Asthma
Question: Approximately 7-9 years ago, I worked in a building in which I may possibly have been exposed to mold. Prior to being in the building, I used to run up to 7 miles, almost every other day, almost religiously.
In reviewing my health records, it appears that prior to being in the building, I never had a breathing problem, or went to the doctor much. It seemed that after being in that building, the breathing problems persisted.
For my undergrad practicum, I was in the building beginning in Fall, around September. Then by end of year, when I finally went to the doctor, I was told I was suffering with breathing problems. The doctor diagnosed that I had asthma, which I could not believe. I had been running for over 20 years at that time, and could not believe that asthma came on just like that.
When I did my graduate practicum in the building, I was congested all the time. Later, when I started working in the building on June 9, 2003, by Friday, June 13, 2009, I was sick. I went to my doctor, and was again told by the doctor that I had asthma….
My story continues,…. But, to make it short, I have been to medical doctors, specialists, naturapathic doctors, etc., etc., etc., who continue to treat the symptoms, and have not been able to tell me the cause of my ailment.
I have submitted to two allergy tests: one early on, and the latest completed in December 2009, which showed I tested high for several types of mold, including stachybotrys. I have been on sick leave, and decided to look on line to research the molds, other allergens I appear to be highly sensitive to, and came to your site.
On that note, too, when I was working in the building, I used to clean my work area. I kept some of the paper towels used to clean and dust, which were soiled with blackened dusts. My question is: can those towels be tested even though much time has passed, since I last worked in that building at end of 2003?
I just want to be cured, and to be able to run again.
Answer: Thank you for your email. I can feel for you having experienced something similar to what you have described. Fifteen years ago I had what doctors called bronchitis and others called Asthma. No doctor was able to tell me the cause of this problem. I was not sure whether the cause(s) of my asthma was from home or my place of work. At work, I was working as a plant pathologist and used to culture a lot of fungi (yeasts and molds).
Almost 15 years ago when I left my place of work and the house where I used to live, I have not had even a single attack. I still work with molds including Stachybotrys almost every day.
As for your question regarding testing of paper towels, I am not sure if that would be of any help. First, are those paper towels still there? Secondly, what would the towels be tested for? If mold, 7 years is a very long time!
Black Mould
Question: My tenants are saying that there is black mould in my rental townhouse. I’ve replaced fixtures in the bathrooms, stopped leaks and spent thousands of dollars but they are still bringing in the local public health inspector.
I’m allergic to mould myself and have been in while damaged drywall was being removed. I handled it myself with no ill effects and observed the joist cavities being treated with mould inhibiting sprays and ‘killex’.
Should I be worried that my tenants are still pursuing this investigation? I’ve taken every remedial step I can think of and the only stuff I saw was dried up and the rest looked like shower mildew to me. All the discoloration spots on the bathroom ceiling stuff came off with a cleaner called BAM and the paint was unaffected once the ceiling was wiped down.
Answer: Shower mildew is actually mold. I would suggest you hire a qualified professional such as an industrial hygienist who is experienced in indoor microbial contamination. This person should be able to assess the extent of contamination, possibly determine the underlying cause, and then advise on the most appropriate level of remediation. They may also be able to advise you whether the tenants’ lifestyle could be contributing to mould growth. For instance, if they don’t switch the fan on (if there is one) when showering or bathing, then there will be mould growth due to condensation on the walls and the ceiling.
Mold On Books
Question: I’ll try not to make this too long but I’m not sure how short it can be. Three questions:
- I found mold in my home and wiped it clean. It seems to have gone away and we feel fine. We do have allergies but these are due to the area we live in. It’s probably hard to say but….are we safe?
- I’m a comic book collector and I’m worried about the mold we found spreading to my comics. The mold is gone now and my books are not near the spot where the mold was found. Can my comics be in danger? I was told mold has a sweet smell….these comics seem to smell fine. It would be a shame to have to get rid of them.
- Another batch of comics I placed in storage does smell funny, though they were never wet while in storage and I don’t live in a humid environment (I live in California. It’s really hot and really dry, high humidity is rare). Should I be worried?
Sorry about all the questions, thanks for taking time to read this.
Answer: As you pointed out, it’s hard to say whether you’re save or not. I would suggest you consult a qualified local professional who may come to your home and assess the level of mold contamination and then recommend an appropriate level of mold remediation. Wiping out mold is a temporary solution if the underlying cause (moisture problem) is not addressed. If mold growth was extensive, it’s possible you’re inhaling millions of airborne fungal spores.
As for your second and third questions regarding the comics, I suggest you keep the books in a dry environment. Damp books will develop mold over time. Remember that mold produces chemicals (enzymes) that break down the material on which the mold is growing. So, eventually you may have to discard the books if they are badly damaged.
