Exposure to the airborne mould Botrytis and its health effects.

Journal Title: Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine - Year 2009, Vol 16, Issue 2

Abstract

Most investigations into the correlation between exposure to fungi and detrimental health effects focus on the 2-4 most prevalent genera in ambient air, both outdoors and indoors. Yet over 80 genera of fungi have been shown to have allergenic potential. Also, there is no agreement about threshold values for exposure to fungi. One of the fungal genera expected to be less prevalent in ambient air and known to cause allergy is Botrytis. In this review, we investigate the airborne exposure level and health effect of Botrytis, both at general exposure and in occupational settings. The surveyed papers show that Botrytis is found globally with different spore seasons depending on the region investigated. The levels of Botrytis in the percentage of all fungi have a calculated median of around 1.1% in the different environments, confirming that it is among the less prevalent fungi. Furthermore, a substantial proportion of patients and workers are allergic to Botrytis cinerea, and when B. cinerea was included in extended test panels additional allergic patients were found. Thus, B. cinerea is as important as the more prevalent mould genera Cladosporium and Alternaria and we suggest that it should be included in standard allergic tests panels.

Authors and Affiliations

Claudia Wurtz Jurgensen, Anne Madsen

Keywords

Related Articles

Co-infection with Borrelia species and other tick-borne pathogens in humans: two cases from Poland.

Co-infection with Borrelia species and Anaplasma phagocytophilum or Babesia spp. was assessed in a retrospective study of tick-exposed individuals from southeastern Poland. The co-infection rate of these pathogens was fo...

Knowledge and opinions of nurses about organ transplantation in a Polish hospital

[b]Introduction: [/b]The term ‘transplantation’ is understood as an intervention involving transfer of cells, tissues or organs within one body or two bodies. The donor of any organ can be a living person (ex vivo transp...

Swine confinement buildings: effects of airborne particles and settled dust on airway smooth muscles.

Swine confinement workers are exposed to various contaminants. These agents can cause airway inflammation and bronchoconstriction. This study was undertaken to evaluate if the bronchoconstrictive effects of swine barn ai...

Rare cause of recurrent fainting – multiple kinking and brachiocephalic origin of the left common carotid artery

The case is presented of a 80-year-old male patient with a history of a few episodes of fainting. In the computed tomography of the head and CT angiography of the carotid arteries, an abnormal origin of the left common c...

Factors determining physical activity of Ukrainian students

[b]Objective[/b]. Scientific reports provide information concerning an insufficient level of physical activity of societies. The objective of the study is recognition of the level of physical activity among Ukrainian stu...

Download PDF file
  • EP ID EP58642
  • DOI -
  • Views 159
  • Downloads 0

How To Cite

Claudia Wurtz Jurgensen, Anne Madsen (2009). Exposure to the airborne mould Botrytis and its health effects.. Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine, 16(2), 183-196. https://europub.co.uk/articles/-A-58642