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Types of Mold & Allergies Associated With Them

There are more types of mold than are possible to list, but only a few types of mold typically cause allergies. Molds are fungi that reproduce by small airborne spores. When these spores hang in the air, people can breathe them in, which leads to mold allergies and other unpleasant health concerns.

  1. Alternaria

    • Alternaria is one of the two most common types of mold, along with Cladosporium, found in the United States. Most mold allergies caused by Alternaria occur when you breathe the fungus in. Common mold allergy symptoms caused by Alternaria include coughing, problems breathing and hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Alternaria may also cause asthma attacks. Beaumont Hospitals warns that in temperate climates, Alternaria spores are most prevalent in late summer to early autumn.

    Cladosporium

    • As with Alternaria, Cladosporium is common indoors and outdoors in the United States. Mold allergies caused by Cladosporium are usually triggered by inhaling Cladosporium spores or mycelia. Mold allergy symptoms caused by Cladosporium are similar to the allergy symptoms caused by Alternaria, including problems breathing, coughing and hypersensitivity pneumonitis. According to Beaumont Hospitals, mold allergies related to Cladosporium occur in temperate climates during mid to late summer.

    Aspergillus

    • Aspergillus spores can be found both indoors and outdoors and cause mold allergies when inhaled. Common mold allergy symptoms include shortness of breath, cough and hypersensitivity pneumonitis. In people with asthma, Aspergillus can cause an allergic reaction called bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. The symptoms for bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, according to Beaumont Hospitals, are wheezing, fever and coughing up masses with brown flecks in them. In temperate climates, Aspergillus spores are prevalent mostly from August to April.

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