Mice...cute furry little creatures.
Aspergillus...a tiny white mold that happens to grow on compost piles and decaying leaves.
What do these two items have in common?
1. When they invade homes in large numbers, they can expose people to respiratory problems such as asthma, pneumonia, sinusitis, and even cause death.
2. Both are more prevalent in rainy weather, now upon us in the northwest.
Many people don't know they have either of these inhabitants in their home. Mice can hide in walls and scurry around at night while people are sleeping for years before anyone sees a mouse or mouse dropping. One night I was up at midnight, sitting in our living room when I saw something scurry from under the couch to under the TV cabinet. We left mouse traps out every night after that and caught (and killed) 1-2 mice a night for two weeks straight. We did have a cat at the time who simply watched the mice scurry past. After looking for entry points, we found that the mice generally lived in warm places--the wall behind the stove (where they had chewed a hole) and the walls surrounding the heater (where we found more holes).
Telltale signs of a mouse infestation are scratching in the walls, dark rice sized feces here and there, and chewed holes in interior walls and at the base of siding on exterior walls. Mice are especially attracted to cat food left out, bird seed, and other unsecured food items. They can also be drawn to homes during wet weather simply to get out of the rain.
What is the problem with having mice other than they are icky when uninvited? They can cause serious illness. Read the article in the link below:
I have a patient right now that has had such severe allergic reactions, she has had to be on high doses of prednisone for months. She is worse at home. She revealed that they have had a huge mouse problem in the past. According to the above article, even if live mice have been killed, their feces, urine and decaying bodies can create allergic reactions that are life threatening.
How about mold? Did you know that mycotoxins from mold can pass through dry wall and cause allergic reactions and respiratory disease even when you can't see the mold? For anyone dealing with chronic asthma, allergies, or pneumonia, you need to have your house checked for mold. If you already know of a place where mold tends to accumulate (such as your bathroom ceiling) you need to rip out that drywall and do a full renovation including having a plumber check for leaks. Don't think you can just keep wiping the mold away. Cleaning mold covered areas with bleach only lets the mold release more mycotoxins! Read the article below about an unfortunately fatal case of inhaled mold.
As you can see, it is easy to be exposed to mold. Being vigilant outdoors is as important as indoors. If you have a compost or are raking up a pile of soaking decaying leaves, be careful not to breath in any clouds of dust that are released. Tell your children to avoid the white mold spores if they are doing leaf raking as a chore.
If you decide to do a renovation, get a mold remediation specialist to do the job. check out the gear they have to wear when dealing with mold:
And you've been living in the house without all this protection!
For more info on aspergillus, go to the link below
I don't mean to scare you, but I do want you to consider your home environment. If your home has either of these infestations, no amount of drugs or natural treatment options will help you get over all of the symptoms caused by living in a house that is infested. Although mice can be cute and aspergillus can look pretty under a microscope, they should not be welcome guests in your home!
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