Modifiable factors governing indoor fungal diversity and risk of asthma

Sharpe, Richard; Thornton, Christopher R.; Osborne, Nicholas J.

doi:10.1111/cea.12281

Cited by 50 publications

(56 citation statements)

References 72 publications

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“…5,8,9,32 Dampness in the indoor environment is a major risk factor for the proliferation of fungi on a variety of building materials and can result in high concentrations of fungal bioaerosols within the indoor environment. 5,10,33 To date, limited research has been conducted to investigate the role of an evaporative cooler, a system utilizing water vapor to cool the indoor environment, on the proliferation of fungi and indoor air quality (IAQ) within these environments. In this study, fungal populations were detected for the first time in homes cooled with either AC or EC systems using molecular-based approaches.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Microbial rRNA sequencing analysis of evaporative cooler indoor environments located in the Great Basin Desert region of the United States

Lemons

Hogan

Gault

et al. 2017

Environ. Sci.: Processes Impacts

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Recent studies conducted in the Great Basin Desert region of the United States have shown that skin test reactivity to fungal and dust mite allergens are increased in children with asthma or allergy living in homes with evaporative coolers (EC). The objective of this study was to determine if the increased humidity previously reported in EC homes leads to varying microbial populations compared to homes with air conditioners (AC). Children with physician-diagnosed allergic rhinitis living in EC or AC environments were recruited into the study. Air samples were collected from the child's bedroom for genomic DNA extraction and metagenomic analysis of bacteria and fungi using the Illumina MiSeq sequencing platform. The analysis of bacterial populations revealed no major differences between EC and AC sampling environments. The fungal populations observed in EC homes differed from AC homes. The most prevalent species discovered in AC environments belonged to the genera Cryptococcus (20%) and Aspergillus (20%). In contrast, the most common fungi identified in EC homes belonged to the order Pleosporales and included Alternaria alternata (32%) and Phoma spp. (22%). The variations in fungal populations provide preliminary evidence of the microbial burden children may be exposed to within EC environments in this region.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…5,8,9 Several factors contribute to the propagation of fungal contaminants in indoor environments, including dampness and humidity. 10 Occupants are often unaware that such conditions can result in or exacerbate existing health effects. It has been observed that most people spend almost 90% of their time indoors.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microbial rRNA sequencing analysis of evaporative cooler indoor environments located in the Great Basin Desert region of the United States

Lemons

Hogan

Gault

et al. 2017

Environ. Sci.: Processes Impacts

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“…18 The abundance of Aspergillus and Penicillium spores in the indoor environment may be explained by the finding that although optimal fungal growth requires high humidity, some xerophilic species of the genera Aspergillus and Penicillium are able to survive in a dry environment. 14,19 Prevalence of fungal sensitization…”

Section: Indoor Environmental Fungimentioning

confidence: 99%

“…102 Therefore, housing intervention may be necessary for the management of fungal allergen-sensitized severe asthma. 14 Numerous allergens from Aspergillus have been identified and approved by the WHOeIUIS Allergen Nomenclature Subcommittee ( Table 4). Some of these allergen components are species-or genus-specific, while others are pan-allergens that display cross-reactivity beyond the family or order.…”

Section: Aspergillusmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sensitization to fungal allergens: Resolved and unresolved issues

Fukutomi

Taniguchi

2015

Allergology International

181

136

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Exposure and sensitization to fungal allergens can promote the development and worsening of allergic diseases. Although numerous species of fungi have been associated with allergic diseases in the literature, the significance of fungi from the genera Alternaria, Cladosporium, Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Malassezia has been well documented. However, it should be emphasized that the contribution of different fungal allergens to allergic diseases is not identical, but species-specific. Alternaria and Cladosporium species are considered to be important outdoor allergens, and sensitization and exposure to species of these genera is related to the development of asthma and rhinitis, as well as epidemics of asthma exacerbation, including life-threatening asthma exacerbation. In contrast, xerophilic species of Penicillium and Aspergillus, excluding Aspergillus fumigatus, are implicated in allergic diseases as indoor allergens. A. fumigatus has a high capacity to colonize the bronchial tract of asthmatic patients, causing severe persistent asthma and low lung function, and sometimes leading to allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. Malassezia are common commensals of healthy skin, although they are also associated with atopic dermatitis, especially on the head and neck, but not with respiratory allergies. Despite its importance in the management of allergic diseases, precise recognition of species-specific IgE sensitization to fungal allergens is often challenging because the majority of fungal extracts exhibit broad cross-reactivity with taxonomically unrelated fungi. Recent progress in gene technology has contributed to the identification of specific and cross-reactive allergen components from different fungal sources. However, data demonstrating the clinical relevance of IgE reactivity to these allergen components are still insufficient.

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“…Ethical approval for this cross sectional study was granted by the University of Exeter worldwide public health concern because of its association with an increased risk of 76 allergic diseases (Fisk et al, 2007;, now elevated concentrations of spores and hyphal fragments (Sharpe et al, 2014c), 80 which in turn is influenced by the type of material (Andersen et al, 2011), moisture 81 (Flannigan et al, 2011), indoor air velocity, and the types of fungi present (Mensah-…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%