HIV and AIDS: Overview, causes, symptoms, and treatments
Is Mold In Your House A Problem? What You Need To Know
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Whether it is a cold, damp winter or a warm, humid summer, activities at home can result in moisture indoors and the appearance of mold in the house.
Mold can grow on walls, clothes, books, toys, and even CDs. It can turn prized possessions into musty relics that only look fit for the garbage.
But is it also a health hazard? What effects can mold have on a person's body?
This article looks at what mold is, why it grows, its impact on a person's health, and how to stop it.
Molds are a form of fungus. There are many different types, and they can occur both indoors and outdoors.
Molds produce spores, which spread by floating around in the air. Mold spores are present in all indoor environments. There is no way to prevent spores, and they can persist in conditions where mold itself cannot grow.
Mold spores thrive in environments that are moist and warm, so when they land on a damp spot, they begin to grow.
Molds can grow on a variety of different surfaces, including fabric, paper, wood, glass, and plastic. As they grow, they may digest the material they are growing on.
Nobody knows how many kinds of mold there are, but experts estimate that there may be 300,000 or more different types. Some are more likely than others to appear in the home.
Common indoor molds include:
Alternaria: This occurs in damp places indoors, such as showers or under leaky sinks.
Aspergillus: This often grows indoors, on dust, powdery food items, and building materials, such as drywall.
Cladosporium: This can grow in either cool or warm areas. It tends to appear on fabrics and wood surfaces.
Penicillium: This tends to grow on materials with water damage. It often has a blue or green appearance.
Molds take a variety of forms and textures. They can be white, black, yellow, blue, or green and often look like discoloration or stain to a surface.
They can also have a velvety, fuzzy, or rough appearance, depending on the type of mold and where it is growing.
Mold spores are everywhere, both indoors and outdoors, but they are not visible to the naked eye.
Spores can enter the home:
Through the air: They can enter through open windows, doorways, and ventilation systems.
By attaching to objects or people: Vehicles include clothing, shoes, and pets.
Mold will only flourish if spores land somewhere that has the ideal conditions for growing, such as moisture and a supply of suitable nutrients. If the environment is unsuitable for the spores, they do not usually develop or cause a problem.
Places where mold often appears include:
Wet cellulose materials are most supportive of mold growth.
Examples include:
Mold growth is usually visible and often produces a musty odor. It can damage household items, and it can also have an impact on health.
Mold can pose a health problem, especially for people with an allergy, an existing respiratory problem, or a weakened immune system.
Breathing problemsAs mold grows, spores, cells, fragments, and unstable organic compounds can enter the air. They can produce allergens, irritants, and mycotoxins. Some of these can be toxic, especially to individuals who have a sensitivity to them.
Also, dampness encourages materials to break down, increasing the volume of particles, or dust, in the air.
These particles can irritate the lungs, nose, and throat, especially in a person who already has a breathing problem, asthma, or a chronic lung condition.
AllergyA person with a sensitivity or allergy to any mold-related particles may react.
Mold allergies can produce similar symptoms to other allergies, such as hay fever, or seasonal allergy. In these, too, airborne substances can affect the upper respiratory tract.
Symptoms include:
People with a mold allergy as well as asthma have a higher chance of having an asthma attack when there is mold in the environment.
A higher volume of dust can increase the risk of dust mites, which can also trigger an allergic reaction in some people.
AspergillosisSome types of mold, such as Aspergillus, can cause a serious health problem, known as aspergillosis, in some people.
Most people can breathe in the spores of this fungus without becoming sick, but people who have a weakened immune system or an existing lung disease can have a severe reaction.
There are different types of aspergillosis:
Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA): This affects the lungs and can cause breathing problems.
Allergic aspergillus sinusitis: This affects the nose and can involve a headache.
Aspergilloma, or fungus ball: This can cause a cough, which may produce blood, as well as breathing problems.
Chronic pulmonary aspergillosis: Symptoms include breathing problems, a cough, and weight loss.
