Levels and determinants of beta(1-->3)-glucans and fungal extracellular polysaccharides in house dust of (pre-)school children in three European countries.
BACKGROUND
Mold growth is believed to be one causative factor underlying the association between dampness in buildings and increased respiratory morbidity. Measurements of beta(1-->3)-glucans and fungal extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) are used as markers of mold exposure in field studies. Little is known about their levels and determinants in homes.


OBJECTIVE
To study levels and determinants of beta(1-->3)-glucan and EPS levels in mattress and living room floor dust in three European countries.


METHODS
Mattress and living room floor dust was collected in the homes of 1065 German, Dutch, and Swedish (pre-)school children. All samples were analyzed for beta(1-->3)-glucans and EPS in one central laboratory. Determinants were assessed by questionnaire.


RESULTS
Amounts of dust, EPS and beta(1-->3)-glucan levels differed between countries. Amounts of dust, beta(1-->3)-glucan and EPS levels for mattresses were only weakly correlated with those for living room floors. Floor dust beta(1-->3)-glucan loads, EPS loads and EPS concentrations were strongly correlated with the amount of dust sampled, which is largely determined by the type of floor that was sampled (carpeted floors had 5-20 higher amounts of dust). None of the other determinants was consistently and statistically significantly associated with amounts of dust, beta(1-->3)-glucan and EPS concentrations on floors and mattresses.


CONCLUSIONS
Mattress dust and floor dust are two different measures of exposure to the investigated mold components. Living room floor beta(1-->3)-glucan and EPS loads and EPS concentrations are largely determined by the type of floor sampled. Differences between countries can only partly be explained by the determinants studied.
Giovannangelo
Mariëlla E C A
ME
Utrecht University, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Gehring
Ulrike
U
Nordling
Emma
E
Oldenwening
Marieke
M
van Rijswijk
Kathelijne
K
de Wind
Siegfried
S
Hoek
Gerard
G
Heinrich
Joachim
J
Bellander
Tom
T
Brunekreef
Bert
B
D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D001513:Beds / Q000382:microbiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis*; D005430:Floors and Floorcoverings; D056229:Fungal Structures / Q000737:chemistry*; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D009426:Netherlands; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000032:analysis*; D013548:Sweden; D047071:beta-Glucans / Q000032:analysis*
D004391:Dust; D011134:Polysaccharides; D047071:beta-Glucans