ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECTS
Exposure to a water-damaged building can lead to a wide range of adverse health effects. Due to a particular gene variant in the human body, some individuals may experience no adverse health effects in comparison to others who may experience an overwhelming array of symptoms. Symptoms may include (but are not limited to); allergies, infections, irritation to vital organs, disruption to hormones and, chronic inflammation.
Chronic inflammation throughout the body may lead to uncontrolled infections, sleep disturbances, pain throughout the body, mental health issues (anxiety, depression, mould rage) and sensitivities to environmental chemicals (Rudert & Portnoy, 2017), these people are often misdiagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or Fibromyalgia. The development of chronic inflammation affecting multiple organ systems in susceptible individuals has been labelled as ‘Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome’ (CIRS) (Shoemaker 2019).
Furthermore, damp and mouldy living conditions have an adverse effect particularly among children; increasing the risk of asthma and rhinitis (Thacher et al. 2017), impacting children’s cognitive development (Jedrychowski et al. 2011), and affecting their neurological and behavioural status (Anyanwu 2003).
Clinicians - there are tests available for patients (https://www.survivingmold.com/treatment)
- Dr Ritchie Shoemaker's Protocol.
- The visual contrast sensitivity (VCS) test can be a useful screening tool to identify patients affected by biotoxins and toxicants.
For more information to help understand the implications of dampness, mould and microbial growth that can occur in water damaged buildings, see the ASBB's (2017) Position Statement on Mould: https://www.asbb.org.au/position-statement-on-mould
REFERENCES
ABCB. 2016. The condensation stakeholder survey, Australian Building Codes Board, Available: http://www.abcb.gov.au/News/2016/01/06/Condensation-Survey
Anyanwu, E.C., Campbell, A.W., Vojdani, A. 2003, Neurophysiological Effects of Chronic Indoor Environmental Toxic Mold Exposure on Children, The Scientific World Journal, vol. 3, Available: https://doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2003.22
ASBB 2017, Position Statement on Mould, Australian Society of Building Biologists, Available: https://www.asbb.org.au/position-statement-on-mould
Bijlsma, N. 2018, Healthy Home Health Family, 3rd edition, Australian College of Environmental Studies, Victoria.
Bush, R. K., & Prochnau, J. J. 2004. Alternaria-induced asthma. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, vol. 113, no.2, Available: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14767434
CDC 2019, Invasive mold infections in immunocompromised people, US Department of Health and Human Services, Available: https://www.cdc.gov/mold/invasive-mold-infections.htm
Clark, N., Ammann, H., Brunekreef, B., Eggleston, P., Fisk, W., Fullilove, R., . . . Von Essen, S. 2004, Damp indoor spaces and health. Washington, DC: Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, Available: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK215643/
Department of Health, Mould and condensation in your home, Government of Western Australia, Available: https://qbis.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/WA-Aust-Mould-Fact-Sheet1.pdf
Gent, J. F., Ren, P., Belanger, K., Triche, E., Bracken, M. B., Holford, T. R., & Leaderer, B. P. 2002, Levels of household mold associated with respiratory symptoms in the first year of life in a cohort at risk for asthma. Environ Health Perspect, vol. 110, no.12, Available: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12460818/
Health NSW 2012, Mould Fact Sheet, NSW Government, Available: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/environment/factsheets/Pages/mould.aspx
Jedrychowski, W., Maugeri, U., Perera, F., Stigter, L., Jankowski, J., Butscher, M., Mroz, E., Flak, E., Skarupa, A., & Sowa, A. 2011, Cognitive function of 6-year old children exposed to mold-contaminated homes in early postnatal period. Prospective birth cohort study in Poland. Physiology & behavior, vol. 104, no.5, Available: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2011.06.019
Mycolab 2021, Myths about mould, Myco Lab indoor Air Quality - Mould, Available: https://www.mycolab.com.au/myths-about-mould
National Asthma Council Australia 2021, Asthma and Allergy: A guide to the management of allergy for those living with asthma, National Asthma Council Australia, Available: https://www.nationalasthma.org.au/living-with-asthma/resources/patients-carers/brochures/asthma-allergy
Pitt, J. 1994, The current role of Aspergillus and Penicillium in human and animal health. Journal of medical and veterinary mycology, vol. 32, Available: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02681219480000701
Rudert, A., Portnoy, J. 2017, Mold allergy: is it real and what do we do about it? Expert Rev Clin Immunol., vol. 13, no.8, Available: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28453304/
Shoemaker, R. 2019, Common mold sickness misdiagnoses – Is this really my illness, Surviving Mold, Available: https://www.survivingmold.com/diagnosis/common-misdiagnosis
Thacher, J.D., Gruzieva, O., Pershagen, G., Melén, E., Lorentzen, J.C., Kull, I., Bergström, A. 2017, Mold and dampness exposure and allergic outcomes from birth to adolescence: data from the BAMSE cohort. Allergy, vol. 72, no.6, Available: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27925656/
USA EPA 2021, Mold Course, United States Environmental protection agency, Available: https://www.epa.gov/mold/take-mold-course
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