Directory of health resources for healthcare professionals.

Moulds

Damp houses and other buildings (eg churches, church halls) provoke symptoms. Raking up fallen leaves, handling compost, or spending time in a greenhouse, cellar or conservatory also tend to make symptoms worse. So does mowing the lawn, if grass-clippings were not collected up after mowing last time – these will have grown moulds which are stirred up by mowing again. House-plants, Christmas trees, damp straw or hay and domestic humidifiers are other possible sources. The symptoms may appear only in midsummer or late summer and autumn -or may worsen at this time.

Pet dogs, cats, rabbits, horses, hamsters, mice etc

Symptoms may not appear until many months after the pet is acquired -sometimes as much as a year. In very sensitive individuals, clothing that has been in contact with an animal can trigger an attack. Traces of animal danders (skin particles) can linger in a house where pets have lived previously, even if carpets are removed. Old horsehair sofas or mattresses can affect someone who is sensitive to horses.

A brief exposure to an animal can cause symptoms that persist for up to a week. The symptoms may be mild and transient when the animal is actually there, with a more severe, delayed reaction that sets in later.

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