Pillows - a hot bed of fungal spores

[Guest guest]

The University of Manchester 14.10.2005

Pillows - a hot bed of fungal spores

http://www.innovations-

report.de/html/berichte/medizin_gesundheit/bericht

-50347.html

Researchers at The University of Manchester funded by the Fungal

Research Trust have discovered millions of fungal spores right under

our

noses – in our pillows.

Aspergillus fumigatus, the species most commonly found in the

pillows, is

most likely to cause disease; and the resulting condition

Aspergillosis has

become the leading infectious cause of death in leukaemia and bone

marrow transplant patients. Fungi also exacerbate asthma in adults.

The researchers dissected both feather and synthetic samples and

identified several thousand spores of fungus per gram of used

pillow -

more than a million spores per pillow.

Fungal contamination of bedding was first studied in 1936, but there

have

been no reports in the last seventy years. For this new study, which

was

published online today in the scientific journal Allergy, the team

studied

samples from ten pillows with between 1.5 and 20 years of regular

use.

Each pillow was found to contain a substantial fungal load, with

four to 16

different species being identified per sample and even higher

numbers

found in synthetic pillows. The microscopic fungus Aspergillus

fumigatus

was particularly evident in synthetic pillows, and fungi as diverse

as bread

and vine moulds and those usually found on damp walls and in showers

were also found.

Professor Woodcock who led the research said: " We know that

pillows are inhabited by the house dust mite which eats fungi, and

one

theory is that the fungi are in turn using the house dust mites'

faeces as a

major source of nitrogen and nutrition (along with human skin

scales).

There could therefore be a `miniature ecosystem' at work inside our

pillows. "

Aspergillus is a very common fungus, carried in the air as well as

being

found in cellars, household plant pots, compost, computers and

ground

pepper and spices.

Invasive Aspergillosis occurs mainly in the lungs and sinuses,

although it

can spread to other organs such as the brain, and is becoming

increasingly

common across other patient groups. It is very difficult to treat,

and as

many as 1 in 25 patients who die in modern European teaching

hospitals

have the disease.

Immuno-compromised patients such as transplantation, AIDS and

steroid

treatment patients are also frequently affected with life-

threatening

Aspergillus pneumonia and sinusitis. Fortunately, hospital pillows

have

plastic covers and so are unlikely to cause problems, but patients

being

discharged home - where pillows may be old and fungus-infected -

could

be at risk of infection.

Aspergillus can also worsen asthma, particularly in adults who have

had

asthma for many years, and cause allergic sinusitis in patients with

allergic

tendencies. Constant exposure to fungus in bed could be problematic.

It

can also get into the lung cavities created by tuberculosis which

affects a

third of the world's population, causing general ill-health and

bleeding in

the lung, as well as causing a range of plant and animal diseases.

Dr Geoffrey , Chairman of the Fungal Research Trust which

funded

the study, said: " These new findings are potentially of major

significance to

people with allergic diseases of the lungs and damaged immune

systems -

especially those being sent home from hospital. "

Professor Woodcock added: " Since patients spend a third of

their

life sleeping and breathing close to a potentially large and varied

source of

fungi, these findings certainly have important implications for

patients with

respiratory disease - especially asthma and sinusitis. "

[Guest guest]

Your Pillows Are Full of Fungus

'Small Zoo' Buzzes Beneath Our Sleeping Heads, Researchers Say

(continued)

1 | 2

More From WebMD

Expert: No Big Deal

http://my.webmd.com/content/Article/113/110842.htm?pagenumber=2

How worried should we be about pillow fungus? WebMD asked indoor

pollution expert Beckett, MD, professor of environmental

medicine at the University of Rochester, N.Y.

" My reaction is, 'Ho-hum. We knew this already, " Beckett tells

WebMD. " We culture fungus from all over the home. Wherever you look,

they are there. "

Beckett is not entirely reassuring.

