Mold Allergy Issues

Allergies plague millions of people the world over, whether the kind of allergy is related to food, pet dander, grasses, mold, or certain chemicals. The symptoms are usually the most prevalent during the spring, summer, and early fall and are caused by seasonal molds and plants. Molds simply lie dormant during the winter time and are unable to continue growing if they are exposed to freezing temperatures. Once spring comes back, mold spore levels in the outdoors skyrocket, wreaking havoc on those of us who happen to be allergic to certain varieties.

The allergy symptoms associated with mold are typically about the same as the allergy symptoms that are caused by almost anything else. Depending upon the severity of the allergy of the person affected, the symptoms can range from a simple runny nose all the way to a serious reaction requiring hospitalization. Children, the elderly, and anyone with a weakened immune system needs to be careful when it comes to just how much of their allergen that they come into contact with. Allergy symptoms related to mold can also seemingly be made worse by eating foods that have been processed containing mold. This can include cheeses made with mold like gorgonzola or blue cheese or just simple funguses like mushrooms. Beer and bread have also been known to worsen these reactions, since they are made with yeast, which is a fungus.

While the majority of molds in the world do not cause allergic reactions, there are a few genii that do. Most allergic reactions are caused by molds in Penicillium, Cladosporium, and Alternaria. Even though Penicillin is named after the genus Penicillium, there are molds in this genus that can cause allergic reactions just like the others.

Try to keep an eye on the mold spore reports that occur on your local news stations regularly, usually every morning, noon, and every evening. If you have children or elderly members of your family that are allergic to mold spores or have any other kind of allergy, you need to be careful about taking them out of the home during times of high spore or pollen counts. A mistake can be deadly if they are exposed to their allergen for a long period of time. If you have any doubts as to whether you should take them outside during these times, the best bet is to have them stay home.