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Mold and Your Health
What is mold?
Mold, yeast, and mushrooms are types of fungi. Molds grow from tiny spores that float through the air, much like plants grow from seeds. These spores cannot be seen without the help of a microscope. Growing molds produce chemicals just like all living things. Molds release these chemicals, giving them a musty, earthy odor. Some molds also produce toxins that are poisonous when eaten.
Molds can be found everywhere in nature. This makes living in a mold-free environment impossible. However, exposure to damp indoor environments with mold can be harmful to your health.
How are people exposed to mold?
People are exposed to mold when they breathe spores or touch mold on surfaces. Exposure to living mold or dead parts of mold can cause allergic reactions and other health problems. These health concerns are an important reason for preventing mold growth. Quickly clean up mold and correct moisture problems in indoor environments because molds need moisture to live. Learn more about mold cleanup in the Illinois Department of Public Health's (IDPH) Reducing Your Exposure to Mold fact sheet and IDPH’s Common Questions and Answers about Indoor Mold fact sheet.
How can mold affect your health?
Many molds can cause health effects. People who breathe, or touch mold particles, may have a runny nose, sneezing, nasal and sinus congestion, watery eyes, skin rash, and itching. Mold exposure can trigger asthma attacks in people allergic to molds, causing wheezing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath.
More serious illnesses caused by molds include:
- An allergic reaction in the lungs that can cause inflammation or swelling. Common symptoms include fever, chills, muscle aches, headache, and cough. Repeated exposures can cause permanent lung damage and scarring.
- An infection can be caused by certain types of Aspergillus mold. People with weak immune systems are at higher risk for this infection, which usually does not affect healthy people.
What medical tests are available for mold?
Skin or blood tests are available to determine if you are allergic to mold. Allergy doctors can do these tests. Skin tests are considered more reliable than blood tests. Skin tests give rapid results, are less expensive, and are considered more sensitive. Blood testing can also show if you are allergic to mold by measuring antibodies in your blood. The test is expensive to perform, and results are usually not available right away.
Some health care providers use urine tests to help diagnose mold-related illness by measuring mold toxins. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not recommend this type of test. There are no widely accepted guidelines for using the results. More importantly, these urine tests also show mold toxins that come from foods we eat, such as nuts, grains, and coffee. This can give misleading results because there is no way to tell if the mold toxins are from a damp, moldy environment or part of your diet.
When should I seek care if I know I have been exposed to mold?
People who know they have been exposed to mold or dampness and have symptoms that last should talk to their doctor(s).
Where can I find more information?
Illinois Department of Public Health
Division of Environmental Health
525 W. Jefferson St.
Springfield, IL 62761
217-782-5830
TTY (hearing impaired use only) 800-547-0466
