Breakfast in Bed or Fungi in the Pillows

By William H Harriss. July 24, 2021.

Breakfast in bed and mushrooms with breakfast is quite a pleasant addition. But fungi in your bed pillows is something to be avoided.

If you have spotted black mould in a room, it means that moisture has collected on the surface where mould is growing. It could be caused by condensation gathering on a cold surface or moisture soaking directly into the material from a leak or structural damp. The spores of all moulds are known to be dangerous to human health.

But noticing a black stain on our pillows is something more to be worried about. We have known about the possibility of fungal contamination of our bedding since the 1930s. More recently, in 2005, researchers in England reported that the average pillow contains millions of fungal spores. At the University of Manchester, various samples from pillows were studied. Each pillow had been used for about 18 months, and some for as long as 20 years.

Not all pillows outwardly show stain from internal fungus or mould, but it still there at the heart of the pillow.

Scientists found that the pillows contained a disturbing fungus, 'Aspergillus fumigatus', which is especially known for causing infection for people with asthma, leukaemia, and bone marrow transplant patients. This fungus may also be responsible for increasing the symptoms of asthma and allergic sinusitis.

Fungi in pillows and other locations in the home continue to make headlines as people with compromised immune systems or asthma need to be especially careful. Drug resistance is also an ongoing concern with infections caused by Aspergillus since the fungus by traditional laundering is extremely difficult to eradicate.

As the CDC points out, "Most people breathe in Aspergillus spores every day without getting sick. However, people with weakened immune systems or lung diseases are at a higher risk of developing health problems due to Aspergillus. The types of health problems caused by Aspergillus include allergic reactions, lung infections, and infections in other organs."

?TripAdvisor reported finding this mould in a hotel pillow in the US. This image is with the pillowcase removed.

How do pillows become contaminated with fungi, which is more commonly known as black mould? Sweat from your head puts moisture into pillows, as does placing a damp head on the pillow after washing it or from the shower. Black mould requires dampness to thrive. Some hotels that occasionally wash their pillows fail to dry them adequately, which magnifies the problem.

It is now well established most pillows contain pathogens, some hazardous ones including bacteria and viruses. But few of us have heard of the danger from mould spore. But unfortunately, things have worsened, and people who contract the Coronavirus are dying from a particular black mould invasion of their lungs and brains. It even has its name as a disease, 'Mucor mycosis'. This is a different mould to the common one, 'Aspergillus' found in the West, which is still very dangerous and can kill.

Fungal infections can be devastating. And one in particular – Mucor mycosis – adds to the burden of suffering in a country already in a deep Covid-19 crisis. We've seen reports from India of infections with Mucor mycosis, often termed "black fungus", in patients with Covid-19 or who are recovering from the Coronavirus.

As of March 2021, 41 cases of Covid-19-associated Mucor mycosis had been documented around the world, with 70% in India. Reports suggest the number of cases is now much higher, which is unsurprising given the current wave of Covid-19 infections.?

But what is Mucor mycosis, and how is it linked with Covid-19?

Fungi in the Mucorales family are considered opportunistic, meaning they usually infect people with an impaired immune system or damaged tissue. The use of drugs that suppress the immune system, such as cortico-steroids, can lead to impaired immune function, as can a range of other immunocompromising conditions, like cancer or transplants. Damaged tissue can occur after trauma or surgery.

There are three ways humans can contract Mucor mycosis – by inhaling spores, by swallowing spores in food or medicines, or when spores contaminate wounds. Almost certainly when inhaling spore contained in pillows from a previous person.

Inhalation is the most common. We breathe in the spores of many fungi every day. But our immune systems and lungs, if healthy, generally prevent them from causing an infection.?

I am telling the readers of this rapidly growing problem because it has already reached Europe and the US. It is another reason why the sterilization of pillows is essential. Now there is not just the worry of bacteria and viruses in pillows but also the distinct possibility of mould spores. We know pillows cannot withstand hot washes or autoclave treatment; they shrink, knot up, are difficult to dry, and eventually fall apart and disintegrate. Moreover, they cannot be dry-cleaned due to the dangerous carcinogenic residue chemicals left behind.

So, what is left to ensure the destruction to 99.999% of all pathogens known to man, bacteria, viruses, and the spore of black moulds? The only definitive treatment is with ozone in a Rayo Azul Pathogen Destruction Chamber. Between 500 and 3000 times more effective than bleach, the oxidisation process of ozone gas kills or destructs many things but is kind on cotton and many other fabrics [it cannot be used with foam rubber or memory foam products].

For more information, drop me a line, William H Harriss, [email protected]

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