| BASIC MOLD BIOLOGY: | | | | mixing together may be more powerful than individual |
| Fungi share some basic similarities with plants and | | | | mycotoxin exposures. Fortunately scientists are not |
| bacteria but are not plants nor are they bacteria. | | | | in the business of performing full fledged toxicity |
| They are in their own kingdom, the Fungi Kingdom. | | | | studies on human subjects. |
| The terms mold and mildew are often used | | | | However, asthma attacks, allergies, and sinus |
| interchangeably by lay persons, but according to | | | | infections from mold appear to be very common and |
| some more specific definitions, mildew is a powdery | | | | can give you just as much trouble as if you were |
| growth that attacks and grows on living plants while | | | | being poisoned. |
| molds are often fuzzy and grow on all sorts of moist | | | | INFECTIOUS MOLDS |
| surfaces. Molds, mildews, and other fungi usually | | | | According to a Mayo clinic study, sinusitis caused by |
| reproduce by forming and releasing spores into the | | | | growth of fungus fibers or balls of fungus fibers in |
| air. Most indoor spores are just 3 to 15 microns | | | | the sinus cavities is not unusual. This is typically |
| across, some spores are a few hundred microns long | | | | caused by common Aspergillus, Fusarium, and |
| but these are still just a few microns across. The | | | | Curvularia species. Aspergillosis caused by the growth |
| human eye can at best see objects that are 10 or | | | | of aspergillus species in the lungs most commonly |
| more microns across. Toxins known as mycotoxins | | | | A.fumigatus, A. flavus, A. Niger and A. territus species |
| and also allergens are found primarily in the spores of | | | | typically occurs in persons with compromised immune |
| various molds. These substances can be found in live | | | | systems or a history of lung disease that resulted in |
| or dead spores. | | | | past lung damage. Common Candida albicans that |
| TOXIC MOLDS | | | | causes yeast infections is a major cause of serious |
| Mycotoxins are chemicals that are sometimes | | | | nosocomial (hospital acquired) fungal infections. |
| produced by various species of toxic mold. These | | | | Histoplasma capsulatium and Cryptococcus |
| toxins are real and are powerful weapons used by | | | | neoformans are very dangerous yeast like molds that |
| toxic molds in a sort of microbial warfare to help | | | | should be assumed to be present in any bird |
| them compete against bacteria and other molds. | | | | droppings but are primarily a concern when spread to |
| Toxic molds are common in Florida, but mold spores | | | | humans via inhalation of particles from accumulations |
| in residential settings, even if they are potentially | | | | of pigeon, starling, and bat droppings. Coccidioides |
| toxic producing types and at high levels, are not | | | | immitis mold spores are spread from dusty soil in the |
| automatically at high enough levels to result in toxic | | | | southwestern United States, it sometimes causes |
| effects on humans via inhalation. It takes a lot of | | | | valley fever but at other times the same fungus can |
| inhaled spores to poison a person. Currently, | | | | be deadly. Nearly any fungi can cause infections in |
| disagreement exists as to if residential mold spore | | | | persons with severely compromised immune |
| exposures levels are ever high enough to result in | | | | systems. |
| toxic effect on humans. Toxic effects of mold | | | | Detection of infectious fungi such as but not limited |
| mycotoxins in humans and farm animals leading to | | | | to the above listed ones and identification of fungi to |
| serious illness and even death via accidental ingestion | | | | determine the species is not part of most mold |
| of toxic mold, etc. have been well documented in | | | | inspections. |
| scientific literature. Effects of heavy exposure to | | | | ALLERGY ASTHMA AND HYPERSENSITIVITY |
| mold toxins are many, but just two of the more | | | | DISEASES |
| common effects are immuno suppression and liver | | | | An allergic reaction occurs when your body's immune |
| cancer. Mycotoxins are believed to result in | | | | system mistakes harmless proteins in mold spores or |
| headaches, sore throats, hair loss, flu symptoms, | | | | other allergens as if these proteins were harmful |
