The Most Frightening Fungus?

Type "Black Mold" into an internet search engine, and what do you get? Links to over 5.5 Million pieces of information in less than a quarter of a second.

WOW! The majority of these sites refer to Stachybotrys. It is commonly nicknamed “stachy” and has been sensationalized as "black mold" or "toxic mold" by the media.

What is Stachybotrys?

Stachybotrys Chartarum is the single best known species of the genus. Despite the "black mold" nickname, Stachybotrys is not truly black, but is normally greenish-black in color. It tends to be somewhat slimy, as opposed to powdery. It thrives on on cellulose-containing products that have been wet for several days or more and enjoys a fairly constant moisture source.

Why are People so Worried About Stachybotrys?

Stachbotrys is known to produce trichothecene mycotoxins. Mycotoxins may enter the human body through ingestion, inhalation, or absorption through the skin. Exposure to these mycotoxins may have potential health effects for some individuals including coughing, wheezing, runny nose, irritated eyes or throat, skin rashes, and diarrhea.

Since these symptoms are general in nature, they also can be caused by a cold, virus or exposure to other allergens. It is not known what level of mycotoxin from Stachybotrys must be present in the air to cause health effect symptoms.

People with allergies may be more sensitive to Stachybotrys, as well as other molds. People with immune suppression or underlying lung disease are more susceptible to fungal infections that may be associated with mycotoxins.

Is the Concern About Stachybotrys New?

The potential effects of Stachybotrys toxins were first observed in cattle and horses in Russia in 1920. Stomatitis, rhinitis, conjunctivitis, pancytopenia and neurological disorders developed in these animals after they ingested hay contaminated with Stachybotrys.

Later in the 1970s, it was claimed that Yellow Rain attacks in Southeast Asia were associated with the use of aerosolized trichothecenes as an agent of biologic warfare. However, this claim remained scientifically unproven.

What Caused the More Recent Focus on Stachybotrys?

In 1994, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) investigated whether exposure to Stachybotrys might be related to pulmonary hemorrhage, also known as bleeding lungs, in infants in Cleveland, Ohio.

While the CDC initially concluded that there was a possible link between exposure to the mold and the condition, Stachybotrys was not found in the homes of seven children with bleeding lungs identified in the Chicago area between April 1992 and January 1995.

A subsequent review of the Cleveland study by a group of CDC experts concluded that a link between exposure to Stachybotrys and bleeding lungs in infants was not proven.

Where Can I Get More Information?

If you want additional information on Stachybotrys, make sure you are using reputable sources that provide the facts rather than relying on scare tactics.

Several good places to start include the Environmental Protection Agency (www.epa.gov/mold) and the Centers for Disease Control (www.cdc.gov/MOLD/stachy.htm).