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MYCOLOGICAL INSTITUE | ||||||
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for the study of | ||||||
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FUNGAL MOLD IN HUMAN HABITATIONS |
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| 1999 Research Association in North America 2005 |
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ABOUT MYCOLOGY: FUNGI and HUMANS |
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MYCOLOGICAL INSTITUE | ||||||
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for the study of | ||||||
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FUNGAL MOLD IN HUMAN HABITATIONS |
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| 1999 Research Association in North America 2005 |
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ABOUT MYCOLOGY: FUNGI and HUMANS |
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Toxic Mold Research Studies in the Medical Mycology Laboratory |
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| WHAT IS FUNGAL MOLD MYCOLOGY?
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| Fungal Mold Mycology is a field of scientific inquiry in the life sciences that studies microscopic forms in the FUNGI kingdom. Fungi are not plants or animals, have no legs, wings or any superior intellect but are very interesting and relevant to human health. I commonly refer to fungal mold to more accurately describe the deutromycota a group of fungi that have formations that may only be viewed microscopically.
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| WHAT IS SO INTERESTING ABOUT FUNGI?
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A medical mycologist molecular biologist will tell you that in the study of fungi they reveal themselves as far more interesting than humans due to the various morphologies within the same species of many genera - where else do you find dimorphs, telemorphs and anamorphs so dramatically in life? Did you know some fungi actually have locomotion abilities? Like animals they actually move on their own with a purpose upon their prey!
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| WHY ARE FUNGI IMPORTANT TO STUDY? |
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| In terms of toxicity once one understands that Aflatoxins B / G and M1, Deoxynivalenol, Ochratoxin A, Patulin and Zearalenone found in our foods are carefully regulated in the European Union and that only one of those are regulated in the USA that being Aflatoxin it is clear that it is a matter of time when US regulations will recognize the EU standard. These toxins are the source of some many of the diseases afflicting the American people and costing millions in added health care costs. Our failure to regulate these toxins is one of the major reasons the EU does not import American food. On a molecular level fungal DNA in many ways is more like human DNA than plant DNA. This interesting fact presents some very challenging research issues and problems relating to human health. This is one of the major reasons why we study mycology. |
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| WHAT DOES FUNGAL DNA TELL US? Not much that is immediately relevant. There is a tendency for many to believe that now we have DNA from mold we can determine in a relative instant its specie and everything else about including the risk it may present. This is a very simplistic and an understandable view but it it far more complex. We know mold adapts to its environment and resulting variations in expressed morphology, production of allergens, toxins and their resulting associated risks. We also know that 25% of the human population has genetically predisposed innate sensitivity to fungal mold.
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WHY HAS MOLD FUNGI BECOME A PROBLEM RECENTLY? Fungal mold has always been with us but since the advent of the world wide web and access to knowledge of potential risks associated with mold humans are getting back into thinking and rightfully looking closer at things that can affect their health. Mold has always been a real concern. Fungal mold has had relevance to human health and has been documented as early as 1400 B.C./E. in detail within the Talmud Torah. Here Moses, the author of the Book of Leviticus, (See Lev. IV: XXXIII-LXVII) interestingly provides instruction and laws to guide his people in both identifying and treating mold. (3500 years ago!)
SHOULD HUMANS REALLY WORRY ABOUT MOLD FUNGI?
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Mold fungi contributes to many problems such as asthma and allergies. Mold infects many parts of the anatomy and can grow on/in the heart, spine, brain, the eyes, lungs and intestines and nearly anywhere else in the human and animal body. The worldwide community of medical mycologists and scientists have indicted fungal molds for being behind many of the diseases for which the cause or etiology is unknown or idiopathic.
WHICH HUMAN POPULATIONS ARE AT MOST RISK? Generally those with weak or immature immune systems are especially vulnerable but as time goes by we are seeing many more that are fully immuocompetent that are infected. This includes infants, children, the elderly and especially people that have been on a regimen of antibiotics have been determined to be most susceptible to the dangers of mold. Note: I know of scientists have abandoned mycology research because of the dangers of working with it - yes mold injures health, it can and will kill you if safety precautions are not followed while working with it. But if you are healthy, immuocompetent and have not had a serious and prolonged exposure to mold you need not be fearful as long as you work with it in safety. Be knowledgeable and fear not.
WILL FUNGAL MOLD INFECT OUR PETS? Yes, sadly your pets can get infected and often detected too late. If you suspect a fungal infection take your pet to the vet right away since most vets are good at identifying fungal infections in domesticated animals. See the veterinary mycology section for more on this subject. Interestingly, often when people say they are allergic to pets it is really not the pet at fault but mold growing on the dander due for a want of grooming. I do not support the current attempted practice of the use of dogs for detecting mold. See mold dogs.
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HOW DOES ONE
BECOME A MYCOLOGIST? |
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Many years of study, practical lab and field work with fungi in universities, hospitals, industry or food fields. Mycologists are found in many areas such as food processing, infection control and management in hospitals, chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Academics offers only the beginning of a start for a life long study. |
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. WHAT BOOKS WOULD YOU REFER ME TO? |
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Clearly the following scientists should be given a Noble Prize for their work, deserve worldwide recognition and their works must be read and understood by EVERY physician and health care provider: Dr. Robert Young's "1 Sickness 1 Disease 1 Treatment " and : Dr Antonio Costantini's "Fungalbionics". |
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| WHICH MOLD IS MOST INTERESTING ?
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| The Penicillium genus (family) of mold is one
of the most fascinating for me. It is often referred to as
"bread" mold. This fungal mold includes:
Penicillium notatum
which produces the Penicillin antibiotic On an academic and molecular level, my interest and studies focus on the Aspergillii - there are just so many interesting things we are discovering almost every day and much much going on we are trying to figure out. As you can see mold can be friend or foe depending what you know. As a scientist I see no reason for humans to ingest mold. The purpose of mold is the grand scheme of things is to digest that which is dead, dying or soon to die. |
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WHICH MOLD (GENUS) POSES
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Although the notorious genus Stachybotrys "the BLACK MOLD" gets a lot of press and is known to produce many toxins from our experience we note it for respiratory and other human physiological distress but current scientific research has failed to document it as a source of systemic or fatal disease. The case is different for the Aspergillii. ****CAUTION MEDICALLY GRAPHIC LINK BELOW The community of medical mycologists will bring to your attention that members of Aspergilli (A.) are some of the most studied fungal molds from the commercial application of A. oryzae to clinical interest of ***** A. fumigatus, A. flavus, A. niger, A. versicolor and other species having been found to infect nearly every human system. |
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Updated: December 22, 2005 SEE: Discovery Health Channel show "Is Your House out to Get You" with our medical mycologist discussing some of the risks mold may present in the home or at work.
I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS. WHO MAY I CONTACT?
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