The author presents the challenge of mold in bedding and forage and how it relates to equine allergies and respiratory challenges. Using his tracheal wash method, horses with fungal elements in their samples were two times more likely to have mild equine asthma when compared with horses without fungal elements in their samples.
Source: Modern Equine Vet, Issue 9, 2020. page 4. Link.
“With fungi, the problem is that they’re not only pro-inflammatory pathogens, but they can also cause infection when they proliferate. They can be allergenic, and they can also produce mycotoxins, which can cause problems with respiratory function at the level of the upper airways or at the level of the lower airways with bronchoconstriction.” – Emmanuelle Van Erck, DVM, PhD, DECEIM