Last December Brittany Murphy was found dead at her home. Many rumors were raised regarding the cause of her death – from drug overdose, to a cardiac arrest, and also possible murder by her husband Simon Monjack. An autopsy found that she had died of complications of pneumonia.
According to TMZ, another cause was suggested early during the investigation – mold that was found at the couple’s home. It was deemed “not to be a contributing factor”. A few months have passed, and Monjack also died mysteriously inside that same house, also of pneumonia, leading authorities to investigate into the mold issue.
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The connection between mold and respiratory health
According to an article published by the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology in 2005, even though mold is present normally in all homes, it’s usually harmful only in large concentrations to allergic or sensitive individuals.
There are tests you can take to see if you’re allergic to fungi (a mold is a type of fungus). In people who are allergic to fungi, a wide range of allergic illnesses can occur, from asthma to rhinitis (an inflammation of the nose causing a runny nose). The article also mentions other illnesses that can happen after exposure to mold:
- Respiratory infections – By a fungus called aspergillus.
- Irritant reactions – These include sneezing, coughing, etc.
- Toxic reactions – That usually happens after you eat food contaminated with mold.
Should you check your house for mold?
As you can read above, most of the problems caused by mold are related to allergic reactions, such as sneezing, coughing, shortness of breath, etc.
The article mentioned that respiratory infections can be caused by the fungus aspergillus. Aspergillus usually doesn’t cause infections in healthy people, and usually only attacks people whose immune system is weak (such as those taking steroids for a long time, treated with chemotherapy, or people that have AIDS). In healthy people an inflammation of the lung may occur, but it usually recovers by itself.
It may be that other factors played a part in Brittany Murphy’s case, apart from the mold itself.
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What can you do if you’re still afraid?
According to the article, "The best known management of indoor fungal contamination is prevention". "Regular inspection for sources of moisture and their elimination is the most important strategy to control indoor fungal growth. Since fungal growth depends on moisture and a carbon source, the most important strategy for reducing or eliminating its growth is controlling the amount of moisture present."
They recommend the following steps to prevent mold growth:
- Maintain indoor relative humidity at no greater than 50 percent.
- Seal all leaks to prevent water accumulation and use a sump pump in basements prone to flooding.
- Increase the use of bathroom and kitchen ventilation by using exhaust fans.
If you do discover areas of mold growing in your home, you should clean it with a dilute bleach/detergent solution. There are commercial products available for this purpose.
What next?
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