ToxicBlackMould
Information about mould and mould disease
Acute Idiopathic Pulmonary Haemorrhage (Stachybotrys chartarum)
Exposure of newborn to black stachybotrys mould can lead to a serious and often life threatening diseease callec acute idiopathic pulmonary haemorrhage. The disease is characterised by a sudden onset of pulmonary haemorrhage in a previously healthy infant.
Pulmonary haemorrhage may present itself as haemoptysis or finding blood in the nose or airway with no evidence of upper respiratory or gastrointestinal bleeding. Patients develop severe and acute respiratory dificulties or failure often requiring forced mechanical ventilation. Folow-up chest radiograph will usually show the fungal bilateral infiltrates.
Babies develop an abrupt or sudden onset of overt bleeding in the airway as well as acute respiratory distress or respiratory failure often resulting in hospitalisation in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).
Stachybotryotoxicosis (Stachybotrys chartarum)
Is a serious disease which develops after consuming or being exposed to high concentration of mycotoxins? produced by toxic black mould – Stachybotrys. This disease is most common among farm animals but if serious indoor contamination exist symptoms can be experienced by humans as well.
Exposure to small concentration of black mould mycotoxins for a long periods of time ,for instance at work or in contaminated homes, can lead to development of the symptoms. Sick Building Syndrome has often been associated with the exposure to black mould mycotoxins.
The fungal toxins affect the central nervous system and the walls of blood vessels. Blood circulation and mineral metabolism become impaired and tissue disintegration in the intestine develop. The infection then start to spread failry rapidly in affected animals.
Studies in several animal species have described common symptoms as loss of appetite, elevated body temperature, edematization and the formation of lip ulcers. The observed symptoms in horses also included acute abdominal pain and excessive secretion of saliva.
Cattle develop nasal discharge and diarrhoea mixed with blood. Swine develop haemorrhages and sometimes ulcers on the hairless parts of the skin. Diseased animals frequently die
Hypersensitivity Pnenumonitis (Stachybotrys chartarum)
Hypersensitivity pneumonitis is a another type of stachybotrys cased disease manifesting itself through inflammation of the lungs due to breathing in a foreign substance, usually certain types of dust, fungus or moulds spores. Significant exposures to these substances can lead to various digrees of lung inflammation and/or acute lung disease.
This disease is know under several names : Extrinsic allergic alveolis, farmer’s lungs, mushroom picker’s lungs, humidifier or air-conditioner lung, bird’s breeder’s lungs, ODS-organic dust syndrome.
Stachybotrys black mould induced hypersensitivity pneumonitis usually occurs in people who have been exposed either high concentrations of mould spores for short periods of time (during handling of mouldy materials) or smaller quantities over long periods of time (living in contaminated homes). Lung tissues get irritated by airborne particles either through mechanical or chemical irritation. Toxic mould can be especially irritating to lung tissues.
Over time, hypersensitivity pnenumonitis can develop into long-lasting (chronic) and debilitating lung disease. Hypersensitivity pneumonitis can also be triggered by bacteria or funig colonising heating systems, humidifiers, dehumifiers and air conditioners found in homes and offices. It is also know that exposure to certain chemicals, such as acid anhydrides and isocyanates can also lead to development of hypersensitivity pneumonitis symptoms.
Symptoms of acute lung tissue irritation can occur 4 - 6 hours after you have left the mould contaminated area. This delay in onset of symptoms makes it especially difficult for medical practitioners to pinpoint the source of the symptoms and disease.
Individuals suffering from Hypersensitivity pneumonitis can experience chills, cough, fever, malaise (feeling ill) and shortness of breath.
Alimentary Toxic Aleukia (Stachybotrys chartarum)
If the mycotoxins are ingested, they produce a lethal illness called alimentary toxic aleukia (ATA) with the following initial symptoms: abdominal pain, diarrhoea, vomiting, and prostration. Onset and development of the disease is rapid and affected individual often die.
Toxic aleukia is caused by black mould produced mycotoxins and specifically toxins T-2 which causes necrosis in lymphoid and haemopoetic tissue. Necrosis results in rapid decrease in number of leukocytes “white blood cells” which are involved in defending our bodies from infectious disease and foreign materials.
The change in the number of white blood cells, leukocytes, in the blood is often a good an indicator of disease. There are normally between 4×10^9 and 1.1×10^10 white blood cells in a liter of blood.
Mould Caused Dermatitis (Stachybotrys chartarum)
Exposure to stachybotrys mould spores can lead to development of allergic reaction of skin which represent itself and red patches. Condition is called dermatitis and has been well documented in patients heavily exposed to moulds.
Bone Marrow Hypoplapsia (Stachybotrys chartarum)
Exposure to black mould mycotoxins can lead to the development of bone marrow hypoplapsia which is potentially life-threatening. Bone marrow stops producing red blood cells replacing them with atypical and abnormlal blood cells.
