Fungal spores: hazardous to health?

Sorenson, W. G.

doi:10.1289/ehp.99107s3469

Cited by 71 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…Most importantly, the presence of potentially toxigenic fungi does not imply the presence of mycotoxins, nor does the finding of mycotoxins prove that a particular species is, or was, present (267,396,420). Toxin production is dependent on substrates, nutrient levels, moisture, pH, and temperature (161,283).…”

Section: Technical Problems In Determining Fungal Exposurementioning

confidence: 99%

Indoor Mold, Toxigenic Fungi, andStachybotrys chartarum: Infectious Disease Perspective

2003

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Damp buildings often have a moldy smell or obvious mold growth; some molds are human pathogens. This has caused concern regarding health effects of moldy indoor environments and has resulted in many studies of moisture- and mold-damaged buildings. Recently, there have been reports of severe illness as a result of indoor mold exposure, particularly due to Stachybotrys chartarum. While many authors describe a direct relationship between fungal contamination and illness, close examination of the literature reveals a confusing picture. Here, we review the evidence regarding indoor mold exposure and mycotoxicosis, with an emphasis on S. chartarum. We also examine possible end-organ effects, including pulmonary, immunologic, neurologic, and oncologic disorders. We discuss the Cleveland infant idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage reports in detail, since they provided important impetus for concerns about Stachybotrys. Some valid concerns exist regarding the relationship between indoor mold exposure and human disease. Review of the literature reveals certain fungus-disease associations in humans, including ergotism (Claviceps species), alimentary toxic aleukia (Fusarium), and liver disease (Aspergillys). While many papers suggest a similar relationship between Stachybotrys and human disease, the studies nearly uniformly suffer from significant methodological flaws, making their findings inconclusive. As a result, we have not found well-substantiated supportive evidence of serious illness due to Stachybotrys exposure in the contemporary environment. To address issues of indoor mold-related illness, there is an urgent need for studies using objective markers of illness, relevant animal models, proper epidemiologic techniques, and examination of confounding factors

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Section: Technical Problems In Determining Fungal Exposurementioning

confidence: 99%

Indoor Mold, Toxigenic Fungi, andStachybotrys chartarum: Infectious Disease Perspective

2003

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“…For example, respiratory problems, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and farmers' lung have been conclusively linked to aeroallergen interactions within both humans and animals [5]. Several spore forming fungal species, including Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus parasiticus, and Alternaria alternata are also known to produce mycotoxins [6]. This fact is important because the inhalation of mycotoxins has been linked with diseases such as cancer, as well as renal failure [7].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Review: The Use of Real-Time Fluorescence Instrumentation to Monitor Ambient Primary Biological Aerosol Particles (PBAP)

Fennelly

Sewell²,

Prentice

et al. 2017

Atmosphere

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Primary biological aerosol particles (PBAP) encompass many particle types that are derived from several biological kingdoms. These aerosol particles can be composed of both whole living units such as pollen, bacteria, and fungi, as well as from mechanically formed particles, such as plant debris. They constitute a significant proportion of the overall atmospheric particle load and have been linked with adverse health issues and climatic effects on the environment. Traditional methods for their analysis have focused on the direct capture of PBAP before subsequent laboratory analysis. These analysis types have generally relied on direct optical microscopy or incubation on agar plates, followed by time-consuming microbiological investigation. In an effort to address some of these deficits, real-time fluorescence monitors have come to prominence in the analysis of PBAP. These instruments offer significant advantages over traditional methods, including the measurement of concentrations, as well as the potential to simultaneously identify individual analyte particles in real-time. Due to the automated nature of these measurements, large data sets can be collected and analyzed with relative ease. This review seeks to highlight and discuss the extensive literature pertaining to the most commonly used commercially available real-time fluorescence monitors (WIBS, UV-APS and BioScout). It discusses the instruments operating principles, their limitations and advantages, and the various environments in which they have been deployed. The review provides a detailed examination of the ambient fluorescent aerosol particle concentration profiles that are obtained by these studies, along with the various strategies adopted by researchers to analyze the substantial data sets the instruments generate. Finally, a brief reflection is presented on the role that future instrumentation may provide in revolutionizing this area of atmospheric research.