Other conditionsMold can also trigger the production of microbes and bacteria. Exposure to these bacteria may trigger an inflammatory response in some people, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The WHO also note that mold and the microbial agents it produces may increase the risk of bronchial and fungal infections.
There is some evidence that it might lead to:
Some evidence from the WHO and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that people have experienced the following symptoms after spending time in an environment where mold is present:
Factors affecting the likelihood of having health problems due to mold include:
Mold can trigger bronchitis in some people. Which home remedies can help treat bronchitis?
Controlling moisture is the key to preventing mold from growing indoors. It is also important to keep the home clean and well ventilated.
Causes of humidity in the home include:
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advise people to aim for a humidity level of below 60%.
Reducing humidityPeople can reduce the risk of a buildup of moisture and mold by:
It is not always possible to prevent mold from growing, but regular cleaning and wiping can reduce the risk of it appearing or getting worse.
Removing mold Share on PinterestThere are a number of commercial products available to help remove mold.To clean or remove mold:
Wipe hard surfaces with a suitable commercial product, soap and water, or a heavily diluted bleach solution. Always dry the surfaces after use to prevent mold from reappearing.
Wash or wipe porous surfaces and check regularly to see if mold has returned, as it can infiltrate these materials. If mold continues to reappear, consider disposing of these items.
Ask at the local hardware store about antifungal paints and other products that can help prevent mold from developing.
Call in a professional to tackle large areas of mold.
See a doctor if you believe mold is causing a health problem.
A range of items to help deal with mold are available for purchase online.
These include:
All indoor environments have some mold spores in them, but this does not affect most people.
However, people with a compromised immune system may have a higher risk of illness, and especially lung problems, if there are mold spores and mold in the environment. Others may experience allergic reactions.
Keeping an indoor space clean, dry, and well ventilated is the best ways to prevent mold from developing.
Anyone who has concerns about mold in the home, the workplace, or an educational or other setting should ask their healthcare provider or state health department for advice.
Here Is The Mold Found In Seattle Children's Hospital
This is a scanning electron micrograph of Aspergillus, a group of molds known to produce aflatoxins,... [+] a known carcinogen that can infect crops and food. The fungi also can cause allergic illnesses, infections, and diseases known as aspergillosis. (Photo By BSIP/UIG Via Getty Images)
GettyThere's an "ass" and an "ill" in the pronunciation of Aspergillus. This is fitting because this mold can be a jerk and make you sick, especially if your immune system is weakened. That's why Aspergillus and health care settings can be a bad combination like eating Buffalo wings and wearing a white tuxedo. That combination, the Aspergillus one, has occurred in Seattle Children's Hospital.
According to Ryan Blethen and Lewis Kamb reported for the Seattle Times, at least six people who had been patients in the hospital had developed Aspergillus infections with one of them dying this year. The first three cases had occurred in 2018, and three more this year. However, it wasn't until May of this year that Seattle Children's Hospital closed 14 operating rooms after testing had found Aspergillus in their air handling system. The hospital then had to notify around 3,000 patients about possible exposure to Aspergillus. The hospital has just re-opened these operating rooms after extensive cleaning and installing a new air-handling system.
Here is a local Seattle KING 5 news segment on the moldy situation:
Neither the Seattle Times piece nor the television news segment specified what particular species of Aspergillus was found in the hospital. Not all Aspergillus species can cause human disease. As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains, less than 40 of the approximately 180 known species of Aspergillus can cause infections in humans. Presumably, the species in hospital was one of the species that can affect humans such as Aspergillus fumigatus or A. Flavus, A. Terreus, and A. Niger.
Aspergillus spores, including the ones that can cause infections in humans, may already be in the air that you breathe. But no need to hold your breath constantly. That usually doesn't end well, and fortunately, in most cases, you won't get sick from inhaling these spores if your immune system is up to snuff, so to speak, or you don't have underlying lung disease. When this mold does causes trouble, there are several possibilities. One possibility is allergic reactions in your sinuses (allergic Aspergillus sinusitis) or your lungs (allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis). The latter condition also goes by ABPA for short, which looks a little like ABBA but has nothing to do with the Swedish pop group.
