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Airborne
Mold Spores (colony-forming
units)
The airborne concentrations of viable fungi in indoor
environments are usually in the order of a few to several thousand
colony-forming units (CFUs) per
cubic metre of air. In a given
space, concentrations of fungi are highly variable and depend on such
factors as: climate and season, type of fungus, construction, age and
use of the building, and ventilation rate. They also depend largely on
the sampling and analytical methods used, making valid comparisons
between studies difficult. ------from the
World
Health Organization in its report WHO Guidelines for
Indoor Air Quality:
Dampness
and Mould, published July 16, 2009
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Microscopic view of Aspergillus Fungi taken by Dr. Michelle Medalla
during her mold identification and analysis. For more fungi species
and picture please visit:
Fungi images |
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Fungus-Fungi-Fungal
Information Center
"Exposure to certain types of fungi, known as toxic mold, can cause a
serious [allergic] reaction. If you're unlucky, this is the kind of
mold you have. If you're really unlucky, your toxic mold will gird
for battle and go to war, secreting chemicals called mycotoxins,
which can find their way into your body, entering through your nose,
mouth, and skin, lodging perhaps in your digestive tract, your
lungs, or your brain. Among these toxins are trichothecenes, which were
rumored to have been used as a biological weapon during the wars in
Afghanistan and Vietnam." warned Lisa Belkin, "Haunted by Mold,"
NEW YORK TIMES,
Aug. 13, 2001.
"Over 37 million people have
allergies and many of them are caused by fungus."
www.doctorfungus.org
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Fungal Infection: Do you have it? |
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Fungal Infection is an infection caused
by a fungus, affecting not only people
but also animals and plants.
"Fungus irritates the nose and causes allergies."
www.doctorfungus.org
Fungal
infections in human include Aspergillosis,
Blastomycosis, Candidiasis, Coccidioidomycosis, Cryptococcosis,
Histoplasmosis, Paracoccidiomycosis, Sporotrichosis, Zygomycosis,
Chromoblastomycosis, Eye Infections, Lobomycosis, Mycetoma, Otomycosis,
Phaeohyphomycosis, Rhinosporidiosis, and Nail, Hair, and Skin disease
(such as: Onychomycosis (Tinea unguium), Piedra, Pityriasis versicolor,
Tinea barbae, Tinea capitis, Tinea corporis, Tinea cruris, Tinea
favosa, Tinea nigra, and Tinea pedis).
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Fungal infection in animals are: ringworm (dermatophytosis) in
cattery and Cryptococcosis in cats. Disease on chickens is caused by
the fungus Microsporum gallinae. |
Fungal infection
in plants include: smut,
rust, ergot, mildew, Dutch elm disease, dry rot, blight, gall, and
Clubroot.
The following
information is taken from the
Federal Emergency Management Agency: "Airborne (Fungal Diseases).
Fungi produce dry spores, which are dispersed on the wind and can
travel great distances. After a fungus has infected an area, it
is very difficult to eliminate all of the spores. Although fungicides
are helpful, fungi can persist in other hosts, allowing the disease to
continue infecting plants for a long time."
"Crop
diseases are caused by fungi..."
www.fema.gov
To read more
fungus-caused health problems,
read mold expert Phillip Fry's ebook
Mold Health Guide. |
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Dampness
and Inadequate Ventilation are Two Causes
of Microbial Pollution
From the
World Health Organization in its report WHO
Guidelines for
Indoor Air Quality: Dampness
and Mould, published July 16, 2009
The
presence of many
biological agents in indoor
environments is attributable
to dampness and
inadequate ventilation. Excess moisture on almost all indoor
materials leads to growth of microbes, such as mould, fungi and
bacteria, which
subsequently emit
spores, cells, fragments and
volatile organic compounds into
indoor air.
Moreover, dampness initiates chemical or biological degradation of
materials, which also pollute indoor air. Dampness has therefore
been suggested
to be strong,
consistent indicator of risk of asthma and respiratory symptoms
(e.g. cough and wheeze). The health risks of biological contaminants
of indoor air could thus be addressed by considering dampness as the
risk indicator.
Several widely
acknowledged global trends contribute to the conditions associated
with increased exposure to dampness and mould:
►energy
conservation measures that are not properly implemented (tightened
building
envelopes, ventilation deficits, improper insulation);
►urbanization
(migration, building type and density, urban degradation, housing
availability and
social inequity);
►climate
change (increasing frequency of
extreme weather conditions, shifting
of
climate zones);
and
►the
quality and globalization of
building materials and
components, construction
concepts and techniques.
These conditions
increase the risks of adverse health effects due to biologicalcontaminants
of indoor air.
Environmental Products and Services
Mold
Health Guide
Your complete guide
book to help you,
your doctor and your lawyer understand the health problems and illnesses
caused by indoor exposure to mold in your home, school, or workplace plus
medical studies that document the links between mold exposure and
illnesses. For more environmental products and services click here.
For more information on fungus, fungi, and fungal infections, please
visit:
[Contact-Fungus-Fungi-Fungal] [Fungi-Picture] [Health-Problem-and-Mold] [Mould-Mold]
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Picture of water damage and mold growth in window sill of New York
City apartment. |
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