Signs & Symptoms of Mold Infection in the Airway

Mold is a fungus that grows naturally in damp indoor and outdoor environments. Infection of the airway can occur as a result of mold allergy complications or direct exposure to mycotoxins—toxic chemical byproducts produced by certain mold species.

Types

• According to the Centers for Disease Control, mold has been linked with worsening asthma symptoms in asthmatics; allergic symptoms in otherwise healthy populations and hypersensitivity pneumonitis in immune-compromised individuals. Other illnesses linked with mold exposure include pneumonia, sinus infection and aspergillosis.

Mold Allergy and Infection

• Mold allergy results from an immune reaction to mold spores. According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of mold allergy include sneezing, eye irritation and respiratory symptoms like wheezing and coughing. Mold spore inhalation may also lead to respiratory conditions like sinus infection and allergic rhinitis in sensitive individuals.

Respiratory Symptoms

• The most prominent symptoms of mold infection of the airway generally occur in the nose, sinuses, lungs and other respiratory organs. Possible symptoms include coughing up blood or mucus, wheezing, shortness of breath, sneezing and nasal inflammation.

Non-Respiratory Symptoms

• Symptoms occurring outside the respiratory system may also be present in mold-induced infection of the airway. Non-respiratory symptoms may include fatigue, fever, headache, sore throat and skin rash.

Complications

• Left untreated, fungal infection can lead to the development of secondary infections such as pneumonia or bronchitis. According to the National Institutes of Health, mycotoxin inhalation may lead to adverse immunological effects, certain types of cancer and even death.