From medline search, 1/29/99
TITLE: Pollen and fungal spores indoor and outdoor of mobile homes.
AUTHORS: Sterling DA; Lewis RD
AUTHOR AFFILIATION: Saint Louis University Health Sciences Center, School of Public Health, Department of Community Health, Missouri, USA.
SOURCE: Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 1998 Mar;80(3):279-85
CITATION IDS: PMID: 9532979 UI: 98194173
ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Allergenic diseases triggered by aeroallergens
extract a health cost in quality of life and in economic impact. People
generally spend 90% to 95% of their time indoors, so understanding the
environmental factors that affect the presence of aeroallergens indoors
are important in understanding health impact and potential intervention
methods. OBJECTIVE: Describe the relationship of indoor airborne pollen
and fungal spores in occupied mobile homes with outdoor concentrations
and other environmental factors within geographically diverse areas of
Texas. METHODS: Airborne pollen and fungal spores were collected during
the daytime with RotoRod samplers indoor and outdoor of mobile homes in
Houston and El Paso, Texas. Samples were counted simultaneously with a
dual eyepiece microscope and identified morphologically and through staining
techniques. RESULTS: Geometric mean concentrations (counts/m3) indoors
and outdoors for pollen, respectively, were Houston 7.1 and 196.4; and
El Paso 17.5 and 71.5. Geometric mean concentrations (counts/m3) indoors
and outdoors for spore, respectively, were Houston 98.5 and 196.4; and
El Paso 36.9 and 71.5. Indoor to outdoor ratios (I/O) for pollen and fungal
spores were found to be higher on average than has been previously reported.
Modeling of predictive factors in Houston demonstrate that 62% and 41%
of indoor levels of pollen and fungal spores, respectively, can be explained
by their corresponding outdoor levels. These data suggest that the many
factors associated with individual exposure to airborne pollen and fungal
spores indoors are under the control of the occupant, and may additionally
be influenced by the physical characteristics of mobile homes, in particular
the high surface area to volume ratio and restricted flow patterns.
AUTHORS: Henry CJ; Fishbein L; Meggs WJ; Ashford NA; Schulte PA; Anderson H; Osborne JS; Sepkovic DW
AUTHOR AFFILIATION: ILSI Risk Science Institute, Washington, DC 20036.
SOURCE: Environ Health Perspect 1991 Nov;95:135-43
CITATION IDS: PMID: 1821367 UI: 92331542
ABSTRACT: Critical to a more definitive human health assessment of the
potential health risks from exposure to complex mixtures in indoor air
is the need for a more definitive clinical measure and etiology of the
health effects of complex mixtures. This panel overview highlights six
of the eight presentations of the conference panel discussion and features
a number of the major topical areas of indoor air concern. W. G. Meggs
assessed clinical research priorities with primary focus on the role of
volatile organic chemicals in human health, recognizing the areas where
definitive data are lacking. By recognizing many types of chemical sensitivity,
it may be possible to design studies that can illuminate the mechanisms
by which chemical exposure may cause disease. The critically important
topic of multiple chemical sensitivity was discussed by N. A. Ashford,
who identified four high risk groups and defined the demographics of these
groups. P. A. Schulte addressed the issue of biological markers of susceptibility
with specific considerations of both methodological and societal aspects
that may be operative in the ability to detect innate or inborne differences
between individuals and populations. Three case studies were reviewed.
H. Anderson discussed the past and present priorities from a public health
perspective, focusing on those issues dealing with exposures to environmental
tobacco smoke and formaldehyde off-gassing from materials used in mobile
home construction. J. J. Osborne described several case studies involving
wood smoke exposure to children, with emphasis on the significantly greater
occurrence of chronic respiratory symptoms and acute chest illness for
children from homes heated with woodburning stoves.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
AT 250 WORDS)
AUTHORS: Liu KS; Huang FY; Hayward SB; Wesolowski J; Sexton K
AUTHOR AFFILIATION: California Indoor Air Quality Program, Air and Industrial Hygiene Laboratory, California Department of Health Services, Berkeley 94704- 9980.
