Aspergillus mold allergies are a particularly difficult type of mold allergy that people experience. Aspergillus is a common mold that grows on decomposing organic matter such as compost, leaves, fruit, vegetables, and tree bark. Indoors, the mold grows in organic matter in trash cans, on damp wood surfaces, and in most other locations where other molds and fungi grow, such as damp ductwork, carpets, and foam pillows.
This particular type of mold can be very dangerous to people with compromised immune systems, such as people with autoimmune disorders, HIV/AIDS, lung disorders, lung cancer, or small infants with lung problems. Aspergillus can cause a lung condition called aspergillosis, and in rare cases a large ball of fungi can grow in the lung–an aspergilloma–that is extremely rare but which requires surgery for removal and treatment.
For most aspergillus mold allergies, decreasing exposure to this environmental mold is enough to manage symptoms. The easiest way to remove aspergillus from allergy sufferers is to relocate to an area of the country where aspergillus is rare, such as the southwest. Persons living in a river valley, near water, or near farms and mills are at highest risk for exposure. Moving is not realistic for most people with aspergullus mold allergies, however. With this in mind, consider the following steps to reduce aspergillus exposure in the spring and fall, when it is most prevelent in the air:
1. Wear a mask when working in the yard. Any raking of decomposing plants and leaves will stir up aspergillus. Forget what the neighbors might think: aspergillus mold allergies are more important than appearance.
2. Get rid of old books, older untreated indoor wood, and houseplants that attract mold easily.
3. Declutter anything in damp areas of the basement. Put in dehumidifiers, either electric or chemical.
4. Rip out old carpets that are damp or were once damp. Even one exposure to wetness can breed aspergillus.
5. Run an air filter in your home, especially in the bedroom.
6. Wipe down all surfaces with a miticide–a mold-killing chemical. Wash all walls, baseboards, counters, cabinets, and bookshelves. Consider washing all drawers and other pieces of furniture as well.
7. Remove shoes before entering the home. Wash hands immediately when entering the house.
8. Open windows rarely, and never on damp days. Run the air conditioning in the spring and fall rather than opening windows. Open windows only on dry days.
9. Reduce consumption of fermented or fungi products, such as wines, cheeses, or anything containing vinegar.
10. Examine any manufactured foods and supplements carefully. Most food enzymes are made using asperfillus as a fermenting agent. Almost all wines use aspergillus as well for fermenting. Many people with aspergillus mold allergies do not understand that aspergillus is used extensively in food manufacturing. Sensitive aspergillus mold allergy sufferers may not be able to eat many products that use aspergillus as a fermenting agent.
Aspergillus mold allergies are serious, and must be taken very seriously. Getting rid of unfinished antique furniture, beloved old books, or even moving may seem drastic, but they are necessary steps when battling this allergy. As spring deepens and asspergillus mold spores spread, what one might think of as “hay fever” may really be an aspergullis mold allergy.
Most primary care physicians can order blood tests called an IgE and an IgG to test for aspergillus and other mold allergies. Patients with high readings for aspergillus need to have their aspergillus mold allergies treated appropriately.
