fungi: indoor biocontamination -- health symptom

There are associations between the high exposure to biocontamination and the increase of health symptoms. However, the dose-response relationship for exposure to molds in houses is lacking and/or unclear. In other words, one can not identify, on general, which contaminants cause a particular health symptom, at what dose or levels and for how long.

Verhoeff, A. P. and Burge, H. A., 1997, Health risk assessment of fungi in home environments provided a very concise survey. Kuhn and Ghannoum, 2003, Indoor mold, toxigenic fungi, and Stachybotrys chartarum: infectious disease perspective summarized the complexity in establishing relation between mold exposure and health effects.

The project for Mechanisms of adverse health effects of mouldy house microbes for an excellent explanation and summary of current status. This project "The overall aim of the study was to identify which microbes among the mixed population of the microbes present in the mouldy houses are able to cause adverse respiratory health effects and what are their mechanisms. The studies were focused on inflammatory responses and cytotoxic effects 1) in human and mouse cells, 2) in a mouse model and 3) in upper and lower airways of people living or working in mouldy buildings."

Bioaerosol exposure and adverse health effects: Johanning, E. (Ed), 2001, Bioaerosols, Fungi and Mycotoxins: Health Effects, Assessment, Prevention and Control provides extensive information.

Sivasubramani et al., 2004, Fungal spore source strength tester: laboratory evaluation of a new concept :: "The prevalence and severity of adverse health effects associated with fungal exposure in both children and adults have been reported to increase when visible mold growth or water damage is detected in an indoor environment ( Miller, J.D., 1995. Quantification of health effects of combined exposures: a new beginning. In: Morawska, L., Bofinger, N.D. and Maroni, M., Editors, 1995. Indoor airˇŞan integrated approach, Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp. 159¨C168; Strachan, D.P. and Carey, I.M., 1995. Home environment and severe asthma in adolescence: a population based case-control study. Br Med J 311, pp. 1053¨C1056.; Verhoeff, A.P., Van Strien, R.T., van Wijnen, J.H. and Brunekreef, B., 1995. Damp housing and childhood respiratory symptoms: the role of sensitization to dust mites and moulds. Am J Epidemiol 141, pp. 103¨C110.Hu, F.B., Persky, V., Flay, B.R., Phil, D. and Richardson, J., 1997. An epidemiological study of asthma prevalence and related factors among young adults. J Asthma 34, pp. 67¨C76Koskinen, O., Husman, T., Hyv?rinen, A., Reponen, T. and Nevalainen, A., 1997. Two moldy day-care centers: a follow-up study of respiratory symptoms and infections. Indoor Air. 7, pp. 262¨C268; Maier, W.C., Arrighi, H.M., Morray, B., Llewellyn, C. and Redding, G.J., 1997. Indoor risk factors for asthma and wheezing among Seattle school children. Environ Health Perspect 105, pp. 208¨C214. Verhoeff, A.P. and Burge, H.A., 1997. Health risk assessment of fungi in home environments. Ann Allerg Asthma Immunol 45, pp. 275¨C284.Sigsgaard, T., Jenson, H.L.C., Nichum, E., Gravesen, S., Larsen, L. and Hansen, M.?., 1999. Symptoms associated to work in a water damaged school building. In: Johanning, E., Editor, , 1999. Bioaerosols, fungi and mycotoxin: health effects, assessment, prevention and control, Eastern New York Occupational and Environmental Health Center, Albany, pp. 99¨C105.).

info

Pathogenesis of indoor fungal disease, a presentation file

Airborne Allergens - National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease's

an online chapter on allergens




Bioaerosols, Fungi and Mycotoxins, Ed. by Johanning, E.

"papers presented at the September, 1998 Third International Conference in Saratoga Springs, New York. clinical and epidemiological studies and technical reports on an emerging public health topic affecting people in indoor environments at work and at home."




Can Do

"aimed at industrial and institutional buildings and home air quality, including proper maintenance of furnaces and air conditioners.




