Air quality in homes is a major concern in Europe, where people spend most of their time indoors. According to the World Health Organization, numerous houses are subject to dampness that can lead to mold growth, with associated health and economic consequences. Our goal was to characterize the human exposure to bioaerosols in French mold-damaged houses but also to study the effects of these bioaerosols as suffered by the inhabitants of these houses. A global approach including both field study and laboratory experimentation was used to investigate 48 mold-damaged homes. Among a wide fungal diversity, 101 viable species, Aspergillus versicolor, Penicillium chrysogenum and P. crustosum were observed as recurrent species and could be used as microbial indicators of indoor air quality. Statistical analyses highlighted a relationship between the concentrations of these recurrent molds and the levels of surface contamination by molds in homes. Fever, cough, dyspnea, flu-like symptoms were observed with several fungal strains (A. versicolor, P. chrysogenum and P. crustosum) or in relation to moldy odor. Relationships between particles of 2 to 15 µm diameter and headaches and dizziness were also observed. In our study, we identified a cutaneous effect (itching) in relationship to the airborne concentration of A. versicolor.
The deterioration of houses and indoor air quality caused by moisture and molds is a major health and economic concern in many countries. In 2009, the World Health Organization published a report that highlighted moisture problems in 10 to 50% of European homes. Damp indoor conditions lead to growth of microorganisms which can be released into the air. Airborne molds represent a significant part of these bioaerosols and are able to produce mycotoxins that may cause various adverse effects such as cytotoxicity or genotoxicity. This study follows 3 objectives: 1) characterization of airborne molds and selection of relevant microbiological indicators for monitoring air quality; 2) study of the toxicity of bioaerosols and molds collected from bioaerosols; 3) determination of the effects of climatic factors on fungal growth and mycotoxins production. Bioaerosols were collected in mold-damaged homes selected by local partners and then analyzed for their microbial composition (quantification of molds, endotoxins and glucans) and their toxicological properties (cytotoxicity on lung and skin cells). A questionnaire for assessing the health impact and the habits of residents was also systematically completed. Airborne mold concentrations ranged from 16.7 to 361,000 cfu/m 3 and showed a fungal diversity ranging from 4 to 20 species per home. Aspergillus versicolor and Penicillium chrysogenum were the most recurrent species in bioaerosols. Fungal isolates belonging to the Aspergillus genus were tested in vitro for their ability to produce mycotoxins. Among them, sterigmatocystin and gliotoxin were found in A. versicolor and A. fumigatus cultures, respectively. The toxicological approach showed that some bioaerosols induce cytotoxic effects. This study was supported by the Conseil Régional de Normandie,
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