Symptoms, complaints, ocular and nasal physiological signs in university staff in relation to indoor environment – temperature and gender interactions

Bakke, Jan Vilhelm; Norbäck, Dan; Wieslander, Gunilla; Hollund, Bjørg Eli; Florvaag, Erik; Haugen, Eirik; Moen, Bente E.

doi:10.1111/j.1600-0668.2007.00515.x

Cited by 35 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…In tropical areas, there is a higher tolerance for high room temperature. One recent study [17 ] indicates an association between energy saving by lowering the night temperature and SBS.…”

Section: Room Temperaturementioning

confidence: 97%

An update on sick building syndrome

Norbäck

2009

Current Opinion in Allergy &Amp; Clinical Immunology

175

124

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SBS is related to both personal and environmental risk factors. In the office environment, SBS may have important economical implications. More focus is needed on the indoor environment in schools and day care centres, hospitals and nursing homes for elderly. Improvements of the home environment may be the most cost-effective way to reduce the burden of indoor exposure. The link between indoor and outdoor air pollution should not be neglected, and the role of energy saving and climate changes will be an important future issue.

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“…In tropical areas, there is a higher tolerance for high room temperature. One recent study [17 ] indicates an association between energy saving by lowering the night temperature and SBS.…”

Section: Room Temperaturementioning

confidence: 97%

An update on sick building syndrome

Norbäck

2009

Current Opinion in Allergy &Amp; Clinical Immunology

175

124

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“…Few studies have been performed on the microbiological indoor air quality in university environments, in particular in research laboratories (Bakke et al 2008). To this respect, the aim of the present work was to quantify and evaluate the concentration and the variability of airborne microflora in University research laboratories with the index of microbial air contamination (IMA) using the settle plates method.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In confined environments, indoor air quality can be related to several causes both chemical (carbon oxides, CO and CO 2 , environmental tobacco smoke, formaldehyde, and volatile organic compounds) (Bakke et al 2008;Dales et al 2008) and physical (ventilation rate, dampness, temperature, and non-ionizing and ionizing radiation) (Bakke et al 2008). In addition to this, indoor air quality is also related to bioaerosols, defined as airborne particles consisting of living organisms such as bacteria, virus, fungi, or originating from non-living organisms as toxins, by-products of microbial metabolism, or fragments of dead microorganisms (ACGIH 1999;Douwes et al 2003).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Indoor air quality in university environments

Giulio

Grande

Campli

et al. 2009

Environ Monit Assess

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This study evaluates the airborne microflora in research laboratories of the University of Chieti (Italy). A quali-quantitative evaluation of the index microbial air contamination was performed using the settle plate method. The microbial air contamination was evaluated during 6 months in three university buildings (A, B, and C). Nutrient agar plates were exposed, monthly, for 1 h at the morning and the afternoon to evaluate the colony forming units per plate per hour. Together with the quantitative analysis, the most frequent bacterial and fungal colonies isolated were also characterized. Moreover, in each sampling, the number of the occupants in each room was recorded to evaluate a possible relationship with the microbial pollution. The microbial concentration was always within the limit values defined for these environments. Buildings A and C displayed a seasonal fluctuation of airborne microflora with the increase in microbial concentration in the warmer season (April to June) in respect to the colder period (October to December). The most common microorganisms detected in the indoor air of the examined buildings were Gram-positive bacteria, belonged to the genera Staphylococcus, Bacillus, and Actinomyces. Data presented here underline the useful monitoring of the research university laboratories also emphasizing the effectiveness of the settle plate method.

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“…High room temperature and low relative air humidity (RH) can reduce BUT (Bakke et al, 2008;Wolkoff, 2010). The main focus of the indoor studies have been on ocular effects in office-like environments (Wolkoff 2008;Wolkoff et al, 2012) but some studies are available from hospitals mainly focusing on dampness and indoor mould.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ocular symptoms and tear film break up time (BUT) among junior high school students in Penang, Malaysia – Associations with fungal DNA in school dust

Norbäck

Hashim

et al. 2017

International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health

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a b s t r a c tBackground: There are few studies on ocular effects of indoor mould exposure in schools, especially in the tropics Objective: To study associations between eye symptoms and tear film break up time (BUT) in students and demographic data and fungal DNA in schools. Methods: A school environment study was performed among randomly selected students in eight randomly selected secondary schools in Penang, Malaysia. Information on eye symptoms and demographic data was collected by a standardised questionnaire. BUT was measured by two methods, self-reported BUT (SBUT) and by the non-invasive Tearscope (NIBUT). Dust was collected by vacuuming in 32 classrooms and analysed for five fungal DNA sequences. Geometric mean (GM) for total fungal DNA was 7.31*10 4 target copies per gram dust and for Aspergillus/Penicillium DNA 3.34*10 4 target copies per gram dust. Linear mixed models and 3-level multiple logistic regression were applied adjusting for demographic factors. Results: A total of 368 students (58%) participated and 17.4% reported weekly eye symptoms the last 3 months. The median SBUT and TBUT were 15 and 12 s, respectively. Students wearing glasses (OR 2.41, p = 0.01) and with a history of atopy (OR = 2.67; p = 0.008) had more eye symptoms. Girls had less eye symptoms than boys (OR = 0.34; p = 0.006) Indoor carbon dioxide in the classrooms was low (range 380-720 ppm), temperature was 25-30 • C and relative air humidity 70-88%. Total fungal DNA in vacuumed dust was associated with shorter SBUT (4 s shorter per 10 5 target copies per gram dust; p = 0.04) and NIBUT (4 s shorter per 10 5 target copies per gram dust; p < 0.001). Aspergillus/Penicillium DNA was associated with shorter NIBUT (5 s shorter per 10 5 target copies per gram dust; p = 0.01). Conclusion: Fungal contamination in schools in a tropical country can be a risk factor for impaired tear film stability among students.

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Symptoms, complaints, ocular and nasal physiological signs in university staff in relation to indoor environment – temperature and gender interactions

Cited by 35 publications

References 53 publications

An update on sick building syndrome

An update on sick building syndrome

Indoor air quality in university environments

Ocular symptoms and tear film break up time (BUT) among junior high school students in Penang, Malaysia – Associations with fungal DNA in school dust

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