Possibilities and limitations of health assessment of mould exposures indoors

摘要

Indoor exposure to dampness and mould can result in infections, sensitization and allergies, toxic reactions, olfactory effects, or impairment of well-being. In individual cases, causality between specific mould exposure indoors and specific health disturbances cannot be determined without doubt. Individual health risk of mould exposure can only be judged validly by a physician based on the assessment of the individual disposition (disposition-based risk assessment). Risk groups to protect are: (a) patients with immunosuppression according to the three risk groups of the German Commission for Hospital Hygiene and Infection Prevention at the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), (b) patients with cystic fibrosis, and (c) patients with bronchial asthma. Measurement-based objectification of mould exposure is neither quantitatively nor qualitatively possible. Realistic and professional risk assessment of mould infestation indoors is only feasible by interdisciplinary cooperation between physicians, environmental mycologists, indoor specialists, building experts, craftsmen, architects, and other experts.