Asthma - How to understand the smell of mold and aspergillosis

Asthma - How to understand the smell of mold and aspergillosis

Have you ever entered a house or building and smelled a strange or musty smell? Your nose is telling you that something is wrong in this place. Mother Nature gave us a nose with a keen sense of smell to protect us from dangers around us. Mold is a threat, so your nose knows not to get into that place. Most people ignore this warning and think it's nothing to worry about, but there are many mold poisoning victims who will tell you otherwise. If you do a Google search for the word aspergillosis, you will be shocked at the suppressed truth.

According to the CDC, this is the definition:

Aspergillosis is a disease caused by Aspergillus. There are many different types of aspergillosis. One type is allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (also called ABPA), a condition in which the fungus causes allergic respiratory symptoms such as wheezing and coughing but does not actually invade and destroy tissue. Another type is invasive aspergillosis, a disease that usually affects people with immune system problems. In this condition, the fungus penetrates the tissues of the body and damages them. Invasive aspergillosis most commonly affects the lungs, but it can also cause infections in many other organs and spread throughout the body.

Shocking, isn't it? How would you like to have this microbial disease? Since Aspergillus is very common in our environment, you breathe in Aspergillus spores every day. Every microbial test I do in the South Florida area contains this mold spore and I have done thousands of these tests. The spores are common, so it is impossible to avoid inhaling some spores daily. This is fine if you have a healthy immune system, it won't cause any problems. The problem is for people with weakened immune systems. These spores can cause breathing difficulties in Aspergillus spores, which can lead to infection. Studies have shown that invasive Aspergillus can occur when a building is being renovated or constructed.

For this reason, you need to stay away from areas where mold is being removed. Be very lazy about the internet sites that tell you that it is okay to do your own mold remediation work but buy your supplies from them. Look at their motives before following their advice. If you are not properly trained for this type of work, you could get sick or make someone in your family sick. I have always discouraged people from taking their own remedial measures because of all the disasters I have seen in the last 15 years. Let the trained professionals do it.

In summary, smell alone is not enough to determine the size of a mold problem or whether it is toxic or allergenic. Aspergillus can be a serious problem, especially in people with compromised immune systems. An example would be asthma, allergies, diabetes, chemically injured people, AIDS or HIV. There are more, but this is just one example of compromised immune systems. If you feel you have been exposed to this toxin and are sick, contact your doctor immediately.

If you have any questions, call us or visit our website.

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