What does the hyphae on mold do?

Answer 1

Each of the hyphae reaches out to help the mold find food. Mostly they like to invade solid items like bread. However, sometimes the hyphae reach up and fragment at the ends producing asexual spores or conidia. These asexual spores are often bright colors (green, orange) and float easily in small breezes to help distribute the mold. So hyphae are for feeding and for asexual reproduction.

Answer 2

Hyphae Mold

Answer 3

1

Answer 4

2

Answer 5

NON-VASCULAR PLANTS: GROWING MOLD


OBJECTIVE: Students will know the conditions necessary for mold growth



TARGETED GRADE LEVEL: 4-5


TIME NEEDED: A few days for mold to grow.



BACKGROUND:



Non-vascular plants do not have transport tubes to carry water and food throughout the plant. Types of non-vascular plants include algae, fungi, mushrooms, yeasts, lichens, mosses, liverworts and molds. Bread mold looks like tiny fluffs of cotton. These structures are called hyphae. Some hyphae resemble roots. Hyphae release enzymes that break down chemicals in bread. The broken-down chemicals provide food for the mold. Tiny black spheres on bread mold are spore cases, which provide spores for reproduction. These organisms can be observed under a hand lens. Because non-vascular plants have no way to transport water and food over long distances, they must live near a source of water and food. Non-vascular plants are often called simple plants because they lack true stems, roots and leaves.

Answer 6

It's not that difficult. Think of the hyphae kinda like fungal roots. The others explain the life cycle of fungi but you may not need that much detail. The hypae come up and also form the stalk of the mushroom. Much of the fungus is hyphae.

Answer 7

Fungus is called a hypha and a large mass of hyphae is called a mycelium. ... They can be used with soft brushes to gather up mold on collections.

Answer 8

When referring to bread mould specifically. 3 types of hyphae
are found namely, Rhizoids(they penetrate the substrate), Stolon
they grow horizontally, and lastly, the Sporangiophore,this carries
haploid spores for vegetative reproduction

Answer 9

The bacteriophage is the answer you're looking for. It is a cell that has been injected with viral DNA/RNA which has undergone transcription and hence become part of the host cells genome.

For the best answers, search on this site https://smarturl.im/aDAmA

Answer 10

www.moldmisery.com/medical_mycology/allergies.html

Molds, a subset of the fungi, are ubiquitous on our planet. Fungi are found in every ecological niche, and are necessary for the recycling of organic building blocks that allow plants and animals to live. Included in the group "fungi" are yeasts, molds and mildews, as well as large mushrooms, puffballs and bracket fungi that grow on dead trees. Fungi need external organic food sources and water to be able to grow.

Molds

Molds can grow on cloth, carpets, leather, wood, sheet rock, insulation (and on human foods) when moist conditions exist (Gravesen et al., 1999). Because molds grow in moist or wet indoor environments, it is possible for people to become exposed to molds and their products, either by direct contact on surfaces, or through the air, if mold spores, fragments, or mold products are aerosolized.

Many molds reproduce by making spores, which, if they land on a moist food source, can germinate and begin producing a branching network of cells called hyphae. Molds have varying requirements for moisture, food, temperature and other environmental conditions for growth. Indoor spaces that are wet, and have organic materials that mold can use as a food source, can and do support mold growth. Mold spores or fragments that become airborne can expose people indoors through inhalation or skin contact.

Molds can have an impact on human health, depending on the nature of the species involved, the metabolic products being produced by these species, the amount and duration of individual's exposure to mold parts or products, and the specific susceptibility of those exposed.

Health effects generally fall into four categories. These four categories are allergy, infection, irritation (mucous membrane and sensory), and toxicity.



Allergy

The most common response to mold exposure may be allergy. People who are atopic, that is, who are genetically capable of producing an allergic response, may develop symptoms of allergy when their respiratory system or skin is exposed to mold or mold products to which they have become sensitized. Sensitization can occur in atopic individuals with sufficient exposure.

Allergic reactions can range from mild, transitory responses, to severe, chronic illnesses. The Institute of Medicine (1993) estimates that one in five Americans suffers from allergic rhinitis, the single most common chronic disease experienced by humans. Additionally, about 14 % of the population suffers from allergy-related sinusitis, while 10 to 12% of Americans have allergically-related asthma. About 9% experience allergic dermatitis. A very much smaller number, less than one percent, suffer serious chronic allergic diseases such as allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) and hypersensitivity pneumonitis (Institute of Medicine, 1993). Allergic fungal sinusitis is a not uncommon illness among atopic individuals residing or working in moldy environments. There is some question whether this illness is solely allergic or has an infectious component. Molds are just one of several sources of indoor allergens, including house dust mites, cockroaches, effluvia from domestic pets (birds, rodents, dogs, cats) and microorganisms (including molds).