OSH-DB Occupational Safety and Health Database

"OSH-DBTM (Occupational Safety and Health Database) is a web accessible database with over 220,000 original abstracts covering virtually all aspects of the occupational safety and health field. Records contain original abstracts as well as complete bibliographic information."




pathogenic fungi database - Institute of Medical Mycology (TIMM)

The database includes list of 1631 species related to toxic fungi




Projects at Laboratory of INDOOR AIR AND Occupant Health - U of Kuopio

some collaborative projects on mold-moisture-health




WHO -- World Health Organization

"the United Nations specialized agency for health, was established on 7 April 1948. WHO's objective, as set out in its Constitution, is the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health. Health is defined in WHO's Constitution as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. WHO is governed by 192 Member States through the World Health Assembly. The Health Assembly is composed of representatives from WHO's Member States. The main tasks of the World Health Assembly are to approve the WHO programme and the budget for the following biennium and to decide major policy questions. "

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Acute pulmonary hemorrhage in infants associated with exposure to Stachybotrys atra and other fungi , by Etzel, R. A., Monta?a, E., Sorenson, W. G., Kullman, G. J., Allan, T. M., Dearborn, D. G., Olson, D. R., Jarvis, B. B. and Miller, J. D., 2000

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Allergens in the home: a review, by Short, S., 2000

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Bioaerosols, fungi and mycotoxins: health effects, assessment, prevention and control, by Johanning, E. (Ed), 1999

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Bioaerosols, fungi and mycotoxins: health effects, assessment, prevention and control, by Johanning, E. (Ed), 1999

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Can microbial volatile metabolites cause irritation at indoor air concentrations? , by Pasanen, A., Korpi, A., Kasanen, J.P., Pasanen, P., 2001

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Correlation between the prevalence of certain fungi and sick building syndrome, by Cooley, J.D, Wong, W.C, Jumper, C.A, Straus, D.C, 1998

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Critical aspects on the significance of microbial volatile metabolites as indoor air pollutants , by Pasanen, A., Korpia, A., Kasanena, J. and Pasanena, P., 1998

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Effect of microbial aerosols on human health , by Herr, C., Bittighofer, P. M., Bunger, J. et al., 1999

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Effects after mold exposure -- which are the causative agents?, by Rylander, R., 2001

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Endotoxin in the environment -- exposure and effects, by Rylander R., 2002

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Evaluation of the genotoxic potential of some microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOC) with the comet assay, the micronucleus assay and the HPRT gene mutation assay , by Kreja, L. and Seidel, H., 2002

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Exposure measures for studies of mold and dampness and respiratory health , by Miller, J. D., Dales, R., White, I., 1999

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Fungal allergies , by Nolard, N., 2001

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Fungal volatile metabolites and biological responses to fungal exposure , by Korpi, A., 2001

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Fungi as contaminants in indoor air, by Miller, J. D., 1992

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Health risk assessment of fungi in home environments, by Verhoeff, A. P. and Burge, H. A., 1997

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Induction of Cytotoxicity and Production of Inflammatory Mediators in RAW264.7 Macrophages by Spores Grown on Six Different Plasterboards, by Murtoniemi, T., Nevalainen, A., Suutari, M., Toivola, M., Komulainen, H. and Hirvonen, M., 2001

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Knowledge-based and statistically modeled relationships between residential moisture damage and occupant reported health symptoms, by Haverinen, U., Vahteristo, M., Moschandreas, D., Nevalainen, A., Husman, T. and Pekkanen, J., 2003

school

Microbial exposure and health in schools - effects of moisture damage and renovation, by Meklin, T., 2002

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Modeling moisture damage and its association with occupant health symptoms, by Haverinen, U. et al, 2001

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Moisture, mold and health in apartment homes , by Nevalainen, A., Vahteristo, M., Koivisto, J., Meklin, T., Hyv?rinen, A., Keski-karhu, J., Husman, T., 2001

database of 350 cases

Molds, Mycotoxins, and Human Health, by Gray, M. R., 2002

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NIOSH health hazard evaluation report: Somerset county assistance office, by Park, J., Goe, C. I. H. S., Choe, K. T., Akpinar-elci, M. and Kreiss, K., 2003