SOURCE: Environ Health Perspect 1991 Aug;94:91-4
CITATION IDS: PMID: 1954947 UI: 92063946
ABSTRACT: This paper reports the irritant effects associated with formaldehyde
exposures in mobile homes. Week-long, integrated formaldehyde concentrations
were measured using passive monitors in summer and winter while the mobile
home residents continued their normal activities. Information on acute
health problems, chronic respiratory/allergic illnesses, smoking behavior,
demographic variables, and time spent at home was obtained on over 1000
individuals during the sampling period. Measured formaldehyde concentrations
varied from under the limit of detection (0.01 ppm) to 0.46 ppm. Formaldehyde
exposure was estimated for each individual by multiplying the concentration
measured in his or her home by the time he or she spent at home. Irritant
effects were found to be associated with formaldehyde exposure after controlling
for age, sex, smoking status, and chronic illnesses using a logistic procedure.
Some of the interaction terms found to be significant indicated that there
were synergistic effects between formaldehyde exposure and chronic health
problems.
AUTHORS: Dales RE; Zwanenburg H; Burnett R; Franklin CA
AUTHOR AFFILIATION: Health Protection Branch, Health and Welfare Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.
SOURCE: Am J Epidemiol 1991 Jul 15;134(2):196-203
CITATION IDS: PMID: 1862803 UI: 91320892
ABSTRACT: In 1988, the authors conducted a questionnaire-based study
on the health effects of the indoor environment in 30 Canadian communities.
This paper focuses on the association between the respiratory health of
young children and home dampness and molds. A total of 17,962 parents or
guardians of schoolchildren received a questionnaire, and 14,948 (83.2%)
questionnaires were returned. Children living in mobile homes, tents, and
boats were excluded as were those with cystic fibrosis, leaving 13,495
children included in the study group. The housing stock was distributed
as follows: 81% were one-family detached homes, 6% were one-family attached
homes, and 13% were buildings for two or more families. Molds were reported
in 32.4%, flooding in 24.1%, and moisture in 14.1% of the homes. Prevalences
of all respiratory symptoms were consistently higher in homes with reported
molds or dampness; i.e., adjusted odds ratios ranged from 1.32 (95% confidence
interval 1.06- 1.39) for bronchitis to 1.89 (95% confidence interval 1.58-2.26)
for cough. The prevalence of home dampness or molds, 37.8%, indicates that
it is an important public health issue. Further studies are required to
elucidate the pathogenesis.
AUTHORS: Petreas M; Liu KS; Chang BH; Hayward SB; Sexton K
SOURCE: JAPCA 1988 May;38(5):647-51
CITATION IDS: PMID: 3411333 UI: 88316312
MAIN MESH HEADINGS: Air Pollutants, Environmental/*analysis
Nitrogen Dioxide/*analysis
ADDITIONAL MESH HEADINGS: California
AUTHORS: Thrasher JD; Wojdani A; Cheung G; Heuser G
AUTHOR AFFILIATION: Thrasher & Associates, Northridge, California.
SOURCE: Arch Environ Health 1987 Nov-Dec;42(6):347-50
CITATION IDS: PMID: 3439811 UI: 88149078
ABSTRACT: Eight symptomatic individuals chronically exposed to indoor
formaldehyde (HCHO) at low concentrations (0.07-0.55 ppm) were compared
to 8 nonexposed subjects with respect to: (1) presence of IgG and IgE antibodies
to HCHO conjugated to human serum albumin (F-HSA); (2) the percentage of
venous blood T and B cells by E and EAC-rosetting; and (3) the ability
of T and B cells to undergo mitogen (PHA, PWM) stimulated blastogenesis
as measured by the incorporation of tritiated thymidine. Anti-F-HSA IgG,
but no IgE, antibodies were detected in the sera of the 8 exposed subjects;
none were found in 7 of the unexposed controls. T lymphocytes were decreased
in the exposed (48 +/- 11.5%) compared to the control (65.9 +/- 4.97%)
subjects (p greater than .001 less than .01). B cells were 12.6 +/- 1.6%
(HCHO group) and 14.75 +/- 2.1% (controls) (p greater than .02 less than
.05). The incorporation of labeled thymidine by T cells (PHA) was decreased:
17,882 +/- 2,293 cpm (HCHO group) and 28,576 +/- 3,807 cpm (p greater than
.001 less than .01). T and B cell blastogenesis (PWM) was 9,698 +/- 1,441
cpm (HCHO group) and 11,279 +/- 1,711 (controls) (p greater than .05 less
than .1). Exposure to HCHO appears to stimulate IgG antibodies to F-HSA
and decrease the proportion of peripheral T cells.
