Anti-
Damp
Down to Earth Advice
Telephone:
1300 301 210 Mobile: 0419 842 686
Licence
Number 84908C
The Link Between Poor Health and Damp Conditions
For many years people have know of the health problems associated with
damp conditions. Many recent studies have been done to prove the link between
damp moldy condition and health problems in both adults and also those
most at risk children. Below is a exert from one such study and we have
included some links to a few others.
State of the Science on Molds and Human Health Statement of Stephen C.
Redd, M.D.
Chief, Air Pollution and Respiratory Health Branch
National Center for Environmental Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
More than 1,000 different kinds of indoor molds have been found
in U.S. homes. Molds spread and reproduce by making spores, which are very
small and lightweight, able to travel through air, capable of resisting
dry, adverse environmental conditions, and hence capable of surviving a
long time. Molds need moisture and food to grow, and their growth is stimulated
by warm, damp, and humid conditions.
Respiratory infections due to inhalation of the fungus Aspergillus
have been documented mostly in immunocompromised individuals. Molds also
have been associated with some cancers. Two mold-produced toxins (aflatoxins
and ochratoxin A) have been classified by the National Toxicology Program
as human carcinogens.
In its 1993 report “Indoor Allergens,” the Institute of Medicine (IOM)
concluded that airborne fungal allergens were most often associated with
allergic diseases, such as allergic rhinitis/conjunctivitis, allergic asthma,
and hypersensitivity pneumonitis. In its 2000 report “Clearing the Air:
Asthma and Indoor Air Exposures,” IOM concluded that there is sufficient
evidence of an association between exposure to mold and exacerbations of
asthma. For people who are allergic to mold, common effects include hay-fever-like
allergic symptoms. Certain individuals with chronic respiratory disease
(chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma) may experience difficulty
breathing when exposed to mold. Also, people with immune suppression or
underlying lung disease are more susceptible to fungal infections.
Anti-Damp Australia Pty.
Ltd.
Specialist in treatment
of rising damp, sub-floor ventilation and waterproofing
e-mail:
enquiries@antidamp.com.au