Biomaterial Database

Molds, mycotoxins, and sick building syndrome. 2009

David C Straus

Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA. david.straus@ttuhsc.edu

The following is a review of some of the work we have done since 2004 regarding the importance of molds and their mycotoxins in the phenomenon of sick building syndrome (SBS). In these studies we showed that the macrocyclic trichothecene mycotoxins (MTM) of Stachybotrys chartarum (SC) are easily dissociated from the surface of the organism as it grows and could therefore be consequently spread in buildings as the fungus experiences additional water events. We then showed that SC and Penicillium chrysogenum (PC) colonies remain viable long after a water source has been removed, and the MTM produced by SC remain toxic over extended periods of time. We next showed that PC when inhaled, can release in vivo, a protease allergen that can cause a significant allergic inflammatory reaction in the lungs of mice. We then showed, in a laboratory study, that the MTM of SC can become airborne attached to spores or SC particulates smaller than spores. Following that study, we next showed that the same phenomenon actually occurred in SC infested buildings where people were complaining of health problems potentially associated with SBS. Finally, we were able to demonstrate the presence of MTM in the sera of individuals who had been exposed to SC in indoor environments. This last study was done with enough mold exposed individuals to allow for the statistical significance of SC exposure to be evaluated.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009183	Mycotoxins	Toxic compounds produced by FUNGI.	Fungal Toxins,Mycotoxin,Toxins, Fungal
D010408	Penicillium chrysogenum	A mitosporic fungal species used in the production of penicillin.	Penicillium chrysogeum,Penicillium notatum
D004195	Disease Models, Animal	Naturally-occurring or experimentally-induced animal diseases with pathological processes analogous to human diseases.	Animal Disease Model,Animal Disease Models,Disease Model, Animal
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013191	Stachybotrys	A mitosporic fungal genus including one species which forms a toxin in moldy hay that may cause a serious illness in horses.	Stachybotry
D014871	Water Microbiology	The presence of bacteria, viruses, and fungi in water. This term is not restricted to pathogenic organisms.	Microbiology, Water
D016902	Air Pollution, Indoor	The contamination of indoor air.	Air Quality, Indoor,Indoor Air Pollution,Indoor Air Quality,Pollution, Indoor Air
D051379	Mice	The common name for the genus Mus.	Mice, House,Mus,Mus musculus,Mice, Laboratory,Mouse,Mouse, House,Mouse, Laboratory,Mouse, Swiss,Mus domesticus,Mus musculus domesticus,Swiss Mice,House Mice,House Mouse,Laboratory Mice,Laboratory Mouse,Mice, Swiss,Swiss Mouse,domesticus, Mus musculus
D018877	Sick Building Syndrome	A group of symptoms that are two- to three-fold more common in those who work in large, energy-efficient buildings, associated with an increased frequency of headaches, lethargy, and dry skin. Clinical manifestations include hypersensitivity pneumonitis (ALVEOLITIS, EXTRINSIC ALLERGIC); allergic rhinitis (RHINITIS, ALLERGIC, PERENNIAL); ASTHMA; infections, skin eruptions, and mucous membrane irritation syndromes. Current usage tends to be less restrictive with regard to the type of building and delineation of complaints. (From Segen, Dictionary of Modern Medicine, 1992)	Sick House Syndrome,Syndrome, Sick Building,