Then there is the possibility a "fungus ball." A "fungus ball" is not a social gathering that involves dressing up in fungus, but instead is exactly what it sounds like, a ball of fungus. These balls, otherwise aspergillomas, can form in your lungs or sinuses. While some people brag about having balls, you don't want to have such balls in your lungs or sinuses.
Here is a chest X-ray showing a case of pulmonary aspergillosis. (Photo By BSIP/UIG Via Getty... [+] Images)
GettyWhen the mold invades organs in your body, such as your lungs, it's called invasive aspergillosis, which can, in turn, cause inflammation, damage, and other havoc. Such infections have the potential of being deadly. Chronic pulmonary aspergillosis is when Aspergillus infection of your lungs that lasts for three months or more. This can lead to big holes in your lungs. You can also have a ball, or two. Fungal balls, that is. Another possibility is cutaneous aspergillosis, which has nothing to do with being cute. Cutaneous means affecting the skin. This is when Aspergillus gets, in the words of Frank Sinatra, under your skin through a hole created by an injury, procedure, or surgery, resulting in a skin infection.
The symptoms of aspergillosis depend on the body part affected. When your sinuses are involved, you may have headaches, a runny nose, congestion, or reduced smelling ability. When it's your lungs, you may suffer a cough, wheezing, or shortness of breath. You may also cough up some blood.
But before you self-diagnose yourself next time you have any type of cough and say, "oh my goodness, I have a fungus ball in me," see your doctor instead. There could be many other possible explanations for such symptoms. Things like a physical exam, a chest X-ray or CT, a blood test, testing your respiratory fluid, or take a tissue sample can help move towards a diagnosis. In this case, taking a tissue sample means biopsying the affected body part and not pulling from a box of tissues.
The typical treatment for aspergillosis is anti-fungal medications with the specific type of medication depending on the type of aspergillosis. The names of anti-fungal medications tend to end in -zole or -fungin. Therefore, if someone wants to put something-fungin dressing on your salad, you may want to inquire more about what's happening.
Again, if you are otherwise healthy, you probably can handle breathing in some Aspergillus spores, assuming that they are not at abnormally high concentrations. Don't worry about trying to remove all Aspergillus from your outdoor surroundings. However, you still want to keep the amount of mold growing in your home to a minimum because indoor mold (and not just the Aspergillus type) can cause all sorts of health issues. But more on that some other day.
The need to minimize mold is even greater in health care settings. These facilities have plenty of people with less than strong immune systems and who may be getting invasive procedures. Hospitals and other health care facilities need to perform routine testing of the surroundings and air handling systems and act quickly should the mold be found. Consider routinely asking clinics and hospitals what they are doing to prevent and control such mold. After all, your Aspergillus could be on the line.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Symptoms
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the commonest lung disorders seen in smokers. The condition usually takes years to progress and develop so as to manifest symptoms.
COPD is characterized by progressive worsening of cough and breathlessness among middle aged smokers. These patients have recurrent and frequent exacerbations brought about often by bouts of infections of the respiratory tract.
Usually the condition is seen in persons over the age of 35.
Age of onset of COPD symptomsThis condition usually manifests in individuals over 35 years of age. Rare conditions like alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency may bring about COPD symptoms early. Alpha 1 antitrypsin is a protein that protects the lungs. In its absence, as seen rarely in some genetically susceptible individuals, there is risk of COPD. COPD in non-smokers below 35 is an indication towards alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency.
Gender and risk of COPDRisk of COPD is closely associated with smoking status. However, female smokers are nearly 13 times as likely to die from COPD as women who have never smoked.
On the other hand male smokers are nearly 12 times as likely to die from COPD as males who have never smoked.
Symptoms of COPDOutline of symptoms seen commonly with COPD include:-
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