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RISK ASSESSMENT/RISK MANAGEMENT FOR INDOOR MOLD

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Impact/Purpose:

To understand children's risks from exposure to molds in their environment and to explore risk management options for mitigating those risks.

Description:

In 1998, a team of eight EPA researchers from NERL, NHEERL, NRMRL and NCEA organized to examine the role of indoor molds/fungi in children's health. The make-up of the indoor environment is critical to the health of children in general and has a particularly important influence on the incidence and exacerbation of asthma. Asthma is the most common chronic disease of childhood. About 75% of asthma is associated with allergy. In nearly 100% of elementary school children with asthma, allergens are the primary trigger for asthma and their disease is thought to result from early exposure and sensitization to common allergens in their environment (e.g., dust mite, cockroach, pollen, molds, animal dander). It appears that early in life, in some individuals, the immune system is programmed to promote asthmatic responses to certain antigens. Some of these allergens have been studied extensively (e.g. dust mite and cockroach), and specific antigens responsible for sensitization have been characterized. However, almost none of the mold allergens have been characterized, despite their widespread distribution and potential importance in the induction and exacerbation of asthma. This project focuses on the antigens, particularly protein components of molds, that initiate allergic sensitization.

Although childhood asthma remains the focus of our efforts, there is growing awareness that other health problems may be associated with exposure to various molds. Visual contrast sensitivity (VCS) testing provides a noninvasive, rapid, sensitive, reliable and portable, indicator of neurological dysfunction which has previously been associated with biotoxin exposure. This study will report deficits in VCS.

Perhaps, the most severe potential response to fungal exposure is what was originally called pulmonary hemosiderosis (PH) in infants. In 1994 and 1997, CDC reported clusters of acute pulmonary hemorrhage in infants. Reviews by internal CDC and external expert panels of these investigations identified shortcomings in the conduct of the studies. The panels concluded that the investigations did not prove an association between acute pulmonary hemorrhage in infants and exposure to molds, specifically Stachybotrys chartarum (atra).

Subtasks include: 1. Develop more mold assays for use in quantitative polymerase chain reaction technology (QPCR). PI: Haugland; 2. Develop database of mold concentrations in homes, hospitals, schools, business across the US and the world. PI: Haugland; 3. Identify the IgE inducing proteins from three fungi (Metarhizium anisopliae, Stachybotrys chartarum, and Penicillium chrysogenum) by characterizing these immunologically and by advanced proteomics and identifying any common characteristics. PIs:Selgrade/Marsh; 4. Confirm that the proteins identified as IgE inducers are the relevant allergens in the mouse disease model and to determine if these proteins are allergenic in humans.PI: Selgrade/Marsh; 5: To characterize the physio-chemical properties of the allergenic protein(s) from the three fungi and compare to other well-characterized proteins allergens such as dust mite allergens. PI:Shoemaker/Donohue; 6. To determine the relative potency of the fungal allergens compared to other protein allergens such as dust mite, cockroach, alcalase, etc. PI: Selgrade/Marsh; 7. Evaluate through epidemiological studies and clinical evaluations (being completed by Case Western Reserve University Medical School through our cooperative agreement) the exposures of children to fungi that might lead to asthma, neurological dysfunction and potentially pulmonary hemosiderosis. PI: Vesper; 7B. To determine if exposure to specific fungi is correlated with increased asthma incidence. PI: Hudnell; 7C. To determine if exposure to some fungi is correlated with neurological dysfunction. 7D. To determine if exposure to fungal toxins, e.g. to S. chartarum toxins, can be measured by ELISA assays of serum samples from exposed children and other clinical and environmental samples. PI: Van Emon; 8. Develop an exposure estimate for children under "real-world" conditions and test methods or agents to prevent the exposure. PI: Menetrez; 9. Provide comprehensive information to be used by the Office of Air and Radiation and by the Regional Offices in helping our clients, the American parent, in dealing with this major environmental problem.

PI: Frederick/Furtaw/Kolb

Record Details:

Record Type:PROJECT
Start Date:08/01/1999
Projected Completion Date:09/01/2004
Record ID: 56220