Following are excerpts from the EPA publication on mold. The publication is a treatise on the problem of mold in your living environment at home and office. The same information holds very true in the confines of the automobile environment.

Pictured is a single mold strand releasing its spores.

You can find the complete publication at http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldguide.html

Molds are part of the natural enviornment. Outdoors, molds play a part in nature by breaking down dead organic matter such as fallen leaves and dead trees, but indoors, mold growth should be avoided.  Molds reproduce by means of tiny spores; the spores are invisible to the naked eye and float through outdoor and indoor air. Mold may begin growing indoors when mold spores land on surfaces that are wet. There are many types of mold, and none of them will grow without water or moisture.

Can mold cause health problems?  Molds are usually not a problem indoors, unless mold spores land by a wet or damp spot and begin growing.  Molds have the potential to cause health problems.  Molds produce allergens (substances that can cause allergic reactions), irritants, and in some cases, potentially toxic substances (mycotoxins).  

Inhaling or touching mold or mold spores may cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.  Allergic responses include hay fever-type systems, such as sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash (dermatitis).  Allergic reactions to mold are common.  They can be immediate or delayed.  Molds can also cause asthma attacks in people with asthma who are allergic to mold.  In addition, mold exposure can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs of both mold allergic and non-allergic people.  Symtoms other than the allergic and irritant type are not commonly reported as a result of inhalling mold.

Please note:  Dead mold may still cause allergic reactions in some people, so it is not enough to simply kill the mold, it must also be removed.