Mold Bacteria Consulting Services

Serving Ontario and British Columbia

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Are The Small White Spheres Specific To One Bacteria?

Question: In your article “Significance Of Airborne Bacteria In Indoor Environments” there is a picture of bacterial growth in a culture dish. Could you tell me whether the small white spheres are specific to one bacteria or is a common presentation for many types?

Answer: The white spheres could be representing one type of bacterium or different types of bacteria. However, bacteria colonies will differ in size, texture and color. Description of a bacteria colony includes its shape, the margins or edges of the colony, the colony’s color, as well as surface texture. Some bacteria have their colonies round and smooth, others can have wavy edges and a wrinkled appearance. Differentiating bacteria based on the appearance of their colonies is unreliable, but an essential first step in isolating the different types of bacteria in a sample. Similarly bacteria cells differ in shape and size. Four of the common shapes of bacteria cells are cocci (spherical), rods, vibrio (comma shaped) and spiral.

Do You Have Information On This Type Of Mold?

Question: Last night I developed what I named “brain burn”- my brain literally felt like it was burning and the symptom progressed into my eyes, ears and throat. I discovered today that I had ingested a black mold which was in a cayenne pepper solution that I make for congestion. Do you have any information on this type of mold? I do still have mild symptoms.

Answer: It’s difficult to know what type of mold you ingested without testing it. There are many different types of molds that look black. If you still have a sample of the cayenne pepper, you could send it to us for testing. The lab will be able to test and let you the type of mold present in the cayenne pepper. Learn more about molds at www.MouldFacts.ca.

I Have Mold On My Bathroom Walls, What Can I Do?

Question: I recently moved into a new home and I am getting mold on my bathroom walls and ceiling. It appears that the last tenants have just painted over the mold, so it keeps coming back. Is there anything I can do to correct this?

Answer: Mold grows in buildings due to excessive moisture. You have to determine the source or cause of this excessive moisture and correct the problem. Some of the ways to reduce humidity inside the house include:

  • Venting showers and other moisture-generating sources to the outside.
  • Controlling humidity levels and dampness by using air conditioners and de-humidifiers.
  • Providing adequate ventilation to maintain indoor humidity levels between 30-60%.

Sources of mold indoors
Mold is found naturally in the environment. It’s found in soil and on dead and decaying matter. Outdoors, mold plays a key role in the breakdown of leaves, wood and other plant debris and hence helps in the recycling of nutrients. Airborne spores found indoors either originate from outdoors or could be from mold growing indoors on organic building materials.

How to recognize mold
Mold come in a variety of colors, including green, black, white, brown and orange. It can appear fuzzy or in slimy streaks. There is often a musty or earthy odour in buildings with severe mold growth.

What causes mold to grow inside homes?
Mold produces tiny spores just as some plants produce seeds for reproduction. Indoors, these spores move through the air and settle on surfaces. When mold spores land on damp surfaces, they may begin to grow and multiply.

Could These Illnesses Be Related To Mold Spores?

Question: My question regards mold spores. Our basement was flooded about 2 weeks ago. Most if not all of the exterior concrete walls and floor were affected as well as an inside wall. Although we have tried to clean everything up as best as we could, we noted a musty smell shortly afterwards. All four family members have been sick with what seems to be various allergic symptoms ever since. Could these illnesses be related to the flood? Could mold spores be the reason and should we have the air quality of our duplex tested?

Answer: It’s possible that your allergic symptoms are linked to dampness in your home. Excessive dampness is a health problem by itself. Indoor dampness also indirectly contributes to health problems by supporting the growth of molds and other microbial agents in addition to initiating the release of chemical emissions from damaged building materials and furnishings. Mold spores are also known to cause allergic reactions in some people.

Research has shown that living in damp homes not only increases the risk of asthma, but also leaves residents with a greater chance of repeated colds and skin allergies. People living in damp houses have been found to require more antibiotics than others and are more likely to suffer from pneumonia, bronchitis or tonsillitis.

You may want to test the air quality in your home to determine the levels of airborne mold spores. I would suggest you hire a professional to assess the situation in your home and give recommendations on remediation.

What Are The Health Issues We Face?

Question: We rent a 2 bedroom basement apartment in North Vancouver, BC. It does rain a lot, and a wet puddle forms in my son’s bedroom. This house is 60 years plus, but we just found mould growing under my son’s bed, black and brown mushroom looking, and we have only lived here for 10 months. We have a small dog, what are the health issues we face? I am 56 and I have a heart disease. My son is 24 and has breathing problems. We have a small 7 year old bichon frise that sleeps a lot.

Answer: There are a number of health effects associated with exposure to indoor moulds. Exposure to indoor mould mainly occurs through inhalation of airborne spores. Therefore, people exposed to indoor mould are likely to experience respiratory problems. Health effects, however, depends on the amount of mould present, individual’s sensitivity to mould and the type of mould. In an indoor environment hundreds of different kinds of mould are able to grow wherever there is moisture and an organic substrate (food source). Mould can grow on building and other materials, including: the paper on gypsum wallboard (drywall); ceiling tiles; wood products; paint; wallpaper; carpeting; some furnishings; books/papers; clothes; and other fabrics. Mould can also grow on moist, dirty surfaces such as concrete, fiberglass insulation, and ceramic tiles.

I would suggest you ask the landlord to hire a professional who could assess the extent of mould contamination, the cause and then recommend how to correct the moisture problem and get rid of the mould.

Salmonella food poisoning and symptoms

Salmonella food poisoning has been a growing concern in recent news. It has frequently lead to recalls of beef, salads and organic products and, even peanut butter products. Salmonella food poisoning occurs when one eats raw or undercooked foods such meat, poultry, eggs or egg products. Properly cooked food can get contaminated with Salmonella if […]

Legionella pneumophila – Guidelines for Laboratory Interpretation

Legionella pneumophila is a Gram negative, aerobic bacteria that is characterized as an opportunistic pathogen. It is the cause of Legionnaires’ Disease, a severe form of pneumonia and, it is the cause of Pontiac fever, a non-pneumonic form of L. pneumophila infection. Legionella spp.’s mode of transmission is through aerosols or aspiration of contaminated water. The Public Health […]

The Indoor Mold Is An Early Warning Device

The mold (or mould, in the Queen’s English) has been the victim of a bad press. Mention the word and it conjures up an image of something rotting or in the process of decomposition. And yet, were it not for the mold that inspired the discovery of penicillin millions of lives would have been lost. […]