While there are thousands of different molds that can contaminate indoor air, purified allergens have been recovered from only a few of them. This means that atopic individuals may be exposed to molds found indoors and develop sensitization, yet not be identified as having mold allergy. Allergy tests performed by physicians involve challenge of an individual's immune system by specific mold allergens. Since the reaction is highly specific, it is possible that even closely related mold species may cause allergy, yet that allergy may not be detected through challenge with the few purified mold allergens available for allergy tests. Thus a positive mold allergy test indicates sensitization to an antigen contained in the test allergen (and perhaps to other fungal allergens) while a negative test does not rule out mold allergy for atopic individuals.

Infection

Infection from molds that grow in indoor environments is not a common occurrence, except in certain susceptible populations, such as those with immune compromise from disease or drug treatment. A number of Aspergillus species that can grow indoors are known to be pathogens. Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus) is a weak pathogen that is thought to cause infections (called aspergilloses) only in susceptible individuals. It is known to be a source of nosocomial infections, especially among immune-compromised patients. Such infections can affect the skin, the eyes, the lung, or other organs and systems. A. fumigatus is also fairly commonly implicated in ABPA and allergic fungal sinusitis. Aspergillus flavus has also been found as a source of nosocomial infections (Gravesen et al., 1994).

There are other fungi that cause systemic infections, such as Coccidioides, Histoplasma, and Blastomyces. These fungi grow in soil or may be carried by bats and birds, but do not generally grow in indoor environments. Their occurrence is linked to exposure to wind-borne or animal-borne contamination.

Mucous Membrane and Trigeminal Nerve Irritation

A third group of possible health effects from fungal exposure derives from the volatile compounds (VOC) produced through fungal primary or secondary\ metabolism, and released into indoor air. Some of these volatile compounds are produced continually as the fungus consumes its energy source during primary metabolic processes. (Primary metabolic processes are those necessary to sustain an individual organism's life, including energy extraction from foods, and the syntheses of structural and functional molecules such as proteins, nucleic acids and lipids). Depending on available oxygen, fungi may engage in aerobic or anaerobic metabolism. They may produce alcohols or aldehydes and acidic molecules. Such compounds in low but sufficient aggregate concentration can irritate the mucous membranes of the eyes and respiratory system.

Just as occurs with human food consumption, the nature of the food source on which a fungus grows may result in particularly pungent or unpleasant primary metabolic products. Certain fungi can release highly toxic gases from the substrate on which they grow. For instance, one fungus growing on wallpaper released the highly toxic gas arsine from arsenic containing pigments (Gravesen, et al., 1994).

Fungi can also produce secondary metabolites as needed. These are not produced at all times since they require extra energy from the organism. Such secondary metabolites are the compounds that are frequently identified with typically "moldy" or "musty" smells associated with the presence of growing mold. However, compounds such as pinene and limonene that are used as solvents and cleaning agents can also have a fungal source. Depending on concentration, these compounds are considered to have a pleasant or "clean" odor by some people. Fungal volatile secondary metabolites also impart flavors and odors to food. Some of these, as in certain cheeses, are deemed desirable, while others may be associated with food spoilage. There is little information about the advantage that the production of volatile secondary metabolites imparts to the fungal organism. The production of some compounds is closely related to sporulation of the organism. "Off" tastes may be of selective advantage to the survival of the fungus, if not to the consumer.

In addition to mucous membrane irritation, fungal volatile compounds may impact the "common chemical sense" which senses pungency and responds to it. This sense is primarily associated with the trigeminal nerve (and to a lesser extent the vagus nerve). This mixed (sensory and motor) nerve responds to pungency, not odor, by initiating avoidance reactions, including breath holding, discomfort, or paresthesias, or odd sensations, such as itching, burning, and skin crawling. Changes in sensation, swelling of mucous membranes, constriction of respiratory smooth muscle, or dilation of surface blood vessels may be part of fight or flight reactions in response to trigeminal nerve stimulation. Decreased attention, disorientation, diminished reflex time, dizziness and other effects can also result from such exposures (Otto et al., 1989)

It is difficult to determine whether the level of volatile compounds produced by fungi influence the total concentration of common VOCs found indoors to any great extent. A mold-contaminated building may have a significant contribution derived from its fungal contaminants that is added to those VOCs emitted by building materials, paints, plastics and cleaners. Miller and co-workers (1988) measured a total VOC concentration approaching the levels at which Otto et al., (1989) found trigeminal nerve effects.

