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   Stachybotrys Mould 
   [Also known as the "Toxic Mould" and "Black Mould"]
 

Questions and Answers About Stachybotrys Mould

[Feb. 17, 2003]

Q. I was curious about whether or not you were familiar with health effects from stachybotrys. I need to find some information about who I need to go see regarding exposure/contamination because I have been very VERY sick and has happened recently.

A. Be sure to read our Stachybotrys report in the mould species pages of mould. Although Stachy can cause severe respiratory problems and overall health damage to your body, Stachybotrys is most famous for its destruction of brain tissue. If someone starts developing memory problem, starts to lose the ability to think logically, and feels disconnected from the world around him or her, those are possible symptoms of both Stachybotrys and of Alzheimer's disease. The first step should be the thorough inspection and mould testing of both one's home and work place by a Certified Mould Inspector. If the problem is solely the infestation of the toxic black mould Stachybotrys, that problem is much easier to fix than having incurable Alzheimer's Disease. The second step would be to have a complete physical exam by a pulmonary specialist [lung medical doctor] to detect signs or proof of lung disease [a frequent medical problem caused by not only Stachybotrys, but by other types of moulds]. The lung specialist can do a lung biopsy to check for lung tissue damage, and conduct a mould antibody blood test to see if there has been mould interacting with one's body. Another type of useful physician is a neurologist to check for possible brain damage caused by either Stachy or by Alzheimer's. The next step would be to live somewhere else in a mould safe place during mould inspection, testing, and remediation of your home or workplace to stop possible mould worsening of your health.

Q. What are the health signs to look for caused by black mould? What are some of the treatments? Are there cures for black mould? and can it show up in the lungs and on the liver?

 A. If you mean Stachybotrys mould when you use the Stachy mould nickname of black mould,
here are some thoughts. The most tell-tale sign of a human being affected by Stachybotrys mould infestation is loss of brain functions, such as having trouble thinking and remembering, and of feeling distance or disconnected from the world around oneself.  The health symptoms of Stachybotrys mould are very similar to Alzheimer's disease.  In fact, if someone is starting to shown signs of Alzheimer's disease, the first step would be to thoroughly mould test the person's home and work environment for the presence of Stachybotrys. Because Stachy is rarely airborne, you need to do a very thorough physical inspection, including INSIDE hvac, walls, ceilings, floors, attics, crawl spaces, and basements to locate mould deposits that should be directly sampled for laboraory mould analysis by the Mold Inspector Laboratory.  If a person is experiencing possible health effects from Stachybotrys mould, the first step for that person and all other residents is to leave the home or workplace until thorough mould inspection and mould testing has been completed. If Stachy causes brain damage, the brain damage is usually permanent and irreparable.

Q. My husband has been working in a science building which had a bad problem with stachybotrys mould due to an air conditioning and condensation problem.  We also found out that the building had zero air pressure for years, because the hoods were not open.  You can imagine a building like that with mould, chemicals, and animal dander from the various rooms and labs.  He has a very bad allergy to mould.  For years, he doctored for joint/muscle pain (fibromyalgia), sleep apnea, and then pulmonary problems with resulting low lung function.  Memory loss and loss of being able to think logically and stay focused, along with personality changes have also resulted in the past two years.  He has been doctoring recently with a pulmonologist, neurologist, and neuropsychologist who are now monitoring his condition.  He has had 3 MRI scans of the brain.  The first showed an injury, and the second a year later showed numerous spots located in front, back and both sides of the brain.  His most recent MRI showed no change.  He was ordered out of the building for 2 years now by the pulmonologist, until the renovation on the air system is completed.  His pulmonary function has been become quite a bit better.  My real concern is to the brain injuries that have occurred.  Do you have any knowledge of this kind of problem?  Is there any hope of these brain injuries getting better or is this what we will need to live with, or maybe get worse?   Can anything else develop in the brain at these sites of the injuries in the future?  My husband was always a very quick thinking and quick learning individual who has a doctorate in biology.  This has been extremely difficult for him and our family.  I would appreciate any info and referrals to information on this subject that you can give to me.  Thank you very much. 

A. First, may I express my sadness and sympathy to you and your husband because of the severe health problem that has been caused by Stachybotrys to your husband. Second, the information that I have read and heard about Stachy-caused brain damage is that it is permanent. Second, the most important safeguard you can take is to make sure that your husband is not experienced to any other mould-contamination of any kind anywhere. For example, a large number of hotel and motel rooms are mould-contaminated, including some of the more expensive facilities. I would suggest that you avoid staying in hoels and motels during any travel, if that is possible; otherwise, before renting a particular room, you alone should carefully inspect the proposed motel/hotel room with your eyes and ears for mould mould problems. Third, if you have not already done so, install very strong ultraviolet light lamps in both the supply and return side of your heating and air conditioning system in your home to kill all mould spores and other germs in your household air. Fourth, have your home tested for mould including inside hvac (heating, ventilating, and air conditioning) equipment and ducts, inside walls, above ceilings, below floors, and in attic, basement, and crawl space areas.