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“…Possible reactions generally fall into one of three groups: allergic reactions (sensitization and immune responses, i.e., asthma, allergic rhinitis, or hypersensitivity pneumonitis), infections (growth of the fungus in or on the body, e.g., aspergillosis), and toxic responses (24,30,45). The toxic reactions are mainly connected with the secondary fungal metabolites, i.e., mycotoxins, but the role of cell wall components, such as ␤-(133)-D-glucans, has also been reported (4,26,29,45,47,50). In addition, exposure to volatile organic compounds produced by fungi while growing on substrates and degrading them may be responsible for nonspecific symptoms, such as headaches; eye, nose, and throat irritation; and fatigue (4,35).…”

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confidence: 99%

Fungal Fragments as Indoor Air Biocontaminants

Górny

Reponen

Willeke

et al. 2002

Appl Environ Microbiol

334

265

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The aerosolization process of fungal propagules of three species (Aspergillus versicolor, Penicillium melinii, and Cladosporium cladosporioides) was studied by using a newly designed and constructed aerosolization chamber. We discovered that fungal fragments are aerosolized simultaneously with spores from contaminated agar and ceiling tile surfaces. Concentration measurements with an optical particle counter showed that the fragments are released in higher numbers (up to 320 times) than the spores. The release of fungal propagules varied depending on the fungal species, the air velocity above the contaminated surface, and the texture and vibration of the contaminated material. In contrast to spores, the release of fragments from smooth surfaces was not affected by air velocity, indicating a different release mechanism. Correlation analysis showed that the number of released fragments cannot be predicted on the basis of the number of spores. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays with monoclonal antibodies produced against Aspergillus and Penicillium fungal species showed that fragments and spores share common antigens, which not only confirmed the fungal origin of the fragments but also established their potential biological relevance. The considerable immunological reactivity, the high number, and the small particle size of the fungal fragments may contribute to human health effects that have been detected in buildings with mold problems but had no scientific explanation until now. This study suggests that future fungal spore investigations in buildings with mold problems should include the quantitation of fungal fragments.Water damage in buildings is common and is often associated with mold problems. In North America, cross-sectional questionnaire studies have found that 27 to 36% of homes have mold problems (9, 51). Studies that included indoor air quality measurements have shown even higher numbers, from 42 to 56% (8, 11). In Europe, the prevalence of damp and moldy homes has been reported to be 17 to 46% for Great Britain (5,23,34,42), 15 to 18% for The Netherlands (3, 55,56), and 15% for Finland (41). Alarmingly, signs of present or previous moisture-related defects were found in 80% of randomly selected private homes investigated by civil engineers trained to recognize the signs of water leaks or condensation (37).Increased prevalence of water-damaged buildings and subsequent fungal contamination may contribute to the noted increase in allergic diseases. Fungi can affect human health in a variety of ways. Possible reactions generally fall into one of three groups: allergic reactions (sensitization and immune responses, i.e., asthma, allergic rhinitis, or hypersensitivity pneumonitis), infections (growth of the fungus in or on the body, e.g., aspergillosis), and toxic responses (24,30,45). The toxic reactions are mainly connected with the secondary fungal metabolites, i.e., mycotoxins, but the role of cell wall components, such as ␤-(133)-D-glucans, has also been reported (4,26,29,45,47,50). In addition, expos...

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Fungal spores: hazardous to health?

Cited by 71 publications

References 58 publications

Indoor Mold, Toxigenic Fungi, andStachybotrys chartarum: Infectious Disease Perspective

Indoor Mold, Toxigenic Fungi, andStachybotrys chartarum: Infectious Disease Perspective

Review: The Use of Real-Time Fluorescence Instrumentation to Monitor Ambient Primary Biological Aerosol Particles (PBAP)

Fungal Fragments as Indoor Air Biocontaminants

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