At higher exposure levels, VOCs from any source are mucous membrane irritants, and can have an effect on the central nervous system, producing such symptoms as headache, attention deficit, inability to concentrate or dizziness.

Adverse Reactions to Odor

Odors produced by molds may also adversely affect some individuals. Ability to perceive odors and respond to them is highly variable among people. Some individuals can detect extremely low concentrations of volatile compounds, while others require high levels for perception. An analogy to music may give perspective to odor response. What is beautiful music to one individual is unbearable noise to another. Some people derive enjoyment from odors of all kinds. Others may respond with headache, nasal stuffiness, nausea or even vomiting to certain odors including various perfumes, cigarette smoke, diesel exhaust or moldy odors. It is not know whether such responses are learned, or are time-dependent sensitization of portions of the brain, perhaps mediated through the olfactory sense (Bell, et al., 1993a; Bell et al., 1993b), or whether they serve a protective function. Asthmatics may respond to odors with symptoms.

Toxicity

Molds can produce other secondary metabolites such as antibiotics and mycotoxins. Antibiotics are isolated from mold (and some bacterial) cultures and some of their bacteriotoxic or bacteriostatic properties are exploited medicinally to combat infections.

Mycotoxins are also products of secondary metabolism of molds. They are not essential to maintaining the life of the mold cell in a primary way (at least in a friendly world), such as obtaining energy or synthesizing structural components, informational molecules or enzymes. They are products whose function seems to be to give molds a competitive advantage over other mold species and bacteria. Mycotoxins are nearly all cytotoxic, disrupting various cellular structures such as membranes, and interfering with vital cellular processes such as protein, RNA and DNA synthesis. Of course they are also toxic to the cells of higher plants and animals, including humans.

Mycotoxins vary in specificity and potency for their target cells, cell structures or cell processes by species and strain of the mold that produces them. Higher organisms are not specifically targeted by mycotoxins, but seem to be caught in the crossfire of the biochemical warfare among mold species and molds and bacteria vying for the same ecological niche.

Not all molds produce mycotoxins, but numerous species do (including some found indoors in contaminated buildings). Toxigenic molds vary in their mycotoxin production depending on the substrate on which they grow (Jarvis, 1990). The spores, with which the toxins are primarily associated, are cast off in blooms that vary with the mold's diurnal, seasonal and life cycle stage (Burge, 1990; Yang, 1995). The presence of competitive organisms may play a role, as some molds grown in monoculture in the laboratory lose their toxic potency (Jarvis, 1995). Until relatively recently, mold poisons were regarded with concern primarily as contaminants in foods.

More recently concern has arisen over exposure to multiple mycotoxins from a mixture of mold spores growing in wet indoor environments. Health effects from exposures to such mixtures can differ from those related to single mycotoxins in controlled laboratory exposures. Indoor exposures to toxigenic molds resemble field exposures of animals more closely than they do controlled experimental laboratory exposures. Animals in controlled laboratory exposures are healthy, of the same age, raised under optimum conditions, and have only the challenge of known doses of a single toxic agent via a single exposure route. In contrast, animals in field exposures are of mixed ages, and states of health, may be living in less than optimum environmental and nutritional conditions, and are exposed to a mixture of toxic agents by multiple exposure routes. Exposures to individual toxins may be much lower than those required to elicit an adverse reaction in a small controlled exposure group of ten animals per dose group. The effects from exposure may therefore not fit neatly into the description given for any single toxin, or the effects from a particular species, of mold.

