Allergens are all around us. It seems like a fairly straightforward concept, though how they find their way to us can be extremely surprising. Take for example, animal allergens. If you learned that your child had a dog allergy, what steps would you take to avoid issues for them? The most common response to this would likely be some variation of not having a pet dog and limiting visits to places where dogs live. After all, kids spend most of their time at school or at home so you may think there...
Dec 24, 2020•22 min•Ep 73•Transcript available on Metacast COVID-19 has reshaped how we think about public health and the practical steps we take every day to keep ourselves safe and healthy. Today more than ever, we share a heightened responsibility surrounding our environmental hygiene, as well as the potential harm that poor cleaning habits can cause. Something we encounter every day is dust. It’s synonymous with being untidy, old, and causing us to sneeze. But perhaps in our post-COVID world, we will see dust a little differently. Dust is an organic...
Dec 04, 2020•9 min•Ep 72•Transcript available on Metacast Bathtime wouldn’t be the same without a rubber duck. For children, and maybe some adults too, the main attraction of a scrub in the tub is the chance to play with rubber or plastic bath toys, watching them bob amongst the bubbles and submerge amongst the suds. But beneath the cheery exterior of bright wide eyes and chirpy beak exists a hidden danger - one that could make you or your children very unwell. The best way to investigate this is to chop them open (sorry, ducky), revealing the microbia...
Nov 26, 2020•15 min•Ep 71•Transcript available on Metacast Pathogen. Germ. Bug. Infection. Virus. Plague. Today, more than ever, it seems like we are constantly surrounded by an invisible world of hidden dangers. These words are synonymous with our times, but we are not the first generation who have had to contend with a dangerous pathogen. So, what is a pathogen, and how has history shaped the relationship between them and humans? 2020 has brought there lens of infection into the spotlight, but is our collective experience of COVID-19 any different to ...
Nov 20, 2020•14 min•Ep 70•Transcript available on Metacast Nov 13, 2020•16 min•Ep 69•Transcript available on Metacast “It's often said that a bad day with coffee is better than a good day without.” A fair statement, no? If you asked any of the drinkers of the 2.25 billion cups of coffee drunk daily, they’d probably all give you a similar answer. Some research suggests that coffee may even have some positive health benefits. But this uniquity of caffeine consumption raises some serious questions about the damaging effects our coffee habits are having on the planet. By 2050, up to 50% of the land currently u...
Nov 06, 2020•15 min•Ep 68•Transcript available on Metacast When we see mould on our food our immediate reaction is to throw it away. To us, it is an indication that the food has turned bad, and we assume that food would not taste the same because fermentation has started. Along with this, we begin to question the texture, aroma and appearance of the food. However, we sometimes see mould as a delicious component of some of our favourite indulgences. Mould is, of course, responsible for the speckles within blue cheese and its characteristic saltiness and ...
Oct 30, 2020•14 min•Ep 67•Transcript available on Metacast We all know about the devastating effects that change in our climate will cause, from melting ice caps, rising sea levels and more extreme weather. But there is another risk too, and one that could potentially affect all of us in the way we build and look after our homes, and how we try to save the ones at risk. One of the consequences of climate change that we are already seeing, and bearing witness to its effects, is changes in our weather. Namely, we are experiencing warmer and wetter winters...
Oct 22, 2020•13 min•Ep 66•Transcript available on Metacast Sometimes, it seems like the hardest thing in the world to do is to get to sleep. Be it struggling to drift off, tossing and turning in the early hours or waking up too early and not being able to get any more shuteye - it’s something we’ve all had to deal with at one point or another. George Clooney blames his insomnia on a racing mind, helped only by going to sleep with the TV on, whilst Lady Gaga’s fibromyalgia and PTSD are both conditions known to negatively affect a person’s sleep. On the o...
Oct 16, 2020•11 min•Ep 65•Transcript available on Metacast What is that mould smell, and is it worth $5m? We all know the smell. That damp, pungent aroma that lingers in the air, it can be earthy, meaty and musty, like sodden socks or rotten wood. The odour has connotations of decrepit squalor, yet it is something we’ve all had to deal with at one point or another, so, just what is that smell, and is it worth a $5million lawsuit? Megan Fox, actress and model, amongst other things, is suing a range of lawyers and agents after buying a Malibu property whi...
