Why Mould Affects People Who Have No Allergy to It

This comprehensive review examined the epidemiological evidence up to late 2009 on dampness, mould and related microbial agents, and found consistent associations with asthma development and exacerbation, wheeze, cough, respiratory infections, bronchitis, allergic rhinitis, eczema and upper respiratory symptoms. The finding worth pausing on is that these associations appeared in people with no diagnosed allergy as well as those with one, which points to irritation and immune activation rather than classic allergic sensitisation alone. Evidence for causation was judged strongest for asthma exacerbation in children. Notably, when researchers measured specific microbial agents in dust rather than simply observing damp, the results were mixed and sometimes pointed in protective directions, so the visible signs remain the more reliable warning. If you have quietly assumed mould is only a problem for people with allergies, this review says otherwise.