AUTHORS: Ritchie IM; Lehnen RG
SOURCE: Am J Public Health 1987 Mar;77(3):323-8
CITATION IDS: PMID: 3812839 UI: 87125427
ABSTRACT: This paper explores the dose-response relation between formaldehyde
(HCHO) concentration and reported health complaints (eye irritation, nose/throat
irritation, headaches and skin rash) of nearly 2,000 residents living in
397 mobile and 494 conventional homes. The study analyzes the effects of
HCHO concentration, age and sex of respondent, and smoking behavior on
each of the four health effects. The results demonstrate a positive dose-response
relation between HCHO concentration and reported health complaints, with
reported health complaints demonstrated at HCHO concentrations of 0.1 ppm
and above. Concentrations of 0.4 ppm in manufactured homes as targeted
by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), may not be adequate
to protect occupants from discomfort and from acute effects of HCHO exposure.
AUTHORS: Hanrahan LP; Anderson HA; Dally KA; Eckmann AD; Kanarek MS
SOURCE: J Air Pollut Control Assoc 1985 Nov;35(11):1164-7
CITATION IDS: PMID: 4067092 UI: 86060399
MAIN MESH HEADINGS: Air Pollutants/*analysis
Formaldehyde/*analysis
ADDITIONAL MESH HEADINGS: Housing
Wisconsin
AUTHORS: Connor TH; Theiss JC; Hanna HA; Monteith DK; Matney TS
SOURCE: Toxicol Lett 1985 Apr;25(1):33-40
CITATION IDS: PMID: 3887653 UI: 85193292
ABSTRACT: The 19 chemicals most commonly detected in a study of mobile
homes in Texas were tested for mutagenicity using a battery of bacterial
test strains; the literature was searched to obtain additional information
concerning the mutagenicity and carcinogenicity of these chemicals. Formaldehyde
was found to be present in 100% of the mobile homes and at the highest
mean concentration (167 ppb). The remaining organic chemicals were all
present at much lower mean concentrations (less than 10 ppb) and at varying
frequencies (2-95%). Of the 19 chemicals tested for mutagenicity, only
formaldehyde gave a positive response. A review of the literature revealed
that 4 of the chemicals tested, formaldehyde, styrene, tetrachloroethylene
and benzene, have been shown to be animal and/or human carcinogens. Thus,
formaldehyde is not the only genotoxin present in the air of mobile homes
but because it was present in the air of all mobile homes tested at much
higher concentrations than the other organic chemicals, formaldehyde should
be considered one of the major potential genotoxic hazards present in the
air of mobile homes.
AUTHORS: Hanrahan LP; Dally KA; Anderson HA; Kanarek MS; Rankin J
SOURCE: Am J Public Health 1984 Sep;74(9):1026-7
CITATION IDS: PMID: 6331773 UI: 84278151
ABSTRACT: Sixty-five Wisconsin mobile home households volunteered for
an assessment of indoor formaldehyde gas. Sixty-one teenage and adult occupants
completed health questionnaires. Formaldehyde concentrations ranged from
less than 0.10 to 0.80 ppm, with the risk of ocular discomfort showing
a positive dose-response relationship.