| diarrhea, fatigue, dermatitis, general malaise | | | | microbes trying to infect your body. Your body's |
| (tiredness) and psychological depression." (Croft et al, | | | | immune system, feeling threatened releases |
| 1986, Jarvis, 1995). "Other reported responses to | | | | histamines into the blood stream and these |
| mycotoxin exposure includes skin rashes, lesions of | | | | histamines are what actually causes coughing, sneeze, |
| the skin and gastrointestinal tract, and interference | | | | and watering of the eyes. Other person's immune |
| with blood cell formation." (Sorenson 1993). | | | | systems will not mistake proteins in mold spores as a |
| Human and horse exposure to Stachybotrys mold | | | | microbial threat, and thus not develop allergic |
| infested hay that caused toxic reactions in the | | | | reactions. Asthma is a condition where the small air |
| Ukraine around the 1920's or the 1930's is well | | | | sack like structures in the lungs called alveoli can |
| documented. Industrial level exposures of mycotoxins | | | | contract and exhale air, but cannot properly expand |
| such as at peanut processing facilities, composting | | | | to bring in new air. Mold as well as other substances |
| facilities, or farms has caused documented toxigenic | | | | are common triggers of asthma. Mold-related |
| and severe allergenic problems. Countless farm | | | | allergenic and asthmatic conditions in homes are very |
| animals have died as a result of eating food | | | | common and very serious and should be addressed |
| contaminated with toxic molds, in one extreme | | | | and not ignored. Many serious hypersensitivity |
| example that occurred in the mid 1960's 100,000 | | | | diseases in humans, such as baker's lung, wood |
| turkeys died in England after consuming moldy food | | | | workers lung and others are the result of exposures |
| shipped from Brazil. The causative agent was | | | | to molds by persons working in industries that result |
| aflotoxin from Aspergillus flavus mold. In several such | | | | in long term exposure to elevated spore levels. |
| cases of human and animal exposure mycotoxin | | | | Hypersensitivity diseases have long been well |
| poisoning is well documented by scientists and | | | | documented in science and the medical field. |
| doctors. For more information on documented cases | | | | According to Bioaerosols assessment and control |
| and on mycotoxocosis refer to The Fifth Kingdom, | | | | hypersensitivity pneumonitis is a hypersensitivity |
| by Brice Kindrick or Bioaerosols from ACGIH by | | | | disease that results from the long term repeated |
| Harriett Burge. | | | | exposure to elevated mold spore levels or other |
| It is very important to not panic but to keep in mind | | | | antigens, this condition can occur at in industry or |
| that to accomplish the above serious detrimental | | | | agriculture where spore levels are high, it may also |
| effects, toxic molds like Stachybotrys and others | | | | occur in moldy offices or homes, it produces |
| may have to be either: | | | | pneumonia like symptoms with fever, cough, |
| 1. consumed in mold contaminated foods, | | | | tightness of chest, lung infiltrates, and difficulty |
| 2. physically handled so that excessive physical | | | | breathing. Once sensitized, individuals may react to |
| contact is made between human skin and the mold, | | | | extremely low, often un measurable, concentrations |
| or | | | | of antigenic materials. |
| 3. the mycotoxins have to be exposed to living cells | | | | Organic dust toxic syndrome is a flu like illness that |
| in the laboratory. | | | | results from a short term exposure to very high |
| Various studies have shown that the levels of | | | | levels of spores, such as the levels that may be |
| mycotoxins encountered by breathing mold spores in | | | | encountered by workers doing large mold remediation |
| your home or office appear to be far too low to | | | | jobs without wearing protective respirators. |
| cause toxic reactions in humans. Of course future | | | | Symptoms show up several hours or a day or so |
| studies may or may not change this current opinion | | | | after exposure and symptoms go away after a day |
| held by many researches. Synergistic effects of | | | | or a few days. |
| various indoor pollutants and different mycotoxins | | | | |