Mould disease
Mould and other fungi have been long known to cause range of mould diseases in humans and animals. The scientific evidence shows that mould are associated with health issues ranging from coughs to asthma to allergic rhinitis. However, because each human react to moulds, mould spores and mould toxins in slightly different ways it is extremely difficult to pinpoint with confidence the relationship between inhaled moulds and adverse human health effects.
Exposure to excessive amount to mould and other indoor air contaminants can lead to a so called “Sick Building Syndrome”. Effects on humans include headache, fatigue, and irritation of skin, eyes, or throat, among others. It is possible for mould to be an indoor air contaminant, for example in heating ducts or other areas where moisture can accumulate and stagnate. Any number of other contaminants may be responsible for symptoms, though; a lengthy list ranges from bacteria, to body odours, plumbing exhaust, copy machine fumes, cleaning agents, pesticides, bird droppings, carpeting, and furniture. Moulds and other fungi may adversely affect human health through three processes.Mould allergies
Allergic asthma or allergic rhinitis are the most common allergic responses experiences by the sufferers. Usually significant exposure to mould spores and also pollen are the triggering factors. The symptoms are commonly known as hay fever.
Immediate hypersensitivity: The most common form of hypersensitivity to moulds when exposed individuals react to the components of fungal bodies. Immediate hypersensitivity can quickly lead to allergic rhinitis or asthma. Individuals with this type of mould allergy are "atopic" individuals, i.e., have allergic asthma, allergic rhinitis, or atopic dermatitis and manifest allergic (IgE) antibodies to a wide range of environmental proteins among which moulds are only one participant. Most important indoor allergenic moulds are Penicillium and Aspergillus species. Living in damp and water damaged buildings have been long associated with respiratory ilnesses such as phlegm, cough, asthma, wheezing and others.
Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP): HP results from exaggeration of the normal immune response against inhaled fungal proteins. This disease is mainly known from the agricultural industry where workers get very often exposed to high concentrations of allergens, however several cases have also been associated with heating and ventilating systems, the use of humidifiers or pet animals.
Unusual allergic illnesses: allergic fungal sinusitis (AFS) and allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA). These serious conditions are unusual types of allergic reactions. In these cases the attacking moulds can actually grow inside a person's airway and lungs.
Mould infections
Mould and other fungi can cause a range of human infection. Mould and fungal infections are not typically a result of exposure to indoor moulds. There are four basic groups of fungal human infections.
Superficial Mycoses – Cause by fungi (moulds) growing on the surface of the human body in particular in areas such as hair or lipids. These surface infections do not trigger the immune response of the body. Superficial fungal infection are very common.
- Piedra, this is infection of the hair shaft. Black piedra is caused by mould Piedraia hortae; white piedra, caused by mould Trichosporon species.
- Tinea nigra, brown or black, superficial skin lesions, mostly on hands and soles, of mostly young girls, caused by mould Hortaea werneckii.
- Tinea pedis, infection of feet
- Tinea onychomycosis, infection of nail
- Tinea cruris, infection of groin
- Tinea corporis, dry body skin
- Pityriasis versicolor, yeasts Malassezia causes skin infection in lipid excretions, leading to seborrhoeic dermatitis, manifest by patches of skin with variable pigmentation.
- Otitis externa, external ear infected by Aspergillus, Malassezia sp. or Pseudallescheria boydii.
- Superficial dermatophytoses (hair, nail and skin infection), caused by keratinophilic dermatophytous moulds Arthroconidia and Trichophyton.
Medical conditions associated with these fungi are Ringworm, Favus, Onychomycosis, Hyperkeratosis, Intertrigo, Mucocutaneous candidiasis, Keratitis, Chromoblastomycosis.
Subcutaneous Mycoses- Caused by fungi (moulds) invading internal areas of the body. They cause local, chronic, traumatic infection which are usually non- life-threatening and which, provoke immune response of the human body.
- Non-ulcerative infections by diverse fungi, forming cysts locally in skin;
- Eumycetoma, in which necrotic, pus-oozing lesion cavities are formed in tissue, causants are moulds Acremonium, Neotestudina, Pseudallescheria, Madurella, Leptosphaeria Pyrenochaeta and black yeast Exophiala.