Oct 09, 2020•11 min•Ep 64•Transcript available on Metacast After a tiresome day, there is nothing better than crawling into bed and laying your head down onto a soft, comforting pillow. But before you drift off into the sweetest of dreams, take a moment to think about the hidden dangers lurking within your pillow. It could turn out to be your worst nightmare... A 2006 study looked into the fungi living in pillows, and they discovered that the most common 3 fungi were: Aspergillus fumigatus , A ureobasidium pullulans and a yeast, called Rhodotorula....
Oct 03, 2020•11 min•Ep 63•Transcript available on Metacast Breakthrough research out this past week shows that the gut mycobiome has a big influence on brain function. Researchers have discovered that the Ketogenic diet can be used to manipulate the gut microflora and that certain fungi are linked with mild cognitive impairment. The Keto diet was compared against participants who ate a diet endorsed by the American Heart Association diet. REFERENCES: Nagpal, R., Neth, B., Wang, S., Mishra, S., Craft, S., & Yadav, H. (2020). Gut mycobiome and its int...
Sep 03, 2020•9 min•Ep 62•Transcript available on Metacast The COVID pandemic has shone a lens on the issue of mechanical ventilators. No one wants to get that sick that ventilation is required just to have a chance at staying alive. In turn, what if there was a way to predict who would have a severe lung disease response or go on to suffer from acute respiratory distress syndrome (ADRS) and who wouldn't? Well, some clever scientists have just discovered why some people show a high level of inflammation and seem to go on and suffer with ADRS. In th...
Aug 26, 2020•11 min•Ep 61•Transcript available on Metacast Aug 25, 2020•11 min•Ep 60•Transcript available on Metacast Without medical breakthroughs, more than 6.4M Australians will be diagnosed with dementia in the next 40 years at a cost of more than $1 trillion. This week I want to discuss several exciting publications that have appeared in the research literature in 2020. It’s not just dementia, other diseases like Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, stroke, and even depression are increasingly being linked to something called mitochondrial dysfunction. The literature shows that 2 approaches called...
Aug 16, 2020•32 min•Ep 59•Transcript available on Metacast Black mould is a common term used to describe home infestations with mould. Its use is linked with an expectation of toxicity. In this week's Livestream, I report on the first case of Black mould sinusitis and how this was linked with immunocompromised status. Did you know that 17% of insurance claims at a major Australian insurer were water damage related? Did you know that in the USA, approximately 3.6% of the population are immunocompromised? Do you see a pattern here? Damp housing + imm...
Aug 09, 2020•26 min•Ep 58•Transcript available on Metacast We hear so much about masks and how they’ll now help stop the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, but their use is not without controversy. I’m doing a livestream on this important topic today. Expect to hear ***NEW*** information and facts. Learn why they work and which ones do and don’t. What does the research say about the true levels of protection? Tune in on Facebook and later on YouTube or my podcast: The Mould Show. REFERENCES: Ability of Fabric Facemasks Materials to Filter Ultrafine Particl...
Jul 28, 2020•42 min•Ep 57•Transcript available on Metacast Jul 20, 2020•20 min•Ep 56•Transcript available on Metacast I received an email the other day from a client with bad news informing me that his wife has breast cancer. He told me that she had suffered from depression ever since reluctantly moving into a property that had a severe water damage problem and that had been concealed by the real estate agent. This got me thinking about all the research talking about mould exposure and mood disorders like anxiety and depression and even IQ. In this week’s Livestream, I’m going to review 6 key areas where mental...
Jul 15, 2020•40 min•Ep 15•Transcript available on Metacast This week I want to discuss something called: Dampness and mould hypersensitivity syndrome (DMHS) and how this is related to exposure to the indoor air dampness microbiota (DM). There have been two papers published in the last 6 months that demonstrate in two different workplaces (Hospital workers and Police officers) how their respective buildings that had long-term water damage and mould were associated with very different symptoms when compared to a control group of people who hadn't bee...
Jul 11, 2020•26 min•Ep 55•Transcript available on Metacast New research from the US military shows that the SARS-CoV-2 virus can remain stable on the skin for 14-days. The higher the temperature, the lower the recovery. Therefore, the colder the environment, the longer the coronavirus persists on surfaces like skin, banknotes and even clothing. In this weeks Livestream I’m covering the role of ‘Sentinel monitoring’. This aims to test out selected high touch surfaces in an effort to detect the presymptomatic (before they show symptoms) and the asymptomat...
