<%@LANGUAGE="JAVASCRIPT" CODEPAGE="1252"%> Mold Misery - Ingestion, Skin Contact, and Inhalation with Mold



 

 

 

 

Medical Issues
 

 

As mentioned in the saga of my own ordeal with mold, there are three primary mechanisms for mold infection.  These are ingestion, contact with the skin, and inhalation.

Ingestion

Consumption of contaminated food is a common cause of illness.  In severe cases, death can occur either through anaphylactic shock—stemming from a severe allergic reaction

The most common source of such infection is probably peanuts, but many foods can be moldy before visible signs of such appear.  Remember that individual mold spores are microscopic in size; mold becomes viewable to the naked eye only when colonized.  Most people throw away such food, but some people try to salvage what still looks all right.  They should realize that the hyphae have already plunged into other parts of the food and that these filaments are nourishing what is visible.  To be safe, discard the entire item.

As anyone who has cleaned a refrigerator knows, refrigeration merely slows down mold growth; it does not prevent mold from growing.  Freezing food causes most types of mold to become dormant, but they will activate when the right growing conditions are restored.

Skin Contact

People with cuts or open wounds are susceptible to mold infection.  Anyone doing property maintenance, restoration, or remediation should be extremely careful to avoid exposure of open tissues to infection.  They should also be cautious when using equipment that produces a lot of dust that can cause spores to become airborne.  For instance, using high speed saws and sanders can disseminate a lot more spores than more tedious procedures.  Proper safety precautions are required when handling anything contaminated.

One of the truly common mechanisms of infection affects children (and pets) who crawl on the floor.  They are highly susceptible and can pick up infections from carpeting and other objects on which mold is found.

Inhalation

Breathing of contaminated air poses a number of risks.  First, toxic odors can be extremely irritating and potentially deadly.  At minimum, they are annoying and devitalizing; but the dangers should not be underestimated by anyone.

Inhalation of spores offers opportunity for the molds to incubate and establish colonies inside the body.  If anyone is in doubt of this, they should study the images as well as written material on the University of Adelaide web site.  It's called Fungal Jungle!

What many remediators do not seem to understand or appreciate is that dead mold spores and hyphal fragments are as toxic as living ones.  They can also cause allergic responses.  However, it is widely known that these non-viable remnants are as toxic as the original molds were at the time they were actively colonizing and sporulating.

Correct remediation entails 100% removal of all infected building materials as well as decontamination of furniture and personal belongings.  Not one spore, dead or alive, should remain following proper remediation.

Please note:  this section of the site is divided into three main parts:   allergies, immunity, and toxicity.  This site is very new and the pages are going up as fast as I can write them.  To stay informed of new posts, please subscribe to the site.

 

Ingrid Naiman
12 October 2005





Radio Interview with Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker

Sacred Medicine Sanctuary

 

 

Notice:  The material on this site is based on the personal experiences and research of Ingrid Naiman, the site owner.  While every effort has been made to present accurate information, neither the site owner or web service provider claim the material will prevent or cure any medical condition, and no responsibility for the application of the information on this site is assumed by the any of the parties providing the content on this site.  None of the statements made on the site are intended to replace the services of health care or mold professionals.

Disclaimer: The information on this site has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The products described are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.