Field exposures of animals to molds (in contrast to controlled laboratory exposures) show effects on the immune system as the lowest observed adverse effect. Such immune effects are manifested in animals as increased susceptibility to infectious diseases (Jakab et al., 1994). It is important to note that almost all mycotoxins have an immunosuppressive effect, although the exact target within the immune system may differ. Many are also cytotoxic, so that they have route of entry effects that may be damaging to the gut, the skin or the lung. Such cytotoxicity may affect the physical defense mechanisms of the respiratory tract, decreasing the ability of the airways to clear particulate contaminants (including bacteria or viruses), or damage alveolar macrophages, thus preventing clearance of contaminants from the deeper lung. The combined result of these activities is to increase the susceptibility of the exposed person to infectious disease, and to reduce his defense against other contaminants. They may also increase susceptibility to cancer

Because indoor samples are usually comprised of a mixture of molds and their spores, it has been suggested that a general test for cytotoxicity be applied to a total indoor sample to assess the potential for hazard as a rough assessment (Gareis, 1995).

The following summary of toxins and their targets is adapted from Smith and Moss (1985), with a few additions from the more recent literature. While this compilation of effects does not describe the effects from multiple exposures, which could include synergistic effects, it does give a better idea of possible results of mycotoxin exposure to multiple molds indoors.

Health Effects Of Mold Exposure

Vascular system (increased vascular fragility, hemorrhage into body tissues, or from lung, e.g., aflatoxin, satratoxin, roridins).

Digestive system (diarrhea, vomiting, intestinal hemorrhage, liver effects, i.e., necrosis, fibrosis: aflatoxin; caustic effects on mucous membranes: T-2 toxin; anorexia: vomitoxin.

Respiratory system: respiratory distress, bleeding from lungs e.g., trichothecenes.

Nervous system, tremors, incoordination, depression, headache, e.g., tremorgens, trichothecenes.

Cutaneous system : rash, burning sensation sloughing of skin, photosensitization, e.g., trichothecenes.

Urinary system, nephrotoxicity, e.g. ochratoxin, citrinin.

Reproductive system; infertility, changes in reproductive cycles, e.g. T-2 toxin, zearalenone.

Immune system: changes or suppression: many mycotoxins.

It should be noted that not all mold genera have been tested for toxins, nor have all species within a genus necessarily been tested. Conditions for toxin production varies with cell and diurnal and seasonal cycles and substrate on which the mold grows, and those conditions created for laboratory culture may differ from those the mold encounters in its environment.

Toxicity can arise from exposure to mycotoxins via inhalation of mycotoxin-containing mold spores or through skin contact with the toxigenic molds (Forgacs, 1972; Croft et al., 1986; Kemppainen et al., 1988 -1989). A number of toxigenic molds have been found during indoor air quality investigations in different parts of the world. Among the genera most frequently found in numbers exceeding levels that they reach outdoors are Aspergillus, Penicillium, Stachybotrys, and Cladosporium (Burge, 1986; Smith et al., 1992; Hirsh and Sosman, 1976; Verhoeff et al., 1992; Miller et al., 1988; Gravesen et al., 1999).
Molds, or mould, are various fungi that cover surfaces as fluffy mycelia and usually produce masses of asexual, or sometimes sexual, spores. Mold is a growth of minute fungi forming on vegetable or animal matter, commonly as a downy or furry coating and associated with decay or dampness.The molds are not an actual taxonomic or phylogenetic grouping – they can be found in the divisions Zygomycota, Deuteromycota and Ascomycota.


Mold on growing on a liquid surface
Moldy BreadThe presence of mold usually implies decay, although some molds are used deliberately; for example in cheese making, and for the production of antibiotics derived from the organisms' natural defenses against bacteria.

The numerous spores released by mold do not themselves cause significant harm in humans, but the hyphae grown from those spores can attach to cells along the respiratory tract and cause problems in those with weak immunity.

Alexander Fleming's famous discovery of penicillin involved the mold Penicillium notatum. The mold Neurospora crassa is commonly used as a model organism in scientific experiments.

Mold is often a problem in damp areas such as basements and bathrooms, and after floods. It can be seen on surfaces of walls, but also grows deep within, and produces a distinctive dusty, slightly pungent smell. It grows on food in closed containers, even in refrigerators.


Reasons for mold in house

Mold growing on carpetIn the home, the presence of mold can mean that something is wrong. Mold doesn’t require sunlight; often, sunlight will kill it. Mold does require moisture and food. In houses and buildings, this food source is usually some form of cellulose such as wood or cardboard.

