Respiratory Problems

Mold spores are pretty much everywhere, and we breathe them every day. People with respiratory disease or weakened immune systems are at more risk of developing breathing and health problems. Some molds can trigger an allergic reaction or cause an infection in the lungs.

The symptoms can vary depending on what type of mold is in the lungs and what type of reaction they cause. Exposure to mold can cause a reaction called Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis (ABPA). Symptoms of mold exposure are similar to asthma signs and include:

• Coughing
• Wheezing
• Shortness of breath
• Fever (rare)
• Worsening of asthma
• Symptoms

How Can Mold Trigger Respiratory Health Problems

Exposure to mold can cause allergic reactions and asthma symptoms in people who are allergic to mold. However, even without mold, dampness indoors causes asthma attacks and other upper and lower respiratory problems. Anyone—with or without allergies—may experience irritation of the eyes, skin, nose, throat and lungs when exposed to airborne mold particles.

Evident dampness or mold had consistent positive associations with multiple allergic and respiratory effects. Measured microbiologic agents in dust had limited suggestive associations, including both positive and negative associations for some agents. Thus, prevention and remediation of indoor dampness and mold are likely to reduce health risks, but current evidence does not support measuring specific indoor microbiologic factors to guide health-protective actions.

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