- Sporotrichosis, skin infection caused by dimorphic mould Sporothrix schenckii;
- Primary subcutaneous blastomycosis, a rare chronic, granulomatous inflammation of the skin with ulceration, caused by dangerous mould Blastomyces dermatitidis.
- Subcutaneous conidiobolomycosis, mostly infect skin of legs, arms and buttocks, caused by moulds Conidiobolus and Basidiobolus.
- Zygomycotic rhinitis, the mucosa infected by moulds Zygomycetes leading to meningitis. The most common agents are mould Rhizopus species.
- Mycotic sinusitis, acute infection of the nasal mucosa with allergic reactions to local colonization, caused by, mostly Mucorales or Aspergillus, as well as nonpathogenic moulds Curvularia, Bipolaris and Exserohilum. In immunosuppressed patients can this disease be fatal.
Deep Organ Mycoses- Deep mycoses in immunocompromised individuals are acquired either through infection via wounds, inhalation, or catheter-related infection or needles. The mycosis includes Systemic Mycosis or Disseminated Mycosis or Secondary Cutaneous Mycosis, mostly in immune-compromised population).
- Penicilliosis is caused by Penicillium marneffei through inhalation. This type if disease is limited to Southeast Asia. It can be fatal if untreated.
- Blastomycosis is caused by fungus Blastomyces dermatitidis through pulmonary infection. In utreadet cases is usually fatal.
- Cryptococcosis caused by yeast Cryptococcus neoformans often l leads to meningitis.
- Paracoccidioidomycosis caused by Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, through lungs with the fungus disseminating to the mucosal areas. When untreated, the disease is nearly always fatal.
- Coccidioidomycosis, is a type of fungal disease caused by inhalation of spores of Coccidioides immitis fungus. This leadsto non-specific fever like symptoms with bronchopneumonia. The disease can resolve itself spontaneously but once dissemination occurs to the whole body the disease is often fatal.
- Histoplasmosis, caused by mould Histoplasma capsulatum.
- Zygomycosis, caused by moulds of Mucorales, sep. Rhizopus species. The fungi manifest themselves by invasive growth, most typically or on in the walls of blood vessel or lumina.
- Aspergillosis, including Aspergilloma, and Aspergillosis of many types, Mostly caused by Aspergillus flavus or A. fumigatus. In the case of Invasive aspergillosis, if untreated, the mortality rate is high. Aspergillus fumigatus infection comprises about 90% of clinical cases of deep organ/tissue mycotic infections.
Candidiasis, caused by Candida albicans, or lesser by C. tropicalis and C. glabrata. The species is commonly present in human mucosa, which becomes invasive when immunity weakens.
Mould toxic poisoning
Some species of moulds produce chemical compounds called mycotoxins?. Serious veterinary and human mycotoxicoses have been documented following ingestion of foods heavily over-grown with moulds. The amount and type of mycotoxin produced is many factors that include nutrition, growth substrate, moisture, temperature, maturity of the fungal colony, and competition from other microorganisms.
When produced, mycotoxins are found in all parts of the fungal colony, including the hyphae, mycelia, spores, and the substrate on which the colony grows. Mycotoxins are relatively large molecules that are not significantly volatile, they do not evaporate or "off-gas" into the environment, nor do they migrate through walls or floors independent of a particle. To become exposed to mycotoxins inhalation exposure is required. The only way for mycotoxins to be inhaled into the body is if they are contained within mould spores, fungal mycelium or fragments. Mould spores and fragments of fungal hyphae can not pass through the skin but if they contain toxins localised irritations can occur.
Most descriptions of human and veterinary poisonings from moulds involve eating mouldy foods. Toxic moulds can cause the following mould diseases:
- Respiratory Illnesses
- Digestive Tract Illnesses - liver diseases: fibrosis and necrosis; vomiting, diarrhoea, intestinal bleeding
- Reproductive Illnesses - infertility, variations in reproductive and hormonal cycle
- Highly Serious Illnesses - Cancer, Tuberculosi, Lupus, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), Chronic Fatigue Disorder (CFS), Fibromyalgi, Epstein-Barr, Aspergillosis)
