Posted by: jschwab
« on: December 08, 2013, 08:53:00 PM »Could be a different type of mold which is more amenable to the acorns and shells, too-- or could be a combination of mold + nut allergens. Different molds are definitely different in allergenicity for different folks.
The reason why it's probably some combination effect rather than purely nut-allergen is that it generally takes mechanical disturbance to aerosolize the nut proteins sufficiently. It's possible if they are being crushed-- say by hikers or passing vehicles?
But there again, the mold issue would be significantly enhanced under that same scenario.
Leaf mold in particular seems to really be VERY evil for some people.
I just saw this again. I do have mold allergy but I can usually smell mold when it's around. I am still perplexed by this because I spent the last weeks since that time in wet leaves, raking and hiking, with no problem. Even the problems with that stretch got better and then went away. I guess we'll have to see if it repeats next year. It was really wild with the gastro involvement and then the throat closing, so who knows? It's over and all is back to normal. Everything was being crushed underfoot. I was in the woods later crushing acorns all over the place and no issue at all. It will just stay a mystery, I guess. Maybe it was even something else, some other kind of tree or plant?