Environmental and Occupational DisordersHousing characteristics, reported mold exposure, and asthma in the European Community Respiratory Health Survey☆,☆☆
Section snippets
Study population and questionnaire
The methodology for the ECRHS has been described elsewhere.8 In this analysis data of a random general population sample from 38 study centers were included.13 Centers were located both in Europe (Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and United Kingdom) and outside Europe (Australia, India, New Zealand, and the United States).
An interviewer-led questionnaire collected information on respiratory symptoms,
Results
There was a large variation in the prevalence of asthma symptoms and bronchial responsiveness across the study centers (Table I).
Empty Cell No. % Minimum and maximum across centers (%) Men 8967 47.5 40-54 Women 9906 52.5 46-60 Age group, 20-29 y 6462 34.2 18-49 Age group, 30-39 y 7705 40.8 34-51 Age group, 40-45 y 4706 24.9 14-38 Never smoked 8360 44.3 30-86 Former smoker 3792 20.1 3-27 Current smoker 6721 35.6
Discussion
This cross-sectional community-based study among young adults from 18 different countries showed that reporting of mold exposure in homes was associated with current asthma symptoms and bronchial responsiveness. This relationship was consistent across study areas and more pronounced in individuals sensitized to mold. Associations of recent water damage with symptoms were explained by the presence of mold. Asthma symptoms and bronchial responsiveness were less common in individuals with textile
Acknowledgements
We thank Colette Baya and Dr Manuel Hallen for their help during the study and Professor K. Vuylsteek and the members of the COMAC for their support.
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2023, Sensors and Actuators A: PhysicalCitation Excerpt :An equally nefarious aspect of water leakage is the formation of mold and mildew in the building interior. Chronic exposure to mold and mildew are known to cause respiratory illnesses such as Legionnaire’s disease, asthma as well as neurological impairment [11–15]. Pathogenic bacterial and viral ingress in drinking water pipes due to re-entry at the leak location is also a known public health nightmare [16–18].
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The coordination of this work was supported by the European Commission. The following grants helped to fund the local studies: Australia: Allen and Hanbury's, Australia; Belgium: Belgian Science Policy Office, National Fund for Scientific Research; Estonia: The Estonian Scientific Foundation (grant 1088), Glaxo Welcome; France: Ministere de la Santé, Glaxo France, Institut Pneumologique d’Aquitaine, Contrat de Plan Etat-Région Languedoc- Rousillon, CNMATS, CNMRT (90MR/10, 91AF/6), Ministre delegué de la santé, RNSP; Germany: GSF and the Bundesminister für Forschung und Technologie, Bonn; India: Bombay Hospital Trust; Italy: Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca Scientifica e Tecnologica, CNR, Regione Veneto grant RSF no. 381/05.93; The Netherlands: Ministry of Welfare, Public Health and Culture; New Zealand: Asthma Foundation of New Zealand, Lotteries Grant Board, Health Research Council of New Zealand; Norway: Norwegian Research Council project no. 101422/310; Spain: Ministero Sanidad y Consumo FIS grants no. 91/0016060/00E-05E, no. 92/0319, no. 93/0393, Hospital General de Albacete, Hospital General Juan Ramón Jiménez, Consejeria de Sanidad Principado de Asturias; Sweden: The Swedish Heart Lung Foundation, the Swedish Medical Research Council, the Swedish Association against Asthma and Allergy; Switzerland: Swiss National Science Foundation grant 4026-28099; United Kingdom: National Asthma Campaign, British Lung Foundation, Department of Health, South Thames Regional Health Authority; United States: United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare Public Health Service Grant no. 2 S07 RR05521-28.
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Reprint requests: Jan-Paul Zock, PhD, Municipal Institute of Medical Research (IMIM), Dr Aiguader 80, E-08003 Barcelona, Spain.