" You can find these things everywhere and we don't know how to

eradicate them, " he says. " There is a sense that indoor exposure to

fungi may make allergies and asthma worse for some people. We are

trying to find out what we can do about this, but we don't yet know. "

If there were such a thing as a mold-proof pillow -- and Beckett

does not think there is -- it's not clear that people with allergies

would be any better off.

" And we don't know if a little fungus is OK and a lot is worse, "

Beckett says.

Meanwhile, Woodcock says the current findings aren't reason to

replace your pillows. After all, he points out, the finding has

been -- almost literally -- staring us in the face for a very long

time.

" We don't have enough evidence at the moment to throw all our

bedding out, " he says. " But we need to watch this space and wonder

what the fungi are doing there and whether a particular kind is

particularly bad. "

---------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------

SOURCES: Woodcock, A.A. Allergy, manuscript provided by University

of Manchester press office. Woodcock, MD, professor of

respiratory medicine, University of Manchester, England.

Beckett, MD, professor of environmental medicine, University of

Rochester, N.Y.

--- In , " tigerpaw2c " <tigerpaw2c@y...>

wrote:

>

> The University of Manchester 14.10.2005

>

> Pillows - a hot bed of fungal spores

>

> http://www.innovations-

> report.de/html/berichte/medizin_gesundheit/bericht

>

> -50347.html

>

> Researchers at The University of Manchester funded by the Fungal

>

> Research Trust have discovered millions of fungal spores right

under

> our

>

> noses – in our pillows.

>

> Aspergillus fumigatus, the species most commonly found in the

> pillows, is

>

> most likely to cause disease; and the resulting condition

> Aspergillosis has

>

> become the leading infectious cause of death in leukaemia and bone

>

> marrow transplant patients. Fungi also exacerbate asthma in

adults.

>

> The researchers dissected both feather and synthetic samples and

>

> identified several thousand spores of fungus per gram of used

> pillow -

>

> more than a million spores per pillow.

>

> Fungal contamination of bedding was first studied in 1936, but

there

> have

>

> been no reports in the last seventy years. For this new study,

which

> was

>

> published online today in the scientific journal Allergy, the team

> studied

>

> samples from ten pillows with between 1.5 and 20 years of regular

> use.

>

> Each pillow was found to contain a substantial fungal load, with

> four to 16

>

> different species being identified per sample and even higher

> numbers

>

> found in synthetic pillows. The microscopic fungus Aspergillus

> fumigatus

>

> was particularly evident in synthetic pillows, and fungi as

diverse

> as bread

>

> and vine moulds and those usually found on damp walls and in

showers

>

> were also found.

>

> Professor Woodcock who led the research said: " We know that

>

> pillows are inhabited by the house dust mite which eats fungi, and

> one

>

> theory is that the fungi are in turn using the house dust mites'

> faeces as a

>

> major source of nitrogen and nutrition (along with human skin

> scales).

>

> There could therefore be a `miniature ecosystem' at work inside

our

>

> pillows. "

>

> Aspergillus is a very common fungus, carried in the air as well as

> being

>

> found in cellars, household plant pots, compost, computers and

> ground

>

> pepper and spices.

>

> Invasive Aspergillosis occurs mainly in the lungs and sinuses,

> although it

>

> can spread to other organs such as the brain, and is becoming

> increasingly

>

> common across other patient groups. It is very difficult to treat,

> and as

>

> many as 1 in 25 patients who die in modern European teaching

> hospitals

>

> have the disease.

>

> Immuno-compromised patients such as transplantation, AIDS and

> steroid

>

> treatment patients are also frequently affected with life-

> threatening

>

> Aspergillus pneumonia and sinusitis. Fortunately, hospital pillows

> have

>

> plastic covers and so are unlikely to cause problems, but patients

> being

>

> discharged home - where pillows may be old and fungus-infected -

> could

>

> be at risk of infection.

