Organisms that Cause Asthma
- One of the most common triggers of asthma is mold, due to how common mold can be in living situations. Mold can grow anywhere, but usually ends up in unclean and damp places. Mold often grows in houses, especially in basements and dirty bathrooms, and can be difficult to treat. There are home cleansers that can help you eliminate mold and these should be used if you or a loved one has asthma in your household.
- Dust mites are creatures that feed off of dust. They eat things like dead human skin and other small organic matter. They are common in every home and are mostly harmless. However, their fecal matter often contains chemicals that are highly allergenic and that can cause an asthma attack. The dust mites themselves are often inhaled by an asthmatic person, and they can cause an asthma attack in this way. Dust mites are the number one cause of asthma attacks.
- Cockroaches are a disgusting and difficult pest to kill. They may be a cause for asthma attacks. Cockroaches tend to live in filth and spread common diseases. The filth that lives on their skin will often become airborne, and this filth can cause asthma attacks. With proper fumigation and cleanliness, cockroach-related asthma attacks can be minimized..
- Another common cause of asthma is allergies to food. The Mayo Clinic states that peanuts and shellfish are two of the most common foods that cause asthma attacks. If you have asthma and suffer from any known food allergies, it is important to stay away from these foods to avoid both an asthma attack and any other allergic reactions. If a food suddenly causes an allergic reaction, watch out for any asthma symptoms.
- Most recently, bacteria have been pointed out as potential culprits in asthma. The BBC reports that, "Researchers in Finland and US have shown that the disease may be triggered by proteins produced by a common bacterial infection." The bacteria that has been pointed to is called Chlamydia pneumoniae, which is already linked to several other lung diseases.