Citation:

Description:

The past 20 years have brought the recognition that an important factor in the health of people in indoor environments is the dampness of the buildings in which they live and work. Furthermore, it is now appreciated that the principal biology responsible for the health problems in such building is fungi rather than bacteria or viruses. Although traditionally, fungi in this context have been viewed as allergens (and in unusual circumstances, pathogens), data have accumulated to show that the adverse health effects resulting from inhalation of fungal spores are due to multiple factors. One factor associated with certain fungi is small molecular toxins (mycotoxins) produced by these fungi. Traditionally, mycotoxins are held to be important in human and animal health because of their production by toxigenic fungi associated food and feed. However, mycotoxins tend to concentrate in fungal spores, and thus present a potential hazard to those inhaling airborne spores. Toxigenic spores strongly affect alveolar macrophage function and pose a threat to those exposed. Reports have indicated that Stachybotrys atra (S.atra), Aspergillus versicolor, and several toxigenic species of Penicillium are potentially hazardous, especially when the air-handling systems have become heavily contaminated. Perhaps the most hazardous of the toxigenic fungi found in wet buildings is S. atra, a fungus known to produce the very potent cytotoxic macrocyclic trichothenes along with a variety of immunosuppressants and endothelin receptor antagonists mycotoxins. This fungus was investigated for its association with the serious health problems of a family living in a water-damaged home in Chicago and with the deaths of infants in Cleveland, OH, as well as serious health problems in other areas of the U.S. Starting in 1991, EPA has conducted research into the environmental conditions that permit building material colonization by fungi and the subsequent development of contamination sources. The focus has been on evaluating material properties, climate conditions, and microorganism interactions that contribute to materials serving as microecological habitats fostering fungal colonization, amplification, and dissemination. To better understand when fungal growth occurs, a static chamber method was developed for evaluating the various environmental conditions. These chambers were designed to provide controlled environments that can simulate differing conditions of temperature and relative humidity that the materials might be exposed to in a building. Over the last five years a variety of building materials and fungi have been evaluated using this static chamber method. For additional details regarding this initiative, visit the website at http://www.epa.gov/appcdwww/crb/iemb/child.htm. To access directly from this website, click on downloads on the navigation bar.

URLs/Downloads:

Record Details: