Warning as doctors reveal your CHRISTMAS TREE could trigger deadly asthma attacks
CHRISTMAS trees could trigger deadly asthma attacks, doctors have warned.
The festive fir in the corner of your living room harbours mould, which can aggravate the lungs.
Leading charity Asthma UK has urged people to be vigilant over the Christmas period.
Their data shows around 300 people are admitted to hospital on Christmas Day each year, suffering severe attacks, that could be linked to the festive favourite.
Mould that naturally grows on your tree can multiply in the warm temperatures of your living room.
And fake trees aren't the safe alternative they may seem to be, gathering dust and mould in the loft, that can aggravate the lungs.
Dubbed Christmas tree syndrome, scientists in the US noted a rise in respiratory illnesses in the weeks before and after December 25.
Their 2011 study found airborne mould spores could increase from 800 spores per cubic metre to as many as 5,000 spores per cubic metre, two weeks after a tree is brought into the home.
The team from Upstate Medical University in New York found 53 different types of mould on 28 different Christmas tree clippings.
The study, published in Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, also found that most of the moulds identified are potential allergens, which increase the risk of wheezing, persistent cough and allergic sensitisation in infants.
Lead researcher Lawrence Kurlandsky, said: "If you and your children don’t have any obvious allergies, then it is probably not going to bother you."
But, those with allergies as well as asthma sufferers should be alert to the dangers, Asthma UK urged.
The moulds are naturally occurring on the trees, but flourish when they are inside our toasty warm homes in the winter.
And for people with asthma they could trigger potentially deadly attacks.
Many people don’t realise that mould also naturally grows on Christmas trees. This is made worse when people turn their heating on, as the warmer temperature encourages mould to grow faster
Dr Andy Whittamore
Around 300 people in the UK are admitted to hospital with a life-threatening asthma attack each year on Christmas Day,
The cold weather, coupled with the risk of colds and flu, brings about an increased risk of attacks.
But the charity also warns that both real and fake trees can also pose a threat.
Dr Andy Whittamore, Asthma UK’s in-house GP, said: "Mould can be a real problem for the 5.4 million people with asthma in the UK, causing allergic reactions that can trigger asthma symptoms and, in some cases, life-threatening asthma attacks.
"Most of the time mould is obvious in the home, but many people don’t realise that mould also naturally grows on Christmas trees.
"This is made worse when people turn their heating on, as the warmer temperature encourages mould to grow faster.
"The best thing people can do to prevent asthma symptoms is to take their preventer medicine as prescribed."
Fake trees are a great alternative if the allergens that form on a real tree cause you too many breathing difficulties.
But artificial trees, and decorations, can gather dust and mould when they are kept in storage for the year which can cause a flare-up of symptoms when you put it up.
So it's a good idea to wipe them down when you pull it out of storage and wrap them in plastic to keep the dust at bay when you put them away again.
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But if you love to have a real tree, there are a few things you can do to protect yourself.
Hose it down before you bring it in the house to help wash off an allergens and mould spores and keep in in the coolest part of the house to stop the mould from breeding.
But do be prepared to throw it away if you notice your asthma is getting worse, the charity warned.
Asthma UK has previously warned that clouds of Saharan dust blown over the UK in extreme weather events can trigger potentially deadly attacks.
They also issued a warning that smoke and firework fumes could be a potential trigger for asthma attacks on bonfire night.
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