounds in order to harm the mites, insects, bacteria, and other fungi that might live in the same ecological niche. As a case in point, consider griseofulvin. Griseofulvin is produced naturally by Penicillium griseofulvum and Penicillium janczewskii and has the effect of killing other fungi in the soil. Hence it can be considered a mycotoxin. It was named in 1936 and was originally used as systemic fungicide in plant pathology beginning in 1957. In 1958, it was used orally in humans and animals to treat dermatophyte infections and is still used for that purpose (see our discussion of its medicinal use). It is currently used as a standard in thin layer chromatograpy when testing for the presence of various types of mycotoxins in agricultural commodities!
American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (www.acoem.org), Arlington Heights,IL.