Tinea Capitis
Question: My friend has been to a dermatologist and a family Doctor due to the fact that she was losing hair in large areas of the scalp. I told her maybe it was Ringworm as I have seen it before in a class I took in Cosmetology. Well the Dermatologist finally told her to stop taking the Griseofulvin that the GP had her on and said it was Alopecia areata. She continued to lose large amounts of hair and is still losing it! Her pathology came back as Fusarium species. So…where did this come from and is it contagious? How is it treated? She was concerned as she lives in a recreational vehicle (RV) that she may have a problem in there or from her boyfriend who lives in a place where the water is really stinky and she has showered there. Please let me know your take on this as the Dermatologist said the water would not affect hair loss but from what I’m reading this fungus can be in water pipes or damp places. Thank you for your time!
Answer: The Fusarium species isolated from your friend’s scalp is highly unlikely the primary cause of the hair loss. Fungi that are well documented as causes of hair loss are species of Trichophyton and Microsporum. They cause a condition referred to as tinea capitis. Although primarily affecting children between the ages of three and seven years of age, tinea capitis also afflicts adults and more commonly women than men. Most cases of tinea capitis are caused by Trichophyton tonsurans, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Trichophyton violaceum, and Trichophyton verrucosum.
Tinea capitis is spread via infected persons, shed infected hairs, animal vectors, and fomites.
Quick Take 15
Question: How long is the time needed by Quick Take 15 apparatus for detection of mould? Is there any incubation time needed after the sampling step? Or is the detection system different from culture followed by DME. In fact I am looking for a rapid detection system for Cladosporium.
Answer: Quick Take 15 is used for collection of air samples for fungal spore counting and identification. It’s designed for short sampling times (1-15 minutes) for airborne particulates including mould spores. It’s ideal for use with Air-O-Cell, VersaTrap, and Allergenco cassettes. Samples collected with quicktake 15 do not require incubation and hence you could use it for rapid detection of airborne spores and other particulates. Results can be obtained within the same day.
If you require identification of the moulds to species, then you need to use Quick Take 30. Quick Take 30 uses agar plates. After sample collection, the samples are sent to a laboratory for incubation and species identification and enumeration. It takes between 10-15 days (or more) to get the results.
Age Of Mold
Question: I would really appreciate an advice on a matter of mold. I am having a hard time to get a straight answer locally. I am a self-employed marine surveyor who, along with a food inspector, inspected and dumped about 200 bottles of jam that had broken in transit. This was on Christmas Eve. Because some of the jam had developed mold, I asked the food inspector if we could test for the age of the mold to determine the approximate time/location of the damage. He advised that to determine the age of the mold, the temperature and relative humidity (RH) of the environment in which it was transported was required. The jam had been transported in a shipping container but temperature or RH data was not available.
When I see forensics on CSI testing for age of dead bodies, I find it hard to believe that the age of mold cannot be similarly determined.
I would be grateful if you could let me know, for my edification, whether it is possible to test for the age of mold.
Thank you for your kind assistance. Best regards.
Answer: I am not aware of a simple test that could be used to determine the age of mold. Also, in the case of the damaged jam bottles, the age of the mold may not help determine the approximate time/location of the damage. If we define age as the duration of time during which a cell, tissue, or organism has existed as a distinct entity, defining the age of mold could be a problem. This is because the network of fungal filaments (the mycelia) or spores from which the visible mold develops could be several years old. Another fact that complicates defining the age of mold is that mold grows only at the hyphal tips, and therefore the cells at the advancing edge of a fungal colony are the youngest, and those progressively nearer the centre are older. If we could determine the time (and not the age) it took the mold to develop into visible growth, this could help us determine the approximate time of damage. From laboratory observations of the growth rates of molds under different growth conditions, we may speculate how long it took for the visible growth to appear on the jam if we knew the type of mold and the conditions under which the jam was transported.
Doctors Think It’s Lupus
Question: Hi, I don’t know if you can help me, I have worked every day for the past 6 years cleaning mold of mostly 100 plus year old paper which until recently no protective clothing was provided. I have now got an autoimmune disorder, they think it’s lupus, scarred bone marrow, scarred lungs, fungus of the nails, sinus problems, as well as slight bleeding of the lungs. I have done some reading on the net about the effects of mold and I have told the doctors that I think this is what’s causing my problems but I am always told no it wouldn’t be that. I cannot convince a doctor to do a blood test to see if this is what’s causing all my health problems. I don’t know where else to turn. What I am hoping is that you might know a doctor in the Sydney area (Australia) who will be willing to do a blood test. I would be forever grateful.
Thank you for taking the time in reading this.