>

> Aspergillus can also worsen asthma, particularly in adults who

have

> had

>

> asthma for many years, and cause allergic sinusitis in patients

with

> allergic

>

> tendencies. Constant exposure to fungus in bed could be

problematic.

> It

>

> can also get into the lung cavities created by tuberculosis which

> affects a

>

> third of the world's population, causing general ill-health and

> bleeding in

>

> the lung, as well as causing a range of plant and animal diseases.

>

> Dr Geoffrey , Chairman of the Fungal Research Trust which

> funded

>

> the study, said: " These new findings are potentially of major

> significance to

>

> people with allergic diseases of the lungs and damaged immune

> systems -

>

> especially those being sent home from hospital. "

>

> Professor Woodcock added: " Since patients spend a third of

> their

>

> life sleeping and breathing close to a potentially large and

varied

> source of

>

> fungi, these findings certainly have important implications for

> patients with

>

> respiratory disease - especially asthma and sinusitis. "

>

[Guest guest]

Gave up on pillows completely in 1994.

I only use a rolled up towel inside a pillow case.

But as I've warned before, it does no good if you wash it and then use

a dryer which is in a mold plume - as your " clean " towel is really

acting as a filter and catching spores from the air circulated through

the dryer.

Isn't that just what you need?

To rest your head upon and be in direct contact with a concentrated

dose of mold from a filter used in a moldy house? Because that's what

your clothes are if you dry them in a mold plume.

-

[Guest guest]

I wonder if the pillow casings for dust mites help for fungus also?

Fungus probably smaller than dust mite I would assume.

Anyway, I found that a rolled up flannel sheet fairly comfortable and

easy to unroll and wash and dry, and alternate with another flannel

sheet instead of using same one all the time. I figure alternate

them. I did go back to my nice soft and fluffy feather pillow when I

got pillow casings but now I may rethink that. Now that fall is here I

should be able to find some king size flannel sheets to make a big

fluffy roll with for pillow substitute.

>

> Gave up on pillows completely in 1994.

> I only use a rolled up towel inside a pillow case.

> But as I've warned before, it does no good if you wash it.

[Guest guest]

What is a dryer in a mold plume? Is that a dryer in somebody's moldy

basement?

I read this myeslf on eureka alert today and ordered new down pillows

wholesale on the internet. It says pillows 1.5 years and older, so I

guess if you replace your pillows every year you should be okay. Of

course there are dust mites and bacteri aand fungi everywhere to some

extent.

>

> Gave up on pillows completely in 1994.

> I only use a rolled up towel inside a pillow case.

> But as I've warned before, it does no good if you wash it and then

use

> a dryer which is in a mold plume - as your " clean " towel is really

> acting as a filter and catching spores from the air circulated

through

> the dryer.

>

> Isn't that just what you need?

> To rest your head upon and be in direct contact with a concentrated

> dose of mold from a filter used in a moldy house? Because that's

what

> your clothes are if you dry them in a mold plume.

> -

>

[Guest guest]

I looked dat the info on special fillings (polyester) and decided

against them after thinking about SIDS, latex, foam, and whatever

crap chemicals they put on stuff. Does anybody have info on that?

> >>

> >> Gave up on pillows completely in 1994.

> >> I only use a rolled up towel inside a pillow case.

> >> But as I've warned before, it does no good if you wash it.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > FAIR USE NOTICE:

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Thats interesting. How much tea tree oil do you put in the final

rinse, and does it smell like it after being dried? I don't

particularly love that smell. However lavender is also a good

antimicrobial and antifungal. That is an idea!

> >>

> >> Gave up on pillows completely in 1994.

> >> I only use a rolled up towel inside a pillow case.

> >> But as I've warned before, it does no good if you wash it and

then

> j> use

> >> a dryer which is in a mold plume - as your " clean " towel is

really

> >> acting as a filter and catching spores from the air circulated

> j> through

> >> the dryer.

