Mould – isn’t all about Cheese and Penicillin-A fungus among us
This family had a brush with what we believe was toxic mould and that experience has left me sensitive and in red flag mode- I want to know what type of fungus is among us in the work places and buildings of this old city and especially her buildings that have been left to “fester” and what employers etc are doing about this major problem?
A few years ago my husband experienced heart trouble- without going into detail after a number of tests ( as his symptoms weren’t fitting the “mould” so to speak , the specialists came across the problem- the strings of the flap in his heart ( were breaking/broken) – I remember the heart specialist at the Cleveland Clinic saying this could be caused in one of two ways- One is a vicious blow to the heart such as what would happen if you were on a sailboat and the boom came across and hit you in the chest , or you slammed into a tree whilst downhill skiing etc. My husband had not had any blows to the chest but he had had experience in his work place with ‘mould” and it is mould that the Drs. determined was the likely culprit.
Endocarditis is an inflammation of your heart’s inner lining. The most common type, bacterial endocarditis, occurs when germs, mold or other microbials enter your heart. These microbials come through your bloodstream from another part of your body, often your mouth. Bacterial endocarditis can damage your heart valves. If untreated, it can be life-threatening. It is rare in healthy hearts.
Risk factors include having:
•An abnormal or damaged heart valve
•A severe case of mitral valve prolapse
•An artificial heart valve
•Certain heart defects
There are any number of websites explaining the danger of mould and types, some are fairly harmless others deadly and you can’t just go by colour.
Types of Mould
Many people seek to define mould by the colour that it appears: ‘green mould’ or ‘white mould’, ‘grey mould’ or ‘brown mould’, or, even more general, ‘black mould’ versus ‘non-black mould’. Unfortunately, the colour of a mould rarely tells you anything useful: there are harmful and non-harmful kinds of mould in each colour group. It is difficult to impossible to determine if a mould is harmful based on what it looks like growing on a surface.
Types of Mould
Some countries have adapted a hazard class system to place moulds in different categories based on their health risks. They are broken into Hazard classes A, B and C:
•Hazard Class A:
Moulds in this group are either directly hazardous to health due to risk of infection or creation of toxins. They should not be in homes or workplaces and should be removed right away if found.
•Hazard Class B:
Moulds in this group can cause allergic reactions, especially over longer periods of time.
•Hazard Class C:
Moulds in this group aren’t known to cause any health risks or reactions in humans. Note, however, that even moulds in this category can potentially cause structural damage to things that they are growing on, and should still be gotten rid of
Sick buildings are one of the major causes of fungal illness, primarily mycotoxicosis or systemic fungal disease, in industrialized nations today. The United States is the least developed in fungal illness research and assistament to the community due to the high costs and fear of reprisals, so sadly, most American physicians have little or no education in treating this health crisis. The average American physician knows only how to identify a mold hyphae under a microscope, at best. due to the fact that the pharmaceutical industry funds the medical schools. Mycotoxicosis, often mistakenly called “Toxic Mold Syndrome” out of ignorance, has reached epidemic proportions at a national level in the United States due to defective construction, lack of regular maintenance, shoddy and inappropriate building materials, ignorance, and lack of government involvement; all or in part due to the high costs of standard and substandard remediation.
following lists out some of the individuals at greater risk from “toxic mold” exposures
(again keeping in mind the amount and duration of exposre can be varied).
Pregnant woman, infants, the elderly, autoimmune compromised individuals, individuals
with Heart Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer, Lupus, Asthma/Lung disease, Liver,
Kidney or Gallbladder Disease, Diabetes, Fibromyaliga, Diabetes, Chronic Fatigue
Syndrome, Anxiety, Depression, Central Nervous System disorders,
Arthritis, Muscle Disease, Eyes, Ears, Nose and Throat conditions, just to mention a
few. Many of these diseases are now being linked to environmental causes.
In 2001, the University of Ottawa commenced a research project that encompassed
Kidney Disease, Diabetes and Environmental Toxins.
In the United States, Cornel University has publications and ongoing research
in the field of toxins and human disease. They state that about 40% of their
population die because of pollution and environmental toxins.
Recent studies have shown, that Canadians spend approximately 90% of their time
indoors. For those with illnesses restricting their outdoor time, this may present
greater risks to their health, especially if they are being exposed to “toxic mold”.
Mold – A Natural Recycling Process
Mold can be destructive, but they are also beneficial. They help to make cheese, fertilize gardens, and speed decaying of garbage and fallen leaves. Today thousands of different types of mold fungi grow on and absorb food from substances such as soil, wood, decaying organic matter, or living plants and other organisms. After the devastating forest fires in Yellowstone National Park, mold was the first on the scene to begin the nature’s process of decaying the leftover matter and building a base for new plants and trees.
Mold in Processes
Certain types of mold have proven extremely valuable in the synthesis of antibiotics and hormones used in medicine and of enzymes used in certain manufacturing processes. Penicillin, a product of the green mold P. notatum, revolutionized antibiotic drugs after its discovery in 1929, and the red bread mold Neurospora is an important tool in genetic experiments.
An interesting fact is if a medicine name ends in “mycin”, you know it was made with mold. Another is that in a few certain kinds of cheeses, mold is added for flavor. Butchers also inject mold into animals before they butcher to preserve the animal. Without mold, we would not have beer or bread. Molds also have many industrial uses, such as in the fermentation of organic acids and cheeses. Some fungi, such as mushrooms and truffles, are considered tasty delicacies that enhance a wide variety of recipes, including pizza. Other molds can damage agricultural crops, cause disease in animals and humans, and form poisonous toxins in food.
You can buy kits for testing the type of mould you are dealing with and some mould remediation is more than a bucket of bleach….. clean the keyboard and do the searches you may be surprised at what you find