The military has known for decades about the dangers of toxic mold. Unfortunately, the general public knows little. The "yellow rain" used by the Russians in Vietnam and later Afghanistan was comprised of the same mycotoxin found in stachybotrys. The details of this are contained in a United States Military report titled Medical Aspects of Chemical and Biological Warfare. This is an excerpt from the introduction:

This family of mycotoxins causes multiorgan effects including emesis and diarrhea, weight loss, nervous disorders, cardiovascular alterations, immunodepression, hemostatic derangements, skin toxicity, decreased reproductive capacity, and bone marrow damage. In this chapter, we will concentrate on T-2 mycotoxin, a highly toxic trichothecene that, together with some closely related compounds, has been the causative agent of a number of illnesses in humans and domestic animals. During the 1970s and 1980s, the trichothecene mycotoxins gained some notoriety as putative biological warfare agents in Southeast Asia.

The report is quite detailed, but here's the summary:

...trichothecene mycotoxins are proven lethal agents in warfare. Symptoms include vomiting, pain, weakness, dizziness, ataxia, anorexia, diarrhea, bleeding, skin redness, blistering, and gangrene, as well as shock and rapid death. Sensitive immunoassays and chemical procedures are available for the identification of trichothecene mycotoxins in biological samples, but no detection kits have been fielded. Prevention of exposure is the only current defense, with a protective mask and clothing worn when under attack. Previous successful lethal attacks have always occurred against unprotected civilians and soldiers. Skin decontamination with water and soap can be used effectively up to 6 hours after exposure. Experimental treatments for systemic toxicity are being investigated, but no therapy is available for humans...

This explains why avoidance for those exposed to stachybotrys is the first and foremost line of defense. The good news, of course, is that there are now therapies available.

To read the report in its entirety, click here.