Mould in lungs causes asthma

A team at The University of Manchester have found that in a minority of patients they studied, a standard treatment for asthma-oral steroids was associated with increased levels of the treatable mould Aspergillus in the lung.

The findings could be of valuable help to asthmatics who endure severe and difficult to treat symptoms, by giving doctors the information they need to plan their care more effectively. The team stress there is no danger to asthmatics from steroid therapy and that patients should continue taking their steroid inhalers or tablets as prescribed.

About 40 percent of people with severe asthma have allergies to Aspergillus in their lungs. The research showed that severe asthmatics with allergies were ten times more likely to carry higher levels of mould when on corticosteroid treatment. Individuals in the study receiving antifungal therapy had lower quantities of the mould in the lung; the fungal load was much higher if the therapy had been stopped.

Aspergillus infection is usually treatable, but might be able to explain why some asthmatic patients are having persistent symptoms on steroids. There is no danger to any individuals taking steroids to alleviate their asthma. But nevertheless this data is important because it may help doctors to consider additional treatments to individuals with allergies to this mould associated with steroids, so they may be helped more effectively.

Dr. Bowyer and Dr. Livingstone Chisimba, also from The University of Manchester and colleagues from Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust examined the airways of 48 people with mild to severe asthma and 10 volunteers with no symptoms. With higher Aspergillus loads seen in those on oral steroids.

Though different fungi were found with variation between individuals, the most common was Aspergillus. Multiple different isolated spores of the mould were detected in the same lung, Excess mucus is a characteristic feature of asthma. Excess mucus is able to protect Aspergillus from the body's normal defences.
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Plastic pollution causes autoimmune conditions

Plastic pollution has become so widespread that human may be inhaling up many pieces a day.
Fibres from fleece and polyester clothing and particles from urban dust and car tyres are the biggest sources of so-called microplastics in the air.

 The tiny specks are lighter than air and could cause asthma, heart disease and auto-immune conditions, according to research, that reveals washing a single polyester garment can produce many plastic fibres.

This plastic pollution is on the rise as more synthetic clothing is produced. Exposure to plastic pollution may cause asthma, cardiac disease, allergies and auto-immune diseases.
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Exposing children to germs strengthen their immune systems

All germs are not bad, some germs stimulate immune system and strength them to fight diseases. Exposing children to clean environment only can leads to severely hyper sensitised immune system making the children vulnerable to allergies and neurodevelopmental problems.

Early exposure to germs strengthen immune system and teaches it how to control its reaction to daily germs present in the atmosphere. Scientists believe that without exposure to dirt and germs early in life, the immune system will not be able control its reaction to everyday invaders like dust.

According to researchers, pre- and postnatal pet exposure enriched the amount of two types of bacteria- Ruminococcus and Oscillospira that reduce allergies and obesity in children.

Giving children fermented foods like miso and natto also exposed them to bacteria, microflora in fermented foods produce a protective lining in their intestines and strengthen it against salmonella and E.coli.
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