Dr Jackson Kung'u- Mold Specialist

Helping People Resolve Mold Problems

Contact Us

Dr. Jackson Kung’u (PhD)- Mold Specialist.
Phone: 905-290-9101
Mobile: 437-556-0254

Home | Public Questions

Public Questions

Can mold cause early birth?

Question: My wife got pregnant in June of 2006. We were living in a condo at that time, which had some water dripping issues from the condo above. The water would get into the ceiling of the two bedrooms 1 and 2, next to it. In addition there was another leak in the same bathroom on floor level. Attempts had been made to fix these issues but were never correctly done and then just ignored. Due to these problems we had moved into another home in early December of 2006. So for over 6 months, our condo was contantly wet from the bathroom leaks, the ceiling of the bathrooms and bedrooms. The bedroom that was most severly affected on the floor and ceiling was the room we slept in.

In late December, what we most feared happened. My wife was 27 weeks into her pregnacy and delivered a baby girl. As this is our first child this was the most horrifying experience that life has put us through. The baby is doing great now but get tired very quicky and at times lethargic. Other than that we’re very lucky to have her.

My questions are the following:
1. Could mold have developed withing those 6 months that we were there?
2. If yes, then how could it affect pregnacy?
3. Is there any connection to mold and wife early delivery?

If you could please respond I would very much be thankful to you. Thank you.

Answer: Thank you for your questions. It’s possible that mold had developed within the 6 months you were in the condo. However, I have not seen any publication where mold is said to cause early delivery in humans. Having said that, a number of mycotoxins have been shown to affect pregnancy in experimental animals but this has not been observed in humans.

I would suggest you discuss your concerns with your family doctor.

Mycotoxin poisoning

Question: Workers in a leaky chemical mixing/packaging (including arsenic-containing substances) building with documented Exserohilum rostratum and leaking roof experienced acute and chronic symptoms similar to arsenic poisoning (usually 1-2 hours after eating/drinking at work): hemorrhagic diarrhea, capillary leakage, abdominal pain, bad taste in mouth, desquamation, gastroenteritis, flu-like symtpoms, burning mouth/tongue, lights seemed brighter and sounds louder, hoarseness, difficulty forming words, thirst, conjunctivitis, and warty/blotchy palms.  Could these symptoms be caused by a mycotoxin from additional mold(s) growing in the building?  The building is a warehouse with lots of wood for storage areas, carpets, drywall, offices, etc.

Answer: I am not sure if the symptoms you’ve described are related to mold or even mycotoxin poisoning. Though we’re not experts in the area of chemical poisoning, it’s highly likely that this incidence is related to chemical poisoning. An investigation by a toxicologist is highly recommended.

Cost of testing air for mold

Question: My question regards the cost of testing air for mold. I have mold problems in two closets in my home and in a couple of corners in the house. I also get alot of moisture build up at the bottom of my windows that has also caused some mold. At the beginning of the year I installed a Conservation voltage regulation(CRV) unit on my furnace but as winter is coming again the problem still seems to be there and I think my daughter is experiencing health problems over this. My home is only 11 years old. How much does testing air for mold usually cost?

Answer: Testing air for mold is very simple and does not have to be expensive. A homeowner or property manager can save money if they could initially test the air themselves before calling in a professional. This does not mean that a professional is not required for testing air for mold but should only be hired to resolve complex problems not simple air testing.

For most people, testing air for mold themselves (using the same tools used by professionals) in their homes is all they need to identify if mold is present in excessive amounts.

Testing Air For Mold

Settle agar plate

Testing air for mold may involve any of the following methods:
  •  Settle Plate Method: This method involves exposing agar plates to the air in the room or rooms to be tested. The agar plates can be exposed for a duration of 1-4 hours and then covered and shipped to a laboratory for mould counting and identification. The cost of this test is very low. However, since this method is not very efficient in terms of air sampling, it’s not generally recommended.
  • Andersen Air Sampling Method: This method is similar to the settle plate method but instead of opening the agar plates and leaving them for airborne spores to settle on the agar by gravity, the method utilizes a pump to impact the air onto the surface of agar. Since the air is drawn into the agar surface (similar to how we draw air into our lungs) the method is very efficient. This method requires the person doing the sampling to be trained in aseptic techniques since it’s very easy to contaminate the agar plates and subsequently ending up with false postives. Since, it requires training and experience in aseptic techniques, it’s not recommended for non-professionals.
  • Non-viable Air Sampling Method: This method involves impacting air on an inert sticky surface using a special air pump. The method is very efficient in sampling for airborne particulate. The method does not require any special training other than following the instructions on how to fit the sampling cassette onto the pump and how to switch the pump on.