If an entire house has problems with mold year-round, then there is probably too much moisture in the house, coming from a dirt basement or a leaking roof, for example.
If there are mold problems in one specific part of a house year-round, then that part of the house probably needs more sunlight and ventilation. Mold often forms on perimeter walls, because they are coolest, and where ventilation is poorest (in corners, around furniture).
If there are mold problems in a house only during certain times of the year, then it is probably either too air-tight, or too drafty. Mold problems occur in air-tight homes more frequently in the warmer months (when humidity reaches high levels inside the house, and moisture is trapped), and occur in drafty homes more frequently in the colder months (when warm air escapes from the living area into unconditioned space, and condenses). If a house is humidified artificially during the winter, this can create conditions favorable to mold. Also see ventilation issues in houses for tips on preventing mold. [1]

See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
Mold



Toxic mold, Mycotoxin, Aflatoxin
Slime mould, water mould
Yeasts are a family of fungi closely related to molds.
Foods produced using cultured molds: cheese, tempeh, Quorn, famous black tea Pu-erh and some sausages
Indoor air quality
Mildew
Along with pollens from trees, grasses, and weeds, molds are an important cause of seasonal allergic rhinitis. People allergic to molds may have symptoms from spring to late fall. The mold season often peaks from July to late summer. Unlike pollens, molds may persist after the first killing frost. Some can grow at subfreezing temperatures, but most become dormant. Snow cover lowers the outdoor mold count dramatically but does not kill molds. After the spring thaw, molds thrive on the vegetation that has been killed by the winter cold.

In the warmest areas of the United States, however, molds thrive all year and can cause year-round (perennial) allergic problems. In addition, molds growing indoors can cause perennial allergic rhinitis even in the coldest climates.

What is mold?

There are thousands of types of molds and yeast, the two groups of plants in the fungus family. Yeasts are single cells that divide to form clusters. Molds consist of many cells that grow as branching threads called hyphae. Although both groups can probably cause allergic reactions, only a small number of molds are widely recognized offenders.



The seeds or reproductive particles of fungi are called spores. They differ in size, shape, and color among species. Each spore that germinates can give rise to new mold growth, which in turn can produce millions of spores.

What is mold allergy?

When inhaled, microscopic fungal spores or, sometimes, fragments of fungi may cause allergic rhinitis. Because they are so small, mold spores may evade the protective mechanisms of the nose and upper respiratory tract to reach the lungs.

In a small number of people, symptoms of mold allergy may be brought on or worsened by eating certain foods, such as cheeses, processed with fungi. Occasionally, mushrooms, dried fruits, and foods containing yeast, soy sauce, or vinegar will produce allergic symptoms. There is no known relationship, however, between a respiratory allergy to the mold Penicillium and an allergy to the drug penicillin, made from the mold.

Where do molds grow?

Molds can be found wherever there is moisture, oxygen, and a source of the few other chemicals they need. In the fall they grow on rotting logs and fallen leaves, especially in moist, shady areas. In gardens, they can be found in compost piles and on certain grasses and weeds. Some molds attach to grains such as wheat, oats, barley, and corn, making farms, grain bins, and silos likely places to find mold.

Hot spots of mold growth in the home include damp basements and closets, bathrooms (especially shower stalls), places where fresh food is stored, refrigerator drip trays, house plants, air conditioners, humidifiers, garbage pails, mattresses, upholstered furniture, and old foam rubber pillows.

Bakeries, breweries, barns, dairies, and greenhouses are favorite places for molds to grow. Loggers, mill workers, carpenters, furniture repairers, and upholsterers often work in moldy environments.

Which molds are allergenic?

Like pollens, mold spores are important airborne allergens only if they are abundant, easily carried by air currents, and allergenic in their chemical makeup. Found almost everywhere, mold spores in some areas are so numerous they often outnumber the pollens in the air. Fortunately, however, only a few dozen different types are significant allergens.

In general, Alternaria and Cladosporium (Hormodendrum) are the molds most commonly found both indoors and outdoors throughout the United States. Aspergillus, Penicillium, Helminthosporium, Epicoccum, Fusarium, Mucor, Rhizopus, and Aureobasidium (Pullularia) are also common.

Are mold counts helpful?

Similar to pollen counts, mold counts may suggest the types and relative quantities of fungi present at a certain time and place. For several reasons, however, these counts probably cannot be used as a constant guide for daily activities. One reason is that the number and types of spores actually present in the mold count may have changed considerably in 24 hours because weather and spore dispersal are directly related. Many of the common allergenic molds are of the dry spore type -- they release their spores during dry, windy weather. Other fungi need high humidity, fog, or dew to release their spores. Although rain washes many larger spores out of the air, it also causes some smaller spores to be shot into the air.

