Allergy to Mould Spores in Britain

Hyde, Hartley; Richards, Merfyn; Williams, D. A.

doi:10.1136/bmj.1.4972.886

Cited by 48 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…A. fumigatus is a ubiquitous organism. The concentration of fungal spores in the air is known to vary greatly both from place to place and from time to time (Hyde, Richards & Williams, 1956;Baruah, 1961;Noble & Clayton, 1963) and certain materials such as hay, particularly if mouldy, can provide abundant sources of fungal spores, many of which are of the genus Aspergillus (Gregory & Lacey, 1963a, b;Lacey & Lacey, 1964). Using an experimental system which was admittedly highly artificial, the present study showed that previous experience of the organism could result in a degree of resistance.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimental aspergillosis in mice: aspects of resistance

Smith

1972

Epidemiol. Infect.

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SUMMARYIntravenous inoculation of Aspergillus fumigatus spores was used to study experimentally induced and natural resistance. Slight resistance resulted in increased survival time and higher resistance produced in addition a decreased infection rate.Sublethal doses of living spores gave significant protection against challenge 3 weeks later, but large doses of heat-killed spores had no demonstrable effect.Mice from one source showed a single, dramatic decrease in dose response to a deep-frozen strain of the organism over a period of 34 months. The dose response initially resembled that described by Scholer (1959) in which one million spores killed the majority of mice. The change was almost certainly due to an increase in resistance of the mice due to environmental factors, and the resistance was probably also effective against other strains of the organism. Although not proved, it seemed likely that the resistance was due to increased natural contact with A. fumigatus or related fungi. Possibly for a similar reason, mice of the same stock bred on different premises differed in their susceptibility to infection. The results indicated that environmental resistance-producing factors may have been operating simultaneously on a number of premises housing laboratory animals in south-east England. These findings may have significance in relation to the occurrence of natural aspergillosis of mammals and birds.Of five A. fumigatus strains, four were of closely similar virulence; the fifth strain grew more slowly in vitro and was somewhat less virulent. Isolates from mice which died sporadically after small doses of spores were of no greater virulence than the inoculated strain. Although the susceptibility of mice aged 3 weeks was not uniform under all conditions, such animals were less resistant than young adult mice. Mice from six different sources showed only slight differences in susceptibility between each other, or from mice known to have developed a natural resistance.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimental aspergillosis in mice: aspects of resistance

Smith

1972

Epidemiol. Infect.

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“…Hyde, Richards & Williams, 1956). Examination of the fungi that can be isolated from the air of buildings has, however, been largely confined to those situations where specific fungi might be expected.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fungi in the Air of Hospital Wards

Noble¹,

Clayton

1963

Journal of General Microbiology

118

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SUMMARYThe fungal flora of the air of hospital wards was investigated by using slit samplers. Isolations were made on Sabouraud glucose agar and particular attention was paid to the flora which grew a t 37". Aspergillus fumigatus was recovered on each of the 78 days of sampling and reached peak of incidence in the autumn and winter months ; no other fungal species was recovered a t 37" with such regularity. Bed sweeps revealed the presence of these fungi on blankets in the hospital wards. The mean equivalent diameter of the air-borne particles was determined for several fungal species and was found to correspond closely to that of individual spores. No dissemination of fungal particles by four patients with the hypersensitivity type of aspergillosis or by one patient with an aspergillus mycetoma was observed.

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“…Hyde, Richards & Williams (1956) showed how the spores of certain species of fungi produce allergic respiratory symptoms, e.g. asthma, in subjects not normally exposed to concentrations of spores greater than are found in the outdoor air.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Air Spora of a Cowshed

Baruah

1961

Journal of General Microbiology

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SUMMARYStudy of the air spora of a cowshed by means of a Hirst Automatic Volumetric Spore Trap showed an atmospheric concentration of fungal spores ranging from 95,000 to 16,000,000 sporeslm3. There was a direct relationship between the hours during which hay was being fed and the highest concentrations of spores. Aspergillus-Penicillium and Mucor types of spore were predominant, and hyphal fragments including conidiophores were the third most numerous component. The findings are discussed with reference to human and animal fungal disease.

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Allergy to Mould Spores in Britain

Cited by 48 publications

References 12 publications

Experimental aspergillosis in mice: aspects of resistance

Experimental aspergillosis in mice: aspects of resistance

Fungi in the Air of Hospital Wards

The Air Spora of a Cowshed

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