Thumpelstiltskin Posted October 14, 2005 Share Posted October 14, 2005 Pillows - a hot bed of fungal spores 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 Ashley 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 Scott, 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 Ashley 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." A version of this story is running on CNN today. They added that Swedish scientists tested a 15 year old bed pillow and found that 80% of it's weight consisted of dust mites and their feces!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael hurd Posted October 14, 2005 Share Posted October 14, 2005 Yum Yum, makes me want to get warm and snuggly with my pillows. Seriously though, WHO has a 15 year old pillow......aargh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Amy Posted October 14, 2005 Moderators Share Posted October 14, 2005 So I guess it's best to forego the $80 down pillow in favor of the $4.99 Wal-Mart disposable version! How exactly do you wash a pillow with completely ruining it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael hurd Posted October 14, 2005 Share Posted October 14, 2005 I know how I wash pillows, throw them out and buy new pillows every year or so. Having been affected by asthma, it is just one thing I do. Cheap insurance to spend a couple of bucks a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picky Posted October 14, 2005 Share Posted October 14, 2005 Believe it or not...I am totally serious.....my friend Bill still has his childhood "pill-pill" which he uses nightly. Bill is 54......and his pillow is nearly that!!! EEYYEEWW!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r.cherry Posted October 14, 2005 Share Posted October 14, 2005 ok that is bad... i'm going tonight to get new pillows, my skin is just crawling. i heard from a friend that took micro-biology that that course would really affect you're outlook. guess this is a small example. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay481985 Posted October 14, 2005 Share Posted October 14, 2005 time to lysol my pillows!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted October 14, 2005 Share Posted October 14, 2005 Pheew ..... wat a relief ... i thought you were gona post ...... ......... that you woke up wth a Horse's Head in yer Bed ..........................ala Godfather ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscarsear Posted October 14, 2005 Share Posted October 14, 2005 Well the solution is in the text of the presentation. Get pillow liners made with some degree of plastic lining. Do the same for your matresses. Fungal infections are nearly always opportunistic, 2ndary infections. They hit the immunocompromized patients...AIDs, transplant patients under anti-rejection drug therapy and certain chemotherapies. Coccidioidmycosis fungal infections are more common because they can be exposed to the human body in greater volumes through windstorms in our western deserts. Thrush (Candida Albicans) is a common oral fungal colonizer that can become expressed by infection with uses of inhaled steroids (it's that little white fuzzy stuff you might see in the corners of some peoples mouth). Got to keep in mind that our bodies carry any number of micro-organisms and pathogens around. The gut is loaded with them and they aid in digestion, etc... They become expressive of infectious processes when our immune systems are stressed or reduced or when we're reckless with our own hygiene. So just do like mom always told ya...stay clean, keep your home clean and use little plastic liners for your pillows. The biggest worry for these things is with the asthmatics. People whose own immune systems over-respond when exposed to allergens. They need clinical guidance with these issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEAR Posted October 14, 2005 Share Posted October 14, 2005 Believe it or not...I am totally serious.....my friend Bill still has his childhood "pill-pill" which he uses nightly. Bill is 54......and his pillow is nearly that!!! EEYYEEWW!!! He he I had a giant feather filled pillow that was almost as old as a few Klipsch speakers,well I had it for 14 years! [:$] LOL [6] That was a few years back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boom3 Posted October 14, 2005 Share Posted October 14, 2005 "You sissy! You sissy! You're Just Like Gunga Din! Be careful where you sleep tonight, You don't where it's been!" -Divine, "Jungle Jezebel" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sputnik Posted October 14, 2005 Share Posted October 14, 2005 Ha ha ha ha ha! It looks like I get the last laugh. Wool is less prone to dust mites, bacteria, and fungus. All of you made fun of me but now look at what you're sleeping with. [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codhead Posted October 15, 2005 Share Posted October 15, 2005 My daughter's biology professor told her class that half of the weight of a 5 year old feather pillow is dust mite faeces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seadog Posted October 15, 2005 Share Posted October 15, 2005 My daughter's biology professor told her class that half of the weight of a 5 year old feather pillow is dust mite faeces. That is a sickening thought! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted October 15, 2005 Share Posted October 15, 2005 "Don't let the bed bugs bite" has a whole new meaning![+o(] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEAR Posted October 15, 2005 Share Posted October 15, 2005 My daughter's biology professor told her class that half of the weight of a 5 year old feather pillow is dust mite faeces. Oh great now...I need a puke bucket. What else lives around the house that is micro organism poop that we do not know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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