In addition to the effect of day-to-day weather changes on mold counts, spore populations may also differ between day and night. Day favors dispersal by dry spore types and night favors wet spore types.

Are there other mold-related disorders?

Fungi or microorganisms related to them may cause other health problems similar to allergic diseases. Some kinds of Aspergillus may cause several different illnesses, including both infections and allergy. These fungi may lodge in the airways or a distant part of the lung and grow until they form a compact sphere known as a "fungus ball." In people with lung damage or serious underlying illnesses, Aspergillus may grasp the opportunity to invade the lungs or the whole body.



In some individuals, exposure to these fungi also can lead to asthma or to a lung disease resembling severe inflammatory asthma called allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. This latter condition, which occurs only in a minority of people with asthma, is characterized by wheezing, low-grade fever, and coughing up of brown-flecked masses or mucus plugs. Skin testing, blood tests, X-rays, and examination of the sputum for fungi can help establish the diagnosis. Corticosteroid drugs are usually effective in treating this reaction; immunotherapy (allergy shots) is not helpful.

Learn More

Control mold growth!




Created by the National Institutes of Health




Review Date: July 29, 2002

Reviewed By: Alan Greene, M.D., F.A.A.P., Department of Pediatrics, Packard Children's Hospital, Stanford University School of Medicine; Chief Medical Officer, A.D.A.M., Inc.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 2002 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.





The information contained in this web site is for educational purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Inclusion here does not imply any endorsement or recommendation by any hospital in the University of Maryland Medical System. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified medical provider for all medical problems prior to starting any new treatment
You must have noticed fuzzy blue, green and black stuff growing on stale bread from time to time, eh? This stuff is commonly called mold, and it is part of the group of living things called FUNGI ( mushrooms and slime molds are part of this group too). Fungi are a separate kingdom, like the plant kingdom and the animal kingdom. Unlike plants, fungi cannot make their own food. Molds and slimes need to eat off their environment, and they usually do this by growing THROUGH their food. This means the fungi break down whatever they're going to eat by squirting out juices to digest it, and then they grow their HYPHAE (they kinda look like microscopic roots) into the dissolved food. In the case of bread, it's a nice nutritious food source for both ourselves, and fungi!

How does mold start growing on bread? The air that surrounds us is full of dust, (just check behind your couch to see where most of it collects). In this dust you will find tiny micro-organisms, and fungi will be among them. The type of fungi found in air is called a SPORE, and it has the same job as dandelion seeds. A spore will float around until it lands on something and if that something is food, that spore will germinate and grow into a nice healthy fungus
For both physicians and patients mold has been presenting an entirely new challenge. This is because of recent reports in media of problems allegedly due to mold. The following is what we need to know about molds:



The mold belong to the Fungi Group in the Kingdom of Organisms.



The different fungi are bread molds, leaf surface and soil fungi group,

and mushrooms, puffballs, rust and smuts group. Mold can occur in spore

form or mold body form called hyphae. The existences of mold body form

suggest that mold is growing.

Presence of mold is very common and that is not an issue, however mold

growth suggests that the conditions supporting the growth are there and

we need to pay attention to those.

The conditions that favor mold growth are:

Moisture
Higher temperature
Food sources (like ceiling tiles, paper insulations, sheet rock, wood, dirt etc.)


How do we find out if there is mold growth?

Look at the area for presence of discoloration
Smell the area for any mold smell
Use tape to capture the mold from the surface and examine it under microscope
Culture the sample for specific molds from the dusts

How does mold growth affect you?

Mold can cause infections
Products from mold growth can cause toxic symptoms due to chemical emissions.
Induce symptoms of allergy if you are allergic.


What are toxic molds?

Certain molds produce toxins that irritate the airway or cause immune reactions.

Some of these are

Aspergillus versicolor
Penicillium citrinium,
Aspergillus sydowii
What do we do?

Spend the minimum to find out if there is mold. If there is mold growth

spend your funds to remove the mold, get rid of the source of mold, and

correct the defect that causes the mold growth.

Removing mold:

Apply cleansing agents like Clorox and vinegar.

Remove the source:

Find the wet and humid areas and apply cleaning measures.

Correct the structural defect:

Have the building inspected to assess the source of high humidity and do repair to remedy the structural defect.