According to the researchers, the illnesses ascribed to so-called toxic mould syndrome may well have been caused by other factors. They conclude that there is no credible evidence to support the link between mould exposure and the symptoms associated with the toxic mould syndrome.

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'We know that mould can make people sick'
"We know that mould can make people sick if they end up in the foods they eat," WebMD quotes Oregon Health & Science University professor of medicine Emil J. Bardana Jr., MD, as saying. "But there is little evidence that inhaled environmental mould exposure can cause the serious illnesses that have been attributed to it. In their new study, Bardana and colleague Barzin Khalili, MD, described the symptoms of people who filed toxic mould syndrome-related lawsuits or workers' compensation claims. The researchers also identified unrecognised conditions that could explain the symptoms being attributed to toxic mould syndrome, WebMD report

According to WebMD complaints included upper and lower airway problems such as nasal congestion or shortness of breath and cough, non-specific body complaints, and neurological problems, including dizziness, headaches, memory loss, mood disorders, and insomnia.

More obvious causes identified
"The researchers found that 14% of pet owners with allergic symptoms were allergic to their own pets. And 61% of those with a complaint of cough were either smokers or former smokers," WebMD report.

"These people were more concerned about the possibility of adverse health effects from mould exposure than the known adverse health effects from the thousands of chemicals inhaled every time a cigarette is smoked," Bardana and Khalili wrote. Experts agree that indoor mould exposure may aggravate asthma symptoms. But they also point out that there is no evidence to suggest that mould exposure can be blamed for the symptoms appearing in the first place. – (Health24)

Visit our Asthma Centre for more information.

October 2005
 

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