• Mold exposure can occur by consuming moldy foods, inhaling mold spores, or through skin contact. Molds grow both outside and inside, and thrive in moist, damp, dark areas. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the most common types of molds include cladosporium, penicillium, alternaria, and aspergillus. Since not all people are sensitive to molds, it is very common for homes to have mold problems that go undetected by their owners. To prevent mold exposure indoors, be sure to keep your home at 40 to 60 percent humidity and ventilate any particularly humid areas. According to the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, mold exposure can influence is most commonly related to allergies, but can also cause infections, and, in rare cases, toxicity.
  
  

Allergies

• Allergies that are chronic and unresponsive to medication may result from mold exposure. Allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma may be triggered by exposure to mold spores. If you commonly have a runny, itchy nose, chronic cough, watering eyes, or other common allergy symptoms, you may have a sensitivity to mold either outdoors or inside your home or workplace.
  
  

Infections

• Lung infections are often related to mold exposure, particularly if they are recurring. In rare cases, infections of the skin may develop in people with suppressed immune systems. Symptoms include skin rashes on the feet or groin areas.
  
  

Toxicity

• Some kinds of mold have the ability to produce mycotoxins, which are compounds that are toxic upon repeated exposure. Stachybotrys chartarum is the mold most commonly associated with mycotoxins.