Answer: Thank you for your question. We really feel for you. Unfortunately we don’t know any doctor in Australia. It’s also possible that your doctors could be right. Give them a chance to try and diagnose your problem.
Mold Growth On Garments
Question: What can we do to rid our factories of mold or to prevent mold from forming? Some of our garments are coming in from Bangladesh with visible mold that seems to be forming/growing while in-transit?
Answer: The best way to control mold growth on garments is to keep the garments dry. You may have to ask your suppliers in Bangladesh to use packaging that would minimize chances of the garments becoming damp during transit. Also ensure that your storage conditions are not favourable for microbial growth.
Black Mold Question
Question: We have black mold in our basement along the wall where water damage occurred 5 years ago. It has been there for some time and the basement smells terribly musty.
I have developed an allergic reaction in my eyes, and my father’s coughing has worsened.
We would like to have the black mold tested as soon as possible. Since the mold is in the concrete wall, how would we extract samples?
Thank you for your help.
Answer: To get a sample of the black mold, please get clear scotch tape. Cut about 3 inches and stick the tape on the surface with mold. Peel the tape and stick it on a plastic bag (e.g., ziplock bag). Put the sample in an envelope and send it to us by mail or you can bring it to the lab. If the concrete surface is wet, use a cotton swab to get the sample since the mold may not stick to the tape. To use a swab, roll the tip of the swab several times on the surface with visible mold. Put the swab in a plastic bag and mail it to the lab.
If you suspect that you have a serious mold problem, I would suggest you get a professional to come and assess the extent of mold growth, determine the underlying cause(s) and then recommend the best way to remove the mold. You may find a mold testing company near your area listed on the following web pages:
1. http://moldbacterialabs.com/business-directory/
2. http://www.moldbacteria.com/servicelist/index.html
Acceptable levels of total aerobic bacteria, yeast and mold in buildings
Question: What is the “normal / acceptable” level of total aerobic bacteria and yeast & mold in homes / buildings
Answer: There are no universally agreed acceptable levels of total aerobic bacteria, yeast and mold in buildings. However, you may find levels suggested by various organisations. I would say that since there will always be bacteria/mold/yeast in houses, any levels that appear abnormally high is uncceptable. However, apart from the levels, you have also to consider what organisms are present since some are more harmful or destructive than others.
The tables below show some levels published by the Commission of the European Communities in Indoor Air Quality & its Impact on Man: Report No. 12: Biological Particles in Indoor Environments. ECSC-EEC-EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1993.
Categories of CFU/m3 (mixed populations of fungi) obtained with the Andersen six-stage sampler in combination with MEA, and with the N6-Andersen one-stage sampler in combination with MEA and DG18.
| Category | Fungal Counts (CFU/m3) in Houses | Fungal Counts (CFU/m3) in non-industrial indoor environments |
|---|---|---|
| Very low | <50 | <25 |
| Low | <200 | <1,000 |
| Intermediate | <1,000 | <500 |
| High | <10,000 | <2,000 |
| Very High | >10,000 | >2,000 |
N.B.: These categories are based on the range of values obtained in indoor environments and not on a health risk evaluation.
Categories of CFU/g dust (mixed populations of fungi) obtained by direct
plating on V8 or DG18, and by suspension in peptone followed by plating on V8 or DG18, for houses and other non-industrial indoor environments
| Category | Method | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V8/directa | DG18/directa | V8/peptoneb | DG18/peptoneb | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Very low | <1,000 | <2,000 | <10,000 | <10,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Low | <2,500 | <6,000 | <20,000 | <20,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Intermediate | <5,000 | <9,000 | <40,000 | <50,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| High | <10,000 | <15,000 | <100,000 | <120,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Very High | >10,000 | >15,000 | >100,000 | >120,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
a : direct plating of 30 mg dust
b: 100 mg dust suspended in a pepton solution (1 : 50), 0.1 ml of the solution plated on the medium
N.B. : These categories are based on the range of values obtained in indoor environments and not on a health risk evaluation.
Categories of CFU/m3 (mixed populations of bacteria) obtained with the
Andersen six-stage sampler or slit sampler (sampling time 10 – 15 min.,
incubation at 20 – 25°C for 3 – 5 days), for houses and non-industrial indoor environments.
| Category | Bacterial Counts (CFU/m3) in Houses | Bacterial Counts (CFU/m3) in non-industrial indoor environments |
|---|---|---|
| Very Low | <100 | <50 |
| Low | <500 | <100 |
| Intermediate | <2,500 | <500 |
| High | <10,000 | <2,000 |
| Very High | >10,000 | >2,000 |
N.B.: These categories are based on the range of values obtained in indoor environments and not on a health risk evaluation
