Mold Bacteria Consulting Services

Serving Ontario and British Columbia

  • Home
  • About MBS
  • Services
    • Mold Inspection
    • Bacteria Testing
    • Bioburden Testing
    • Legionella Investigation
    • Online Training
  • Equipment/Supplies
  • iBlog
  • Kids’ Corner
    • School Science Fair Projects
    • Bacteria Pictures
    • Fungal Pictures
  • Contact Us
  • Login
You are here: Home / Archives for dampness

Dampness, Mould, Mites and Allergy

Jackson Kung'u

Dampness in buildings is believed to increase asthma and allergy risks. Studies have shown that the risk of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis is higher in damp homes. This is partly because dampness encourages proliferation of micro-organisms such as moulds, bacteria and mites, some of which are well established and documented toxin producers or allergens. Dampness in homes and workplaces should therefore be controlled in order to reduce the risk of occupants developing respiratory problems.

Filed Under: Fungi Tagged With: allergy, asthma, damp homes, dampness, dermatitis, Mites, mould

Indoor Mould And Bacteria

Jackson Kung'u

Proliferation of indoor mould and bacteria in dwelling places could lead to ill-health of the occupants. Indoor microbial growth and dampness has been associated with a number of respiratory problems including:

  • Respiratory symptoms such as coughing and wheezing.
  • Respiratory infections such as aspergillosis.
  • Allergic diseases, including allergic asthma and bronchitis.
  • Non-inflammatory, unspecific symptoms, e.g., eye and skin irritation, fatigue, headache, nausea, and vomiting.

The best way to control microbial growth in a building is to ensure the building is well maintained and any water leaks are repaired promptly.

Once mould has grown in a building, the solution to the problem is to have the water source identified and repaired and the mould removed. This can be expensive especially if the work is to be performed by professionals.

To avoid expensive mould investigation and removal, the homeowners and property managers should:

  • Continuously monitor for any water leaks and have them repaired promptly.
  • Continuously monitor for mould growth so as to detect it before it spreads.

Do you have a mould question? Send it to My Question.

Filed Under: Fungi Tagged With: Bacteria, dampness, ill-health, Indoor, mould, respiratory problems

Mold in Homes Doubles Risk of Asthma

Jackson Kung'u

Exposure to dampness and mold in homes as much as doubles the risk of asthma development in children, according to a study published today in the March issue of the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP). Researchers studied 1,984 Finnish children aged 1 to 7 years over a six-year period to see if they developed asthma. Data collection included a baseline survey administered in March 1991, as well as a follow-up survey in March 1997, asking questions about the child’s health, parents’ health, parent’s highest education level, and details of the child’s environment including exposure to environmental tobacco smoke and presence of feathery or furry pets.

The study focused particularly on four indicators or moisture or mold in homes, including mold odor, visible mold, visible moisture, and history of water damage. The presence of mold odor proved to be the only significant indicator of asthma development.

A a total of 138 children, or 7.2% of the study population, developed asthma during the study period. Having a parent with a history of allergies increased susceptibility in children. Mold odor increased the risk, the study found, independent of parents’ medical histories. In fact, children living in homes with mold odor during the initial study period were more than twice as likely to develop asthma in the following 6 years.

“These findings strengthen evidence that exposure to molds increases the risk of developing asthma in childhood,” says lead author Jouni Jaakkola, director of the University of Birmingham’s Institute for Occupational and Environmental Medicine. “They also show the importance of heredity-children of parents with asthma have a two-fold risk of asthma compared with children of nonasthmatic parents.”

Children who were exposed to moisture or mold in homes were also slightly more likely to be exposed to environmental tobacco smoke, to have feathery or furry pets, and to have parents with a lower education level. The study adds to the body of evidence linking asthma with exposure to cigarette smoke.

“This study is important for families everywhere,” says Dr. Jim Burkhart, science editor for EHP. “Anyone with young children in the home should be aware of the potentially harmful effects of long-term exposure to mold and this potential link to asthma in children.”

In addition to Jaakkola, contributing authors included Bing-Fang Hwang of the Environmental Epidemiology Unit at the University of Helsinki in Finland, and Niina Jaakkola of the Department of Health Care Administration at Diwan College of Management in Taiwan.

Funding sources for the research as reported by the authors included the Ministry of the Environment, the National Agency for Welfare and Health, the Medical Research Council of the Academy of Finland, and The Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation.

EHP is published by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. EHP is an Open Access journal. More information is available online at http://www.ehponline.org.

Environmental Health Perspectives (NIEHS)
PO Box 12233, MD EC-15
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2233
USA
Phone 919-541-2359
niehs.nih.gov/drcpt/ehpb/home.htm

——————————————————————————–

Save time! Get the latest medical news in your email every week with our newsletter.

——————————————————————————–

Contact Our Medical News Editors

For any corrections of factual information, or to contact the editors please use our feedback form.

Please send any medical news or health news press releases to: pressrelease@medicalnewstoday.com

Filed Under: Fungi Tagged With: asthma, dampness, health risks, homes

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2

What’s New?

  • Indoor Air Quality Testing in Toronto, Ontario
  • Air Quality Testing in Vancouver, BC
  • Mold Testing in Toronto, Ontario
  • Mold Testing in Vancouver, BC
  • Salmonella food poisoning and symptoms
May 2025
S M T W T F S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
« Jun    

Salmonella food poisoning and symptoms

Salmonella food poisoning has been a growing concern in recent news. It has frequently lead to recalls of beef, salads and organic products and, even peanut butter products. Salmonella food poisoning occurs when one eats raw or undercooked foods such meat, poultry, eggs or egg products. Properly cooked food can get contaminated with Salmonella if […]

Legionella pneumophila – Guidelines for Laboratory Interpretation

Legionella pneumophila is a Gram negative, aerobic bacteria that is characterized as an opportunistic pathogen. It is the cause of Legionnaires’ Disease, a severe form of pneumonia and, it is the cause of Pontiac fever, a non-pneumonic form of L. pneumophila infection. Legionella spp.’s mode of transmission is through aerosols or aspiration of contaminated water. The Public Health […]

The Indoor Mold Is An Early Warning Device

The mold (or mould, in the Queen’s English) has been the victim of a bad press. Mention the word and it conjures up an image of something rotting or in the process of decomposition. And yet, were it not for the mold that inspired the discovery of penicillin millions of lives would have been lost. […]

Copyright © 2025 . Mold & Bacteria Consulting Services (MBS). 1020 Brevik Place, Unit 1A, Mississauga, L4W 4N7. Log in