That is either damp or rotting. There are different species of mold, which can grow indoors or outdoors. Mold spores are present in even the cleanest of environments, which means that everyone experiences exposure to mold at some point in their life. Although molds themselves are not
toxic
, certain types can be toxigenic. This means that they create spores or cell fragments that produce toxins. They can also produce inflammatory substances and allergens. Indicates that mold or damp exposure in childhood can increase a person’s risk of developing asthma and allergies. People sometimes refer to mold as mildew. However, the terms are not interchangeable, as mildew only refers to specific types of mold, whereas mold is a more generic term.
If you have a respiratory mold allergy, your immune system overreacts when you breathe in mold spores. This reaction triggers a cascade of reactions that lead to allergy symptoms. Like other respiratory allergies, mold allergy can make you cough, make your eyes itch and cause other symptoms that make you miserable. In some people, mold allergy is linked to asthma and exposure causes shortness of breath and other symptoms. Molds are very common both inside and outside. Mold, also known as fungus, is a family of organisms that are found throughout nature. They differ from plants or animals in how they reproduce and grow.
There are roughly 1,000 types of mold in the united states1. But not all kinds will cause an allergic reaction, and being allergic to one type of mold doesn’t mean you’ll react badly to all of them3. Some of the most common types of mold that can cause allergies include4:.
Who does mold allergy affect?
Seasonal allergic rhinitis, commonly referred to as hay fever, affects millions of people worldwide. Symptoms include sneezing, stuffiness, a runny nose and itchiness in your nose, the roof of your mouth, throat, eyes or ears. These allergic reactions are most commonly caused by pollen and mold spores in the air, which start a chain reaction in your immune system. Your immune system controls how your body defends itself. For instance, if you have an allergy to pollen, the immune system identifies pollen as an invader or allergen.
Your immune system overreacts by producing antibodies called immunoglobulin e (ige). These antibodies travel to cells that release chemicals, causing an allergic reaction.
Posted on: | posted in allergy relief a part of the highly diverse and complex fungus family, mold is a living, microbial organism that grows from certain fungi and reproduces as a part of its life cycle. With over 100,000 types of molds and mold-producing fungi all over the world, the most common allergy-inducing types include: alternaria – molds from the alternaria genus commonly grow in outdoor environments and on damp indoor materials. Aspergillus – most molds from the aspergillus genus will grow in the right environments both indoors and outdoors. Cladosporium – molds from the cladosporium genus tend to grow indoors and are often mistaken for the dreaded toxic black mold because of their similar appearances.
People with a mold allergy will experience symptoms similar to those caused by other airborne allergens like pollen and dust. If you are allergic to mold, your immune system will be overly sensitive to specific spores and in turn will trigger symptoms. High mold levels can also exacerbate asthma symptoms in asthmatics sensitive to mold. Common mold allergy symptoms may include:.
One hundred fifty adults, with respiratory-allergic disease, and 14 control subjects, without symptoms of respiratory allergy, were skin prick tested with 16 common inhalant allergens, 12 extracts of mycelia from basidiomycetes grown in vitro, and/or 10 to 15 basidiospore extracts. Eighty-three subjects (58%) had positive skin tests to two or more of the common inhalant allergens. Twenty-seven percent of the study subjects had positive skin reactions to one or more of the basidiomycete mycelia extracts, and 32% demonstrated positive skin reactions to one or more basidiospore extracts. None of the 14 control subjects had positive skin reactivity to basidiospore extracts.