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Moldy school library books

September 24, 2003

Mold is a very common and very useful substance. Without mold, we could have no life cycle. Mold is necessary for decomposing plant and animal materials to replenish the natural environment of the earth.

Yet more and more is being unearthed about the dangers of mold as well. Mold in the outdoor environment where there is plenty of fresh air may be natural, but it was not intended that our indoor environment be attacked by mold.

Many profit-seekers have exploited the dangers of mold, but there is still little concrete evidence available to tell us exactly what the dangers of mold exposure are. Few will deny that indoor mold may be unhealthy, but beyond that, there are many differing opinions among professionals.

I've had many people write to me and attribute a variety of symptoms to mold. Some have reported severe illness after working in a mold infested building or having a serious mold problem at home. I try not to "progress beyond" current medical knowledge in the things I share with you here. But I've discussed some of the real dangers of mold and some of the possible dangers that may be associated with mold in the
Living with mold -- health problems area of A Moldy Story.

The bottom line is that there is no bottom line right now. Some of the symptoms and illnesses people attribute to mold may be due to other things. But no doubt some of them are a direct result of mold exposure. It will take more time for science and medicine to uncover all the facts about mold.

What we do know is that there are some molds that produce toxins and can cause serious or fatal fungal infections in certain individuals. They are sometimes referred to as killer molds, though some feel this label causes undue concern about molds in general. I've discussed these molds in my item:
Mycotic diseases. Mycotic diseases are diseases caused by fungus (mold).

Stachybotrys has also been called a killer mold. It has been found in buildings, especially after flooding. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) investigated incidents of infant hemorrhage deaths linked to Stachybotrys in the Cleveland area. The CDC concluded there is no proven connection between Stachybotrys and the infant deaths.

This uncertainty about mold exposure gives us even more reason to be cautious. Treating all indoor mold as potentially dangerous is thought by many experts to be the best course.

I suggest you do not allow your child to read a moldy book. Take the moldy book back to the school library yourself and show the mold to the librarian. Ask her to examine with you the books on the shelf where this one was found. The school will need to determine and remove the source of the mold, and to get rid of any contaminated books. You may need to talk with the principal or other school authorities if a large area is involved. If the problem is extensive, a professional may be needed.

Be very careful when you examine moldy books or moldy areas. Wear protective equipment and do not fan the books' pages or do anything to enable release of mold spores into the air.

National Allergy Supply not only provides protective equipment, but their newsletter this month shares some excellent information about protecting yourself from molds. See that newsletter here:
Mold Precautions, Clean-Up & Prevention

Certain types of mold can be very dangerous. Others may or may not be harmful. Always err on the side of caution.

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