Schools need to understand that, too, said Claire Barnett, of the Health Schools Network, based in upstate New York. In recent years, she said, schools across the country have been closed because mold sickened children. There are more than 1,000 species of mold in this country, and they can be found anywhere that's damp. As they grow, they release spores, which people then inhale or ingest, and which might cause allergic reactions. Common symptoms include coughing, congestion, watery eyes and a runny nose.
Some molds can cause breathing problems and fever.
Certain mold spores produce chemicals called mycotoxins that could be dangerous for people who are sensitive or who are those exposed to large amounts. Stachybotrys, which is rare, is found only in areas that have been water-damaged over long periods. While results of the air-quality tests will not be available until tomorrow at the earliest, Etzel said it's highly likely that Clarksburg Elementary is contaminated with a soup of toxic and nontoxic molds. Clarksburg Elementary is not an old, crumbling building. It was built in 1952 and completely renovated in 1993.