Background
Having any kind of allergy can be bothersome, but molds are especially so as they can grow invisibly anywhere in the house where it is cool and damp. Molds represent a group of airborne allergens, many of which are present year-round in the home or other indoor environments. Seasonally, mold spores may "bloom" following rainy or humid periods, resulting in increased concentrations in the air. Mold is most common indoors in damp locations such as swamp coolers, basements, bathrooms, or washrooms. Fabrics, rugs, stuffed animals, books, or wallpaper can harbor mold spores if they are frequently in contact with water or kept in a damp place. Outdoors, mold lives in the soil, on compost, and on damp vegetation.
Incidence and Prevalence
It has been estimated that roughly 10% of the population have immunoglobin E antibodies to common inhalant molds. About half of these individuals are predicted to have, at some time, allergic symptoms as a consequence of exposure to fungal allergens.
Cause and Risk Factors
When airborne allergens such as mold enter the body of a person with a sensitized immune system, they trigger antibody production (IgE) in a hypersensitive response. Part of the immune response consists of the release of histamine and other chemicals, frequently causing itching and swelling in affected tissues, mucus production, and in serious cases, hives and rashes, as well as other symptoms. Due to the nature of environmental allergens like mold, most come in contact with the skin or eyes, or are inhaled, thus causing a reaction in these areas.
The key to reducing symptoms is to reduce humidity in the home. Excess humidity (over 60%) can accelerate mold growth. Ways to reduce the level of humidity in the home include heating and dehumidifying basement areas, leave a light on in damp closets, ventilate crawl spaces, vent the clothes dryer to the outside, and reduce the number of house plants and terrariums. Other steps to reduce the level of mold in the home include removal of household items that tend to harbor mold (such as old books, plants, and carpets), painting of damp areas with mold-inhibiting paint, removing damp clothes from the washing machine immediately and dry, and keeping bathroom walls dry and mold-free through bathroom venting and cleaning.
List of Allergens
M001 Penicillium notatum
M002 Cladosporium herbarum
M003 Aspergillus fumigatus
M004 Mucor racemosus
M005 Candida albicans
M006 Alternaria tenuis
M007 Botrytis cinerea
M008 Helminthosporium halodes
M009 Fusarium moniliforme
M010 Stemphylium botryosum
M011 Rhizopus nigricans
M012 Aureobasidium pullulans
M013 Phoma betae
M014 Epicoccum purpurascens
M015 Trichoderma viride
M016 Curvularia lunata
M017 Cladosporium fulvum
M018 Fusarium culmorum
M019 Aspergillus versicolor
M020 Mucor mucedo
M021 Aspergillus clavatus
M024 Paecilomyces spp.
M025 Penicillium brevicompactum
M026 Penicillium citrinum
M027 Penicillium commune
M028 Penicillium expansum
M029 Aspergillus repens
M030 Penicillium roqueforti
M031 Penicillium viridicatum
M032 Cladosporium cladospor
M034 Serpula lacrymans
M035 Sporobolomyces roseus
M036 Aspergillus terreus
M037 Trichophyton mentagrophytae
M040 Aspergillus amstelodami
M043 Saccharomyces carlsberge
M044 Saccharomyces cerevisiae
M045 Hormodendrum hordei
M046 Bipolaris spicifera
M047 Aspergillus nidulans
M048 Aspergillus oryzae
M049 Fusarium oxysporum
M050 Micropolyspora faeni
M051 Thermoactinomyces vulgaris
M053 Microspora canis
M054 Aspergillus flavus
M063 Helminthosporium intersemin
M066 Mucor plumbeaus
M067 Mycogone
M068 Nigraspora oryzae
M069 Rhodotorula
M070 Pityrosporum orbiculare (ovale)
M071 Spondylocladium
M072 Epidermaphyton
M073 Epicoccum nigrum
M075 Algae (Freshwater)
M080 Helminthosporium spp.
M088 Stemphylium solani
M093 Giliocladium fimbriatum
M094 Phycomyces blakesleeanus
M201 Ustilago tritici
M202 Cephalosporium acremonium
M205 Trichophyton rubrum
M207 Aspergillus niger
M208 Chaetomium globosum
M209 Stachybotrys chartarum
M211 Oat Smut
M212 Geotrichum candidum
M213 Bermuda Grass Smut
M214 Johnson Grass Smut
M215 Corn Smut
