Summer talk about mold

  Now the north has begun to enter the hot summer, rain is also gradually more up. In this hot and humid season, food and clothing stored improperly will be “hairy”, moldy spots. And then pay close attention to the surrounding, we can find that many people will appear in this period of sneezing, runny, itchy eyes, and even coughing symptoms. Why is this? If we look into the root cause, let’s first understand what is fungus.  Fungi are the most widely distributed class of organisms in nature, with an estimated variety of nearly one million species, which can be roughly divided into two categories: yeasts and molds. Fungi and human life is closely related to the daily consumption of mushrooms, fungus, Chinese medicine, Lingzhi, Poria, brewing, flour with yeast, the production of penicillin penicillin, these are fungi. Most of the fungi camp saprophytic, a few can be parasitic in the body of humans or animals. Fungal reproduction requires high temperature and humidity. In the south of China’s rainy season, the northern wheat harvest before and after the temperature and humidity are very suitable for fungal growth, is the peak season of fungal reproduction.  Airborne fungi are referred to as airborne fungi and are one of the most common and important inhalant allergens. Outdoor airborne fungal allergens are mainly spores, while the allergenic fungal fraction indoors and in the body is mainly mycelium. Airborne fungi can act on the nasal mucosa and conjunctiva of the allergic organism, resulting in allergic symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose and itchy eyes. In addition, the spores of airborne fungi are very small, only a few microns in diameter, so they can not only float in the air for a long time, but are also more easily inhaled deep into the lungs to cause asthma symptoms such as coughing and wheezing.  Outdoor fungi (such as Streptomyces interrogans) are significantly affected by climate and environmental factors. The number of airborne fungal spores is highest in humid and hot seasons, in environments with large vegetation and dirty areas. Rain can cause a sudden decrease in the number of spores in the air, but after the rain clears, the number of spores in the air can increase significantly again. Therefore, the condition of fungal allergy patients can be seasonal and fluctuating. Since outdoor fungi can also enter the house through ventilation, patients with severe allergies are advised to stay indoors and keep doors and windows closed as much as possible during the onset season.  Indoor fungi (such as Aspergillus fumigatus and Penicillium) often grow in humid indoor environments, such as basements, kitchens, and bathrooms, and can induce the appearance of perennial allergy symptoms. The reasonable use of air conditioning can inhibit the growth of fungi in the indoor environment by reducing humidity, but if the cleaning is not complete, the air conditioning indoor unit itself will become a source of fungal growth and dispersal.  Excessive use of humidifiers in winter and spring, and their sink cleaning is not timely, can contribute to the growth of fungi. By avoiding carpeting in the living room, cleaning the house regularly, and keeping the washroom and kitchen ventilated and dry, the symptoms of fungal allergy patients can be reduced or even avoided. Patients who are not satisfied with medication control can receive specific allergen immunotherapy (also known as desensitization), and most patients can obtain long-term, stable treatment results after 3-5 years of treatment.