What are Mold Allergies?

When many of us think of mold, the image that comes to mind is that of the substance that we may find growing on our bread, or the yucky stuff that appears in the corners of the shower. Many people will also think of medicines we have gained from mold such as penicillin, or the products we create with it like cheese and black tea. A lesser-known effect that mold brings into many people's lives is mold allergies. Mold allergies are similar in many ways to pollen and other allergies, yet they have their own differences and quirks.

How do Mold Allergies Work?

Generally, mold allergies strike people in a way that is similar to pollen allergies. The mold spore (or part of the spore) is inhaled through the nose or mouth and due to their small size may evade the body's protection against them. Once they reach the lungs they cause allergic reactions in some people that are similar to that of pollen allergic reactions.

Another related problem is the reaction that some people with mold allergies may have to foods that use mold in their creation like cheeses. In some cases, food like this can worsen or bring on an allergy attack in a person that is sensitive to mold or has mold allergies. However, allergies to other mold-related medicines, such as penicillin, do not seem to have any correlation with mold allergies in general. A person is not any more likely to have an allergy to penicillin if they have an allergic reaction to mold than if they do not.

Mold Counts

During the year, many areas will conduct measurements and publish those regarding pollen counts in the air. Pollen counts are generally a hot news item during the months that allergies are at their worst, particularly in the spring. There is debate about the effectiveness of similar "mold counts" that can be conducted.

Many experts believe these to be ineffective for a few reasons. First of all, although they may give a good idea of the types of molds and their quantities in the air at any given time, the mold counts may change drastically in a 24 hour period. Weather and spore rates are directly related and even though rain may lower pollen and some mold spore counts, it can actually raise the spore counts of other types of spores. Spore counts can also change from day to night, as some types of spores are more common during different times of the day.