Dr Diana Samways qualified in Medicine from the Royal Free Hospital and worked in General Practice. She now runs a holistic medical practice in Haslemere Surrey with a particular interest in IBS, candida, allergies, including moulds; depression, anxiety and the connection between allergy and addiction.

Dr Samways is an entertaining public speaker on holisitic health topics. Her popular book: “I’m a Patient…Get me out of Here…” is available through www.allergydoctor.org.uk or 01428 643021.

Moulds in the air we breathe may cause ill-health by various mechanisms:

Allergy: inhaled mould particles in the air may act as allergens (just as pollen does) causing asthma and hay fever but the symptoms continue outside the grass pollen season.

Toxic Poisoning: this can occur with contaminated foodstuff (ergotism, other toxic moulds) or particularly in the USA, inhalation of toxins from Stachybotris Chartarum mould in houses.

“Mould Illness” (a term coined by me) which is a common combination of IBS or gut Candida overgrowth failing to respond to dietary approaches because the sufferer lives in a mouldy house and is inhaling the moulds that replace the gut fungi they are trying to remove by their diet. This seems to result in a biochemical problem that requires attention to the airborne moulds as well as a nutritional approach and detoxification (saunas etc.)

The Symptoms of “Mould Illness”

Many of the symptoms are identical with those of IBS/Candida and sometimes, food allergy, probably because moulds are part of the cause in these conditions, however the following are more marked in “mould illness”, all bodily systems are involved :

Nervous and Immune Systems

Mood swings, depression (paralyzing in the mornings)
Acute fear and panic especially in the night
Bouts of energy loss to the point of total inertia

Localised Symptoms

Joint pains and arthritis
“Hay Fever” and nasal symptoms
Asthma
Urinary problems, frequency “cystitis”
Flatulence, abdominal bloating, pain
Swelling of legs and ankles
Heart palpitations and arrhythmia

and much else….

All this may vary with the weather, among other things and may be much worse in some houses than others.


Seasonality of the Mould Count: Many moulds have particular seasons in which they reproduce in huge numbers, others are “perennial”. Obtaining an accurate airborne mould count is difficult because of the small size of mould particles and mixture with other dust; various methods have been used, none are particularly accurate.

I have used my own observations coupled with what little good research there is (much of it very old, and climate is changing) to come up with the following information:

There are three peak seasons for outside airborne mould count in England: March when everyone makes the first cut of the lawn (grass has stood all winter accumulating mould which is then thrown into the air by the mower) July/ August when harvesting of crops my produce a similar effect in rural areas, and September into the Autumn which is nature’s season for rotting down the fallen leaves. Without moulds we would be 200ft deep in dead leaves….

Research shows that for a non-mouldy house: indoor mould species are a reflection of outdoor moulds but in smaller numbers. Houses with visible mould growth will have their own particular mould population, though with seasonal increases as above.

Weather and Climate affect mould growth. A sharp frost temporarily kills them and the cold dry climate of high mountains should have a lower mould count in absence of unfavourable winds. A hot dry climate without air conditioning is theoretically ideal however the moment people start irrigating gardens and air conditioning houses, the mould problems start…Warm damp climates are ideal for mould growth and efforts to dehumidify houses are helpful. High winds raise the mould count.

These comments refer to overall mould counts but I do have information on the seasonality of individual moulds for anyone undergoing immunotherapy. Mould count charts from the Internet usually apply to other countries and are not helpful.

As an ex-sufferer from Mould Illness I have concerned myself with air purification systems for some years, and find the Biozone machines reduce my symptoms considerably. Air filters alone do not lower mould count as the mould particles are small enough to go through the filters (and face masks) and will just be redistributed.

More information on the above topics can be found in Dr Samways book “I’m a Patient…Get me out of Here…”