Most Common Fungal Infections You Can Get From Mold in Your Home

Whether it is winter or humid season, our homes can generate indoor moisture that introduces mold appearance. Mold is found everywhere. It can develop on walls, garments, books, and toys. It can turn cherished belongings into moldy relics that won't look appealing anymore. 

When molds get inhaled in small amounts, they are generally harmless. However, they pose a risk to the health of persons with a susceptible immune system, especially those suffering from chronic respiratory problems and other metabolic diseases.

What is Mold?

Molds are classified as a fungus of various types. They grow both indoors and outdoors producing spores, which circulate by floating around in the air. Mold spores are present in all indoor settings. There is no procedure to control spores, and they can survive in circumstances where mold itself cannot flourish.

You can find them on various surfaces, such as fabric, paper, wood, glass, and plastic. As they grow, they may digest the spots they are thriving on.

The Most Common Type of Indoor Mold

According to studies, experts have found that there are more than 300,000 types of mold. Some of these molds are more probable to appear in the home. Aspergillus is the most common mold that provokes invasive infection. This usually grows indoors, on dust, powdery food items, and building materials, such as drywall.

Aspergillosis is a fungal infection caused by inhaling the spores of a mold called Aspergillus fumigates. Other environmental molds, however, like Scedosporium, Fusarium, and various zygomycetes, including Rhizopus and Mucor, are now affecting more and more people.

Most Common Fungal Infections You Can Get From Mold 

1. Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis (ABPA)

• Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis occurs after exposure to Aspergillus. Inhalation of this fungus leads to inflammation in the lungs and airways. 
• People with cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis, and/or asthma are risk factors because they tend to have more mucus in their air passages, which are ideal for fungal growth. 
• The common symptoms of ABPA are similar to those associated with asthma, including wheezing, coughing accompanied by mucus or blood, and difficulty with breathing.
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2. Pulmonary Aspergillosis

• Pulmonary Aspergillosis affects those who have chronic lung problems and have spaces in the lungs where fungus could grow. The growth of fungus in the lungs could result in tuberculosis, emphysema, or sarcoidosis. 
• The lump of fungus combined with white blood cells and blood clots called Aspergilloma or Mycetoma may cause problems in other organs. 
• Symptoms may include coughing, sometimes accompanied by mucus or blood, wheezing, fever, chest pain, and difficulty breathing.

3. Invasive Aspergillosis

• Invasive Aspergillosis happens when the infection spreads from the lungs to the bloodstream. The kidneys, liver, skin, or brain may be infected. 
• If untreated, such an infection could lead to death. Those with very weak immune systems, low white blood cell count, long hospitalization, or long-term use of corticosteroids are most susceptible.
• The common symptoms of invasive aspergillosis are fever, chills, breathing difficulties, such as shortness of breath, kidney or liver failure, shock, bloody cough, or massive bleeding from the lungs.

How Molds Get Into Your Home

Mold has the capability to attach itself to pets. It's hard to distinguish it since it's not perceptible to the naked eye. Mold spores can penetrate your home in two ways:

1. Air

Molds can be present in your home by entering through your windows, door entrances, and HVAC systems.

2. Objects or People

Molds can attach to your vehicles, clothing, shoes, and pets. They will likely grow if the spores land someplace that has definitive essentials for growing, like moisture and a supply of proper nutrients. 

The objects they can grow on include:

• paper products, including wallpaper
• cardboard
• ceiling tiles
• wood products
• insulation materials
• upholstery and other fabrics

We must have those molds indoors terminated as soon as possible. Getting them out entirely and making sure they don’t come back is a job for the professionals of ServiceMaster by Disaster Relief. 

ServiceMaster by Disaster Relief is servicing Pinellas County, Florida areas. We offer mold remediation in Pinellas County, FL, and will provide the best quality of service during catastrophic home or business damage situations.