ABSTRACT
Alleged mold toxicity 24Lidia Artiola i Fortuny Humans have shared the world with molds since the beginning of time. Molds are microscopic fungi found indoors and outdoors. Because molds are so ubiquitous, the chances are very high that we are exposed to them in a variety of environments. There are many species of molds, about 100,000 according to some experts (e.g., Terr, 2001). Of these, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the United States Department of Labor (OSHA) (2007) estimates that about 50 to l00 common indoor mold types have the potential for creating health problems. Physical reactions to certain types of molds are well known. Molds can cause respiratory illness, particularly in susceptible or immunosuppressed individuals. Airborne fungal allergens have been associated with allergic diseases, such as allergic rhinitis/conjunctivitis, allergic asthma, and hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Mycotoxins are natural products produced by fungi that evoke a toxic response when introduced in low concentration to higher vertebrates and other animals by a natural route. A position paper from the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) (Bush et al., 2006) indicates that scientific evidence does not support the proposition that human health has been adversely affected by inhaled mycotoxins in the home, school, or office environment. Additionally, the contention that the presence of mycotoxins can give rise to a full array of nonspecific complaints is not consistent with what is known to occur (Bush et al., 2006). This position is also endorsed by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies Committee on Damp Indoor Spaces and Health (2004). Additionally, there has not been sufficient research to support the notion that molds cause cognitive problems under conditions of adequate industrial hygiene in the workplace or in residences. In spite of the lack of scientifically plausible evidence that exposure to mold or mycotoxins causes measurable damage to the nervous system, in the United States there has been a veritable explosion of microbial tort litigation and a rush of claims of disability allegedly due to cognitive deficits caused by mold exposure. As has been pointed out by neuropsychologist Paul LeesHaley: “In the context of litigation, speculative opinions are rendered in lieu of scientifically wellfounded conclusions” (Lees-Haley, 2003, p. 561). The same author has warned of the dangers of hysterical claims and unfounded alarms by lawyers, doctors, and others that will have harmed many victims, if in reality it turns out that [the exposures] are neuropsychologically harmless. Lees-Haley has recommended that the effects of inhaling mycotoxins and mold spores should be explored through high-quality, well-controlled, scientific studies, rather than through speculation in adversarial settings (Lees-Haley, 2002). This view is shared by the ACOEM (Bush et al., 2006).
