Review article
https://doi.org/10.2478/10004-1254-62-2011-2126
Indoor Exposure to Mould Allergens
Ljerka Prester
; Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Humid indoor environments may be colonised by allergenic fi lamentous microfungi (moulds), Aspergillus spp., Penicillium spp., Cladosporium spp., and Alternaria spp. in particular. Mould-induced respiratory diseases are a worldwide problem. In the last two decades, mould allergens and glucans have been used as markers of indoor exposure to moulds. Recently, mould allergens Alt a 1 (Alternaria alternata) and Asp f 1 (Aspergillus fumigatus) have been analysed in various environments (residential and occupational) with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, which use monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies. Household Alt a 1 and Asp f 1 levels were usually under the limit of the method detection. By contrast, higher levels of mould allergens were found in environments with high levels of bioaerosols such as poultry farms and sawmills. Data on allergen Alt a 1 and Asp f 1 levels in agricultural settings may provide information on possible colonisation of respective moulds and point out to mould-related diseases in occupants.
Keywords
Alt a 1; Asp f 1; A. alternata; A. fumigatus; ELISA; occupational exposure
Hrčak ID:
75042
URI
Publication date:
19.12.2011.
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