Q. Just exactly how dangerous is black mould; how many kinds of mould are there; what would lead a person to suspect they have mould? Is mould and/or mildew one and the same? What do you suppose the reason is that mould has just become a concern in the last couple of years, at least here in Texas? Due to the extremely high cost of mould insurance, if a house is reasonably sound, how much mould insurance would be prudent?

A. If you mean the toxic mould Stachybotrys, it can cause numerous health problems including permanent brain damage with symptoms very similar to having Alzheimer's Disease [cannot remember well, difficulty in thinking, feeling "disconnected" from the world around oneself]. If someone in your family is starting to show Alzheimer-type of health symptoms, the first thing to do is to do complete mould testing of their home and workplace environments to identify any dangerous moulds present in elevated levels. Mildew [part of mould family] is a less risky form of mould in terms of health effects. The reason that mould is so prominent in the Texas news media and in higher Texas homeowner's insurance rates is the much greater awareness today of the serious health consequences of living or working in a sick environment such as mould infestation.

Q. Please explain just what "Black mould" looks like and where would be the most likely places to find it within an office setting.

A. Tens of thousands of mould species are black in color. One of them is the famous toxic mould Stachybotrys [nickname: black mould]. Stachybotrys [another nickname: Stachy] is usually found by direct sampling rather than by air testing. When having access to water and growing, Stachy can be wet-looking, glistening, shiny, and shimmering [jelly-like]. The best places to locate not only Stachybotrys black toxic mould but also other moulds in the office are moulds hidden: (1) inside hvac equipment and ducts; (2) above ceilings; (3) inside walls; (4) beneath floors; (5) in crawl spaces, attics, and basements; and (6) wherever they have been roof leaks and other water leaks. A good way to know if there is mould contamination in an office is to do mould testing in each area of the office, as well as testing air flowing through the hvac ducts. See: Mould Testing.

[March 31, 2002]

Q. I recently bought a home that was built in the 30's and is built from sawmill lumber. There where no sheetrock walls, all where solid wood with old wallpaper with the cloth paper behind it. When I took down most of it, it had black dust everywhere, some I left up and sheetrocked over. We have sheetrocked the whole house now. There were spots on the walls and ceiling that had a lot of crystallized places on the wood, now covered. There were places in the floor that were rotted and we cut out the rot only and replaced, but some of the black was still there. We covered with thin paneling in the kitchen, and plywood in the bedrooms. Can this still leak out from the walls? This house was very musty when we got it, had no idea about mould at the time. I am remodeling the house, since i started living in it as i work on it , I have started noticing that  I can't stay interested in the same project very long, had headaches, nosebleeds, a lot of mood swings, a lot of forgetfulness, my joints all over hurt, and very unrestful at night and during the day. I usually am constantly working on anything, but fill lightheaded a lot. When I leave and go visit  friends for two - five days ,  I always feel better there. By covering all that black dust up, how can I test for mould now. I know that there was a lot of it. Could it of been mould dust , I know it wasn't just dirt. And will my insurance pay if the house was like that to begin with? Please advise before i sink more money, which I've already have, into it to finish.

A. Move yourself and your family out of this mould hell immediately. Don't take anything with you so you don't cross-contaminate your temporary living quarters.Don't spend any more time in your contaminated home without wearing personal protective gear such as one-piece, 3M brand face shield with breathing respirators [from Home Depot], rubber gloves [paint dept., Home Depot], and complete body  suit [available from mould Inspector]. Some of your mould health symptoms [can't stay interested in the same project very long, headaches, mood swings, forgetfulness] are a strong indication that the hidden mould might be the deadly toxic mould Stachybotrys that destroys brain tissue. You need to have the covered up mould tested by fiber optics inspection and inside wall direct mould sampling and air mould testing, plus air mould testing of the various rooms of your home. To find a Certified Mould Inspector in your area, please visit the website: Certified Mould Inspectors. If mould testing confirms that you have covered up mould growth in the wood, all of your new wall coverings will have to be removed to facilitate mould remediation. The steps involved in effective and safe mould removal are explained on the website: Mould Testing. You also need to have your body tested for the presence of mould growth in your body. The best type of medical doctor to visit [for blood testing for mould antibodies and lung biopsy for mould growing in your lungs] is a pulmonary [lung] specialist.
 
Stachybotrys chartarum under the  microscope.
From the book   The Fifth Kingdom. 


More Information About Mold and Health---
[Alzheimer's Disease & Mould] [Asthma and Mould ][Mould Antibody Blood Testing & Other Mould Medical Diagnostic Test ][Mould Prevention][Mould Scientist] [Skin Diseases] [Stachybotrys Information] [Mould Headache] [Pregnancy and Mould Problems ]