The effect on the airways comes about from toxins excreted from mold. The effect is to weaken the airways’ self-clearing mechanisms and immunity. In turn, this places an affected person at greater risk from respiratory diseases. Moreover, if someone if already suffering with a lung-related disease, the effect of the toxin can be to exacerbate the condition.
The types of fungal toxins (or ‘mycotoxins’) of concern are called aflatoxins. These toxins are produced by specific fungi, of which Aspergillus flavus is a common example. It is estimated that up to 25 percent of the world’s food crops are contaminated with these filamentous fungi.
The presence of the fugal toxins can trigger such diseases as allergic fungal rhinosinusitis and bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. These can become serious illnesses can require treatment by antifungal medications.
To add to the major illnesses, medical research is starting to unpick the downstream effects of aflatoxins on the airway passage. Some of this research centres on imaging techniques where human airways are studied. These images have indicated that the toxins affected small, hair-like structures that line the lungs called cilia. The purpose of the appendages is to help clean-out the dust and dirt that is breathed in.
The aflatoxins can inhibit the effectiveness of the cilia, causing pathologies known as mucosal ciliary clearance (MCC) and ciliary beat frequency (CBF). These conditions make a person more vulnerable to other infections. It is thought the toxins inactivate a protein that causes the cilia to beat.
According to researcher Professor Robert J. Lee: “Patients may become more susceptible to upper respiratory infections and chronic rhinosinusitis that can ‘seed’ lower respiratory infections, especially in those with a compromised immune system.”
Professor Lee hopes his work will lead to greater study of lower respiratory problems resulting from fungal toxins. The researcher is concerned about the effects on the elderly, inform and those with weak immune systems.
The troubling finding has been published in the journal Nature Scientific Reports. The research paper is titled “Fungal Aflatoxins Reduce Respiratory Mucosal Ciliary Function.”
