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| Health Effects of Mold | |||||||||||||||||
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| All species of mold spores can act as allergens and irritants. Due to variances in personal tolerances to mold spores and limited research available on which types and how much mold it takes to cause harm, it doesn't matter if you have green, black or purple mold in your home. The level and types of mold indoors should match that of the outdoors. Do not make yourself a guinea pig by living in a home where this is not true. | |||||||||||||||||
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| Allergic response such as cold and flu-like symptoms are the most common health symptom associated with mold spore exposure. Other symptoms of mold exposure may include: | |||||||||||||||||
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| Prolonged exposure to even low microbial levels may lead to sensitivity in otherwise normally healthy individuals, making it difficult for them to find a place to live or work. Chronic or extreme acute exposure may lead to hypersensitivity, pneumonitis, asthma, chronic allergy symptoms and a depressed immune system. | |||||||||||||||||
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| Molds produce Microbial Volatile Organic Compounds. These are normal metabolic by-products due to fungal growth and are responsible for the musty odor that accompanies heavy mold growth. Common microbial VOCs include acetone, ethanol, hexane, and isopropanol. Exposure to high levels of VOCs from any source may irritate the mucus membrane and affects the central nervous system producing symptoms such as headache, attention deficit, inability to concentrate and dizziness. While microbial VOCs may normally be only a small fraction of the total amount of VOCs present in a building, if you have a mold problem it becomes significant. | |||||||||||||||||
| In addition to producing microbial VOCS, certain species of mold spores such as Aspergillus and Penicillium may also contain mycotoxins, which can cause permanent neurological damage such as memory problems and foggy thinking. | |||||||||||||||||
| People most at risk due to mold exposure include infants and children, elderly, the immune-compromised (people with HIV, liver disease, cancer, etc.), pregnant women, and those with pre existing allergies, asthma or chemical sensitivity. | |||||||||||||||||
| The IQAir Health Pro Plus air cleaner removes both mold spores and toxic chemicals from the air. | |||||||||||||||||
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| Copyright 2004 Healthy Living Spaces LLC. All rights reserved. 877-992-9904 Revised: July 12, 2007. Information in this document is subject to change without notice. Other products and companies referred to herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies or trademark holders. | |||||||||||||||||
