Aspergillus: what is actually known
Aspergillus comes up on laboratory reports often, and searching the name returns some alarming reading. This page sticks to what health authorities actually state, including where they say the evidence is not there.
What it is
Aspergillus is a large genus of mold found indoors and outdoors, on soil, food and building materials. It is common in ordinary air, including outdoor air in Florida. Finding it on a report does not by itself mean a building is unusual.
Because the genus contains many species that behave differently, a result naming only "Aspergillus" is less specific than it appears.
What health authorities say
The CDC describes aspergillosis as an infection caused by Aspergillus. It states that most people breathe in these spores every day without becoming ill, and that the people at risk are those with weakened immune systems or existing lung disease.
The EPA and CDC also describe damp, moldy indoor environments as associated with symptoms in some people — nasal congestion, throat irritation, coughing, wheezing, eye or skin irritation — with more sensitivity among people who have asthma or allergies.
That is the honest shape of it: common exposure, uncommon illness, and a group of people for whom the risk is genuinely higher.
What they do not say
The version of this subject that circulates online attributes memory loss, mood changes, nosebleeds and a long list of other conditions to household mold. The CDC's position is that a causal link between indoor mold and such outcomes has not been established.
The previous version of this page repeated several of those claims. It should not have, and they have been removed rather than softened. A company that inspects buildings is not in a position to tell you what a mold has done to your body, and one that is also selling you the removal has an obvious reason to overstate it.
What it means for the building
Practically, the answer does not change with the species. The EPA's guidance is to remove indoor growth and correct the moisture behind it whatever the laboratory says.
Where the result is useful is as evidence: whether indoor levels differ from an outdoor control, whether a space you cannot open is contributing, and whether a cleaned area now matches its surroundings.
What we can and cannot tell you
If you are unwell, or someone in the property has a weakened immune system or a lung condition, that is a conversation for a doctor. They can assess a person. We assess buildings, and we will not blur the two.
Questions we are asked
Should I be worried if Aspergillus is on my report?
It is a common genus and its presence alone is not unusual. What matters more is whether indoor levels differ from the outdoor control, and whether there is growth to deal with.
Is aspergillosis likely?
The CDC describes it as uncommon in people with healthy immune systems, who breathe these spores routinely without becoming ill. Risk is concentrated among people with weakened immune systems or existing lung disease.
Can you tell me whether my symptoms are caused by mold?
No. That is a medical assessment and we are not qualified to make it. We can tell you what is in your building.
Does Aspergillus need a different removal method?
No. Remove the growth, correct the moisture. That is the guidance regardless of species.
Related
Common types of indoor mold
What the species names mean, what they tend to indicate about a building, and why the label matters less than the moisture.
Read moreMold and mildew: common questions
Plain answers to the questions we get asked most, including the ones where the honest answer is “we cannot tell you that”.
Read moreHave a question this did not answer?
Call or email and we will give you a straight answer, including when the answer is that you do not need us.
Florida licensed
Mold Assessor MRSA3298 and Mold Remediator MRSR3880, both held by Mauricio Gutierrez. Either number can be checked on the state register.
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- (754) 703-8317