> >>

> >> Isn't that just what you need?

> >> To rest your head upon and be in direct contact with a

concentrated

> >> dose of mold from a filter used in a moldy house? Because that's

> j> what

> >> your clothes are if you dry them in a mold plume.

> >> -

> >>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> j> FAIR USE NOTICE:

>

>

> j>

[Guest guest]

Re: drying clothes in a mold plume.

Okay, I'm just guessing here but does dryer suck air into it from

surrounding air, in my case the basement, then heat it, so that is

what is speaking of. Taking air that is not perfect, heating

it and tossing your clothes around in that. I have heard of the

hottest dryer advice but I'm afraid I will ruin my clothes with that

and not kill the mold anyway so I just dry completely. If the dryer

is moldy, then the wash machine would be also, mold must get in

there, brought in by our clothes. I don't think it is possible to

do better than that. Where could things be cleaned? Certainly a

stream wouldn't be cleaner. Drying in the sun would be great if I

lived somewhere that could be done year round. I think we have to

realize it is the amount of exposure, not any mold at all. We can

never get to zero mold. Mold is everywhere. Even if we somehow got

our homes to zero mold with tremendous effort, we could never leave

and come back or bring anything in from the outside. Plus getting

used to no mold would make us weaker to take the mold we come into

contact with in outside world. Trick is to not have same species

and type growing in your home. I think being exposed to same

species and type in high amount is what makes us sick. Outside it

is moldier but it is tiny amounts of many more types. I've tested

the air outside I get much more mold growing in plates. It is just

more colorful results, obviously many more types in small amounts.

Same results from lab I sent samples to. The only room they said

had a 'mold problem' was porch. Results came back all same species

and type, so they said must be a colony of that type growing there.

I think getting used to absolute mold free would make our immune

system a slacker. Just my opinion based on my observations and

knowledge to this date.

--- In , " " <eaglestone@w...>

wrote:

>

> Hmmm, this is very interesting also. I purchased pillows that are

of (well

> I forget the specific word, pulled the tags off, can't stand tags)

[Guest guest]

Vinegar is a good antifungal and helps to soften things (like my

hair), is cheap and can easily be added to final rinse in bleach

dispenser I would think. I use vinegar, although I don't always

remember. I use alot of baking soda in wash, which alters ph to very

alkaline and then vinegar in rinse which takes ph in opposite

direction in the end. I know I feel great when I take a bath like

that, salt water bath and vinegar in rinse but you have to drain bath

and refill so I can only take this much time once or twice a week.

--- In , " jill1313 " <jenbooks13@h...>

wrote:

>

> Thats interesting. How much tea tree oil do you put in the final

> rinse, and does it smell like it after being dried? I don't

> particularly love that smell. However lavender is also a good

> antimicrobial and antifungal. That is an idea!

[Guest guest]

I forgot to make final point. I think we lose site of reasonable

goal. Point is to get rid of excess moisture in house that

is 'growing mold colonies' and that ridding house of every mold

spore is impossible and maybe not even desireable. So if you get

rid of any mold growing there from excess moisture in foundation or

plumbing leak or too high a moisture, also bedding that were in

humid house, is old and perhaps throwing covers over it daily held

moisture in and they developed mold colony, then take care to not

develope the high moisture problem with new bedding, frequent

cleanings, etc and not be afraid that there might be random mold

spores in things from a variety of sources. Our immune system needs

a some microbes to stimulate it to develope white blood cells that

protect us, when we go out into the world. Even vaccinations have

to be retaken to keep our immune system protected from some viruses

after so many years (if you take them at all), so striving for a

microbe free environment isn't necessary for good health or perhaps

not even desireable (?). Just keep things dry, in good condition,

clean often. IMHO.

--- In , " barb1283 " <barb1283@y...>

wrote:

Re: drying clothes in a mold plume.

Okay, I'm just guessing here but does dryer suck air into it from