The Danger of Living With Mold

Molds that grow inside of homes and apartments may be different from the ones found outdoors. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified indoor mold as one of the main biological pollutants along with bacteria, mildew and dust mites. The Bureau of Environmental & Occupational Disease Epidemiology, which is a division of the New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, calls indoor molds "fungal metabolites that have been identified as toxic agents." Infectious Reactions Most fungi (molds) generally are not pathogenic to healthy humans.

There are a number of fungi that commonly cause superficial infections involving the feet, groin, dry body skin or nails. In contrast however, persons with severely impaired immune function, (e.g., people with HIV/AIDS, cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, organ transplant patients receiving immunosuppressive drugs, and people with uncontrolled diabetes), are at significant risk for more severe opportunistic fungal infection. Although only a small group of fungi have been associated with infectious disease Exposure to this common mold, even to high concentrations, is unlikely to cause infection in a healthy person.

According to Dr. Stephen C. Redd of the CDC's National Center for Environmental Health, "respiratory infections due To inhalation of the fungus have been documented mostly in immunocompromised individuals." In 1996, Dr. Neil M. Ampel, an associate professor of medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine and director of HIV Clinical Services at the Tucson Veteran's Affairs Medical Center wrote in an article on diseases and fungal pathogens associated with HIV infection that fungal diseases are increasing among patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 and Aspergillosis is increasing dramatically as an opportunistic infection in HIV-infected patients.  

It is extremely important that the HIV/AIDS housing provider community take a closer look at the issue of molds in their respective facilities to ensure that there are no conditions that may further compromise the health of their residents and staff.