Non-viable Air Sampling Method

The pump’s “flow-rate” is set (“calibrated”) to draw a specified volume of air – for a specified length of time (usually 5 or ten minutes) – through the filter. The sample is later examined in the laboratory under high magnification to identify and count mold structures – dead or alive. This is important as dead (‘non-viable’) mold spores can cause allergy problems, too.
 
Molds are a normal part of our environment both inside and outside our homes. And, as most buildings are ventilated with outdoor air, any particulate contained in the outdoor air including mold spores, dust, pollens and other pollutants infiltrates inside the buildings. Testing air for mold gives us an idea of how much airborne mold spores people are exposed to.

 To determine whether the spores inside the house originated from outside or are from mold growing inside the house an outside air sample is collected for reference.

Testing air for mold. QuickTake 15The other air samples are taken indoors from each room that requires to be tested. When the laboratory receives the air samples the number of collected mold spores is counted. Although there no set permissible levels of airborne spores (i.e., save or unsave levels), a normal, healthy indoor environment can be defined as one where:
  •  Species or types of mold spores that are found on the inside air sample are also found on the outside air sample – this is referred to as normal ‘mirroring’ or ‘trapping.’

However:

  • The number of mold spores found inside the house or building should not be greater than the number of mold spores found outside. Also, the types of mold spores present in the inside air should be similar to those found in the outside air. Some types of mold spores when detected inside (and not outside) even in very low levels could indicate a problem. For example a few spores of Chaetomium, Stachybotys, Ulocladium, and Fusarium are indicative of excessive moisture in the building and possible hidden mold growth. In this case a professional would be required to perform further investigations to locate hidden mold growth if any.

Doing Your Own Air Testing For Mold:

It’s fun doing your own air testing and it’s easier than vacuum cleaning the carpet or doing laundry.

For more details, click Mold Testing Kit or call 905-290-9101 for more information.

Stachybotrys chartarum

Stachybotrys spQuestion: Hello, I recently received results from your lab and 1 of 3 moulds identified was Stachybotrys.  In your mould library you reference Stachybotrys Cartarum only.  Is all Stachybotrys the chartarum variety?  Can you recommend a link for how/if you can destroy this mould (ie. it appears to only be on one wall, will replacing the gyproc be remedy enough – I have 2 young children)?

Answer: Stachybotrys chartarum is not the only variety (species to be more correct) that grows indoors but it’s perhaps the most common. A closely related species, Stachybotrys chlorohalonata, was described in 2003. Another species that is closely related to Stachybotrys and is common in water-damaged buildings is Memnoniela echinata. Just like Stachybotrys species, Memnoniela echinata is isolated from cellulose containing materials (e.g., paper, wallpaper), textile and dead plant materials. Exposure to these moulds should be avoided.Memnoniella sp

Correcting the moisture problem and replacing the contaminated material (that cannot be cleaned) with new material is the best way to deal with mould. The work should be done by a qualified mould remediation contractor.

Is the mould on my Windowsills particularly dangerous?

Question:  I have found what appears to be a mould growing in my window. It is gooey in texture and clear in colour. The window is often wet with condensation to the point it drips down continually for hours on end.

I am not sure if the jelly like characteristic of the mould is because of the water or because that is its composition. Recently the mould was disturbed by somebody in our room (they opened the window). My wife had just left the room for a while with our infant daughter (10 months) for medical reasons as this person had to come in. When she came back into the room fifteen minutes or so passed when her nose started running, being allergic to mould she immediately told me it had been disturbed and she could smell it. She now has had for the last four days what appears to be cold like symptoms. What should we do? How long do these symptoms typically last?

Does my description of the mould sound at all like anything particularly dangerous?
Would this be a danger to our daughter? We don’t actually have anywhere else we could live so this is important to us how we handle it.  Could putting plastic window covering that seals with heat keep it from the room or would it disturb it too much?  It wasn’t here in the summer but seems to have happened from the washing that we’ve hung in the room drying without any ventilation. We’re concerned for our daughter so if you could let us know asap we’d so appreciate it. As I said, we live in this room and she is in the room nearly 24 hours every day. Thank you for your time.

Answer: It’s difficult to tell for sure what type of mould it is from the description you have just given. It’s even harder to say whether it’s dangerous. But all moulds are potentially a health hazard. There are a number of moulds that can grow on windowsills following condensation. The common ones are Cladosporium, Aureobasidium, Ulocladium and Alternaria. These moulds are generally dark colored or could appear black and therefore do not fit well the description you have given. It’s important to note that any mould can grow on windowsills as long as there is moisture and nutrients.

As for what to do, I would suggest you get a qualified professional to assess the problem and advise you on what to do. You have mentioned that there is poor ventilation which obviously explains why there is condensation on the windows. To control mould growth, the ventilation/condensation problem should be corrected. I would not recommend putting a plastic window covering to seal the mould. The best thing is to get professional help.

Symptoms associated with mould exposure would generally disappear once the mould is removed or the individual leaves the contaminated building.