The relation between fungal propagules in indoor air and home characteristics

• Published in: Allergy (Copenhagen) 2001-05, Vol.56 (5), p.419-424
• Main Authors: Ren, P., Jankun, T. M., Belanger, K., Bracken, M. B., Leaderer, B. P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air Microbiology; Air Pollution, Indoor - adverse effects; Air Pollution, Indoor - analysis; Allergic diseases; Alternaria; Animals; Animals, Domestic - microbiology; Aspergillus; Asthma - epidemiology; Asthma - microbiology; Biological and medical sciences; Cats - microbiology; Cladosporium; Environmental Monitoring - instrumentation; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Environmental Monitoring - standards; Epidemiological Monitoring; Family Characteristics; fungal propagules; Fungi - growth & development; Fungi - isolation & purification; Heating - statistics & numerical data; house characteristics; Housing - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Humidity; Immunopathology; Income - statistics & numerical data; indoor air; Infant; Medical sciences; New England - epidemiology; Penicillium; Predictive Value of Tests; Prospective Studies; Respiratory and ent allergic diseases; seasonal variation; Seasons; Surveys and Questionnaires - standards; Time Factors; Ventilation - statistics & numerical data
• ISSN: 0105-4538; 1398-9995
• DOI: 10.1034/j.1398-9995.2001.056005419.x

Background: Questionnaires are commonly used in epidemiologic studies to obtain information about house characteristics in order to predict the household aeroallergen exposure levels. However, the reliability of the predictions made with the questionnaires has not been evaluated. To address this issue, we compared objectively measured fungal propagules including the most frequently isolated mold genera (i.e., Alternaria, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Penicillium, etc.) in a large sample of homes and compared these measured values to the questionnaire‐determined household characteristics. Methods: As part of a prospective cohort study on the relation between residential allergen exposure and development of asthma in neonates, fungal air samples were collected from infant bedrooms and main living areas in 1000 homes in the Northeast USA, from December 1996 to January 1999. A Burkard portable air sampler was used in combination with DG‐18 and MEA agars. A questionnaire was used to obtain information on host and house characteristics that may have an impact on the presence of fungal propagules in the air. This included information on observation of moisture problems (e.g., water leakage or damage, and mold or mildew growth), ventilation and heating facilities, building age and type, number of occupants, annual household income, presence of pets and pests, cleaning regimens, etc. Results: The number of CFU/m3 air collected on MEA was significantly higher than on DG‐18 (means, respectively, 1033.5 and 846.0 CFU/m3) (P