Jul 06, 2020•24 min•Ep 54•Transcript available on Metacast As Australia re-opens, some States like Victoria are experiencing a resurgence in case numbers. Was it the protests, is it the returning travellers, is it the asymptomatic spread, is it the super-spreaders? All valid questions, without clear answers...but what's your business to do IF you WANT and NEED to re-open but you want to do this SAFELY? In today's livestream I want to speak about the important role of surface contamination. We all know that hand sanitiser and regular hand washi...
Jun 27, 2020•34 min•Ep 53•Transcript available on Metacast Have you ever wondered if some factors make asthma worse in older adults? Find out what are the Top 7 reasons why asthma can be made worse indoors. Once you know what they are, you can do something about limiting risk. I also want to look at the relationship between the environment - and in particular temperature - and how this is linked to rates of hospital acquired bloodborne infections. The results for bacteria and fungi will no doubt surprise you. Also it's our 52nd show, so we've ...
Jun 22, 2020•30 min•Ep 52•Transcript available on Metacast It could happen if there's been a lot of rain, a delay in the building process, or if timber has sat out in the elements for too long before being covered? Mould, mould and more mould...what do you do if you find this? Well - this episode will cover this important topic. Firstly: relax...it might not be as bad as you think! Discuss the matter with your builder. Discuss your health and safety concerns. Discuss your asset value concerns and implications that mould might have for building inte...
Jun 13, 2020•17 min•Ep 51•Transcript available on Metacast With all the attention at the moment focussing on the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the rest of microbiology has taken somewhat of a backseat. While the COVID pandemic has restricted behaviour and led to 6.4M cases and 383,000 deaths, the number of illnesses and deaths caused by fungi is also of epic proportions at 800M and 1.6M deaths annually. With global warming a serious problem for humanity, I want this week to discuss some of the reasons that fungi are often neglected. I want to shed some light on why...
Jun 06, 2020•29 min•Ep 50•Transcript available on Metacast The CDC changed their website and the twittersphere went into a panic, since there was a presumed change about surface contamination. Find out how fomite transmission in a hospital proved the point about surface risks. Also, we take a look at how sunlight can be used to decontaminate surfaces and what you need to know about alcohol based hand sanitiser.
May 29, 2020•30 min•Ep 49•Transcript available on Metacast Let me show you how you can quickly and inexpensively turn your mobile phone into as device that can 'see' in ultraviolet. Being able to see in UV is useful if you want to double check that your cleaners have done a good job. Did you know that you can use a fluorescent highlighter to mark high touch items and then check with UV to see that it's been cleaned. This is very useful and important especially as economies around the world tentatively re-open. Effective disinfectant clean...
May 20, 2020•15 min•Ep 48•Transcript available on Metacast Australian businesses are soon to begin reopening. The threat from SARS-CoV-2 is not behind us even with lowered numbers of cases across the country. We still need to careful - and the role of deep disinfection cleaning is more important than ever. When you walk into someone's shop or business in the coming weeks and months, how do you know they are a COVID safe workplace? This week, I want to discuss how UV light can be used to validate cleaning efficiency. If you’ve ever wanted to check u...
May 15, 2020•20 min•Ep 47•Transcript available on Metacast The way humans behave is central to the ways in which SARS-CoV-2 can be transmitted. Whether it’s a cough or a sneeze or touching something that’s then handled by someone else, we need to change behaviour (and quickly) to minimize transmission in the absence of pharmaceutical interventions. In Australia, as coronavirus restrictions are relaxed and businesses are being encouraged to prepare for reopening, the risks once again loom for fresh wave/s of infection. So, what does COVID-safe awareness ...
May 08, 2020•23 min•Ep 46•Transcript available on Metacast Social easing restrictions will eventually happen - but what does the research say? In today’s episode we’ll be reviewing what the literature says about direct and non-contact forms of virus transmission. I’ve just published a review paper on “Environmental Surface Contamination” and I’ll be picking out the key 🔑 points. In the media today, there’s some potential good news regarding how businesses should prepare for reopening. But what should they be considering? The Employment Minister, @senat...
May 01, 2020•32 min•Ep 45•Transcript available on Metacast 
