Relationship Between Mold and Infant Wheezing
Relationship Between Mold and Infant Wheezing
Cho SH, Reponen T, LeMasters G, et al.
Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2006;97:539-545
Building damage due to moisture or water intrusion is common in many homes and buildings. In this study, Cho and colleagues note that studies in Canada, Europe, and the United States have found mold, mildew, or water damage in 15%-36% of homes, and in Finland a group of civil engineers found evidence of current or previous water damage in 80% of randomly selected homes. It is known that higher humidity and moisture content may increase the indoor concentrations of mold and house dust mite, which are important inhalant allergens.
These investigators noted that many studies which sought to determine the relationship between mold exposure and asthma incidence have failed to adjust for dust mite as a possible confounding factor in their analysis. As part of a prospective birth cohort study, they sought to investigate the relationship between visually observable mold growth or visible water damage and house dust mite levels and the prevalence of lower respiratory tract symptoms and allergen sensitization in infants of parents with atopic diseases.
The authors studied a total of 640 infants. For each infant, they performed home visits when the infant was 8 months of age, and then saw the infant at approximately 1 year of age and took a medical history from the parents and also performed allergen skin testing to foods and 15 common airborne allergens.
Of interest, they found evidence of water damage or mold growth in over half of the homes visited, with 5% of the homes considered to have major mold problems or water damage. Major mold growth or water damage nearly doubled the risk of recurrent wheezing in infants, and increased it 5-fold in food- or aeroallergen-sensitized infants; it was increased 6-fold in those who were sensitized to aeroallergens. House dust mite exposure did not increase this risk.
Exposure to visible mold growth or water damage increases the risk of recurrent wheezing in children at increased risk of developing allergic disease. This is an important factor to keep in mind, especially in the large number of infants potentially exposed to mold resulting from recent flooding and water damage in many areas of the country.
Abstract
Mold Damage in Homes and Wheezing in Infants
Cho SH, Reponen T, LeMasters G, et al.
Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2006;97:539-545
Summary
Building damage due to moisture or water intrusion is common in many homes and buildings. In this study, Cho and colleagues note that studies in Canada, Europe, and the United States have found mold, mildew, or water damage in 15%-36% of homes, and in Finland a group of civil engineers found evidence of current or previous water damage in 80% of randomly selected homes. It is known that higher humidity and moisture content may increase the indoor concentrations of mold and house dust mite, which are important inhalant allergens.
These investigators noted that many studies which sought to determine the relationship between mold exposure and asthma incidence have failed to adjust for dust mite as a possible confounding factor in their analysis. As part of a prospective birth cohort study, they sought to investigate the relationship between visually observable mold growth or visible water damage and house dust mite levels and the prevalence of lower respiratory tract symptoms and allergen sensitization in infants of parents with atopic diseases.
The authors studied a total of 640 infants. For each infant, they performed home visits when the infant was 8 months of age, and then saw the infant at approximately 1 year of age and took a medical history from the parents and also performed allergen skin testing to foods and 15 common airborne allergens.
Of interest, they found evidence of water damage or mold growth in over half of the homes visited, with 5% of the homes considered to have major mold problems or water damage. Major mold growth or water damage nearly doubled the risk of recurrent wheezing in infants, and increased it 5-fold in food- or aeroallergen-sensitized infants; it was increased 6-fold in those who were sensitized to aeroallergens. House dust mite exposure did not increase this risk.
Viewpoint
Exposure to visible mold growth or water damage increases the risk of recurrent wheezing in children at increased risk of developing allergic disease. This is an important factor to keep in mind, especially in the large number of infants potentially exposed to mold resulting from recent flooding and water damage in many areas of the country.
Abstract
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