Recently, a undiscovered tomb in Egypt yielded a priceless piece of history: a mummy believed to be the remains of Hatshepsut, the first and only woman Pharaoh.  As different as culture in Ancient Egypt was from our own, there was one certain allergy trigger that aggravates eyes and noses today just as effectively as it did thousands of years ago: mold.

 Did You Know?: Many of the same mold strains that are common today have been found on the mummified bodies of the ancients.

The legendary “Curse of the Mummy” had less to do with the mystical revenge of a long-dead Pharaoh and more to do with the toxic quality of certain mold spores.  After the initial discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb, 22 members of the Howard Carter's archeological dig had perished from unexplained diseases.  Most likely, these illnesses could be credited to two different Aspergillus mold species: Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus.  Both of these molds are commonly found in modern homes and are considered allergens.

Inhaling the spores produced by these fungi can cause health concerns ranging from allergic reactions and asthma attacks to aspergillosis and cancer.  Allergies and asthma attacks are the most instantaneous effect of mold spores, because some individual’s immune systems have targeted spores as hazardous invaders.

Mold spores are very much like tiny time capsules.  Because of their hard outer shell, spores can be dormant for years (like those from Tutankhamun's tomb), but as soon as any moisture is present, they will spring to life regardless of whether they are on a tomb's walls on in an archeologist's lungs.  Apergillosis is a health condition where inhaled mold spores have begun to grow inside the lungs.

 The breeze created by opening King Tut's tomb stirred up the ancient mold spores, which were unconsciously inhaled by Carter's team, which would explain the rapid onset of pneumonia that was claimed to be part of the "Mummy's Curse". 

Fortunately, we have technologies today that can help combat the growth of indoor mold. By running an air purifier that utilizes ultra violet light, mold spores are “de-activated” as they pass through the machine. This means that no matter how much moisture is in the air, the spores can no longer germinate into mold colonies. Ultra violet light oxidizes mold spores so that they are no longer a nightmare in the making, but it also neutralizes germs and bacteria that are airborne, for a healthier environment overall .

(You can get an ultra violet air purifier for your home and office from brands like Biozone Air Purifiers and Air Oasis Air Purifiers.)