Key Points
Mold can begin to grow as soon as 24 to 48 hours after moisture exposure..
A few months after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, researchers with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention inspected 112 homes affected by flooding and found that nearly half had visible mold growth..
A comprehensive study conducted by the National Academy of Medicine and released in 2004 found there was sufficient evidence to link indoor exposure to mold with upper respiratory tract symptoms, such as coughing and wheezing, in otherwise healthy people..
Scientists agree that mold can cause respiratory problems for some people, but theres little evidence that it can induce fatigue, dizziness, headaches, and nauseaa collection of symptoms sometimes referred to as sick building syndrome and blamed on indoor mold..
Ebrahim Ahmadisharaf, an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Florida State University, has been studying residential flooding and mold growth after hurricanes to learn more about its potential impacts on respiratory health..
