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By Clementine Wallace
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Illnesses resulting from
mold-exposure are common and important, but a lot of what's
currently being blamed on mold exposure is not supported by
good medical evidence, researchers assert.
"There are misconceptions in the public concerning the
dangers associated with mold exposure -- unproven assertions
that often end up soliciting litigations," Dr. Robert Wood,
from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in
Baltimore, told Reuters Health.
Wood and his colleagues have authored an article on the
medical effects of mold exposure, published in the Journal
of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. The researchers compiled
key references to "provide a state-of-the-art review" of the
role played by mold exposure in human diseases such as
asthma, allergic rhinitis, and sinusitis. It also reviews
the data on other illnesses purported to be related to mold.
"Our goal is to give doctors an up-to-date statement
about what we really know about mold exposure, that they can
use to answer their patients' questions," Wood said.
Fungi can cause illnesses through three known mechanisms:
by generating a harmful immune reaction in the host
(allergies for example); by direct infection; and by
releasing toxic or irritating byproducts.
For each one of these categories, there is scientific
evidence to establish mold as a genuine cause of illness,
"but hypothesized associations have also been made,
especially concerning indoor molds," Wood explained.
For example, the team notes in the article, studies
concerning the contribution of indoor mold to upper airway
allergies are not compelling.
Regarding the potential toxic effects of mold, they say
that while ingesting large quantities of mold from
contaminated or spoiled food can lead to serious illnesses,
there is no scientific evidence proving that inhaling toxins
from molds has harmful effects on health.
Concerns have also been raised as to whether mold
exposure could induce disorders of immune regulation.
However, the authors write, "The published literature in
this regard is of particularly poor quality and should not
be relied on as scientifically valid."
Wood's group concludes with advice on assessing patients
with suspected mold-related allergies -- using blood tests
to measure antibodies to mold allergens, for example -- and
they suggest that sampling air for mold spores can be useful
in some cases.
SOURCE: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology,
February 2006. |