Predictors of microbial agents in dust and respiratory health in the Ecrhs.
BACKGROUND
Dampness and mould exposure have been repeatedly associated with respiratory health. However, less is known about the specific agents provoking or arresting health effects in adult populations. We aimed to assess predictors of microbial agents in mattress dust throughout Europe and to investigate associations between microbial exposures, home characteristics and respiratory health.


METHODS
Seven different fungal and bacterial parameters were assessed in mattress dust from 956 adult ECRHS II participants in addition to interview based home characteristics. Associations between microbial parameters and the asthma score and lung function were examined using mixed negative binomial regression and linear mixed models, respectively.


RESULTS
Indoor dampness and pet keeping were significant predictors for higher microbial agent concentrations in mattress dust. Current mould and condensation in the bedroom were significantly associated with lung function decline and current mould at home was positively associated with the asthma score. Higher concentrations of muramic acid were associated with higher mean ratios of the asthma score (aMR 1.37, 95%CI 1.17-1.61). There was no evidence for any association between fungal and bacterial components and lung function.


CONCLUSIONS
Indoor dampness was associated with microbial levels in mattress dust which in turn was positively associated with asthma symptoms.
Institute of Epidemiology I, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstrasse 1,German Research Centre for Environmental Health, D-85764, Neuherberg, Germany. ctischer@creal.cat.|Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain. ctischer@creal.cat.
Christina
C
Tischer
Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain. jpzock@creal.cat.|Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain. jpzock@creal.cat.|CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain. jpzock@creal.cat.|Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research (NIVEL), Utrecht, The Netherlands. jpzock@creal.cat.
Jan-Paul
JP
Zock
Living Environment and Health Unit, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland. maria.valkonen@thl.fi.
Maria
M
Valkonen
Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Division Environmental Epidemiology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands. G.Doekes@uu.nl.
Gert
G
Doekes
Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain. sguerra@creal.cat.|Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain. sguerra@creal.cat.|CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain. sguerra@creal.cat.|Arizona Respiratory Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA. sguerra@creal.cat.
Stefano
S
Guerra
Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Division Environmental Epidemiology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands. d.heederik@uu.nl.
Dick
D
Heederik
Respiratory Epidemiology and Public Health Group, Imperial College London, London, UK. d.jarvis@imperial.ac.uk.|MRC-HPA Centre for Environment Health, King's College London, London, UK. d.jarvis@imperial.ac.uk.
Deborah
D
Jarvis
The Department of Medical Science, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. dan.norback@medsci.uu.se.
Dan
D
Norbäck
Department of Occupational Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy. mario.olivieri@univr.it.
Mario
M
Olivieri
Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain. jsunyer@creal.cat.|Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain. jsunyer@creal.cat.|CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain. jsunyer@creal.cat.|IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain. jsunyer@creal.cat.
Jordi
J
Sunyer
Department of Occupational Medicine, Centre for International Health, University of Bergen and , Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway. cecilie.svanes@helse-bergen.no.
Cecilie
C
Svanes
Living Environment and Health Unit, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland. martin.taubel@thl.fi.
Martin
M
Täubel
Institute of Epidemiology I, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstrasse 1,German Research Centre for Environmental Health, D-85764, Neuherberg, Germany. elisabeth.thiering@helmholtz-muenchen.de.|Division of Metabolic Diseases and Nutritional Medicine, Dr von Hauner Children's Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany. elisabeth.thiering@helmholtz-muenchen.de.
Elisabeth
E
Thiering
Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, University of Verona, Verona, Italy. giuseppe.verlato@univr.it.
Giuseppe
G
Verlato
Living Environment and Health Unit, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland. anne.hyvarinen@thl.fi.
Anne
A
Hyvärinen
Institute of Epidemiology I, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstrasse 1,German Research Centre for Environmental Health, D-85764, Neuherberg, Germany. heinrich@helmholtz-muenchen.de.
Joachim
J
Heinrich
D000328:Adult; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001513:Beds / Q000382:microbiology*; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis*; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D005658:Fungi / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D009112:Muramic Acids / Q000032:analysis; D014797:Vital Capacity
D004391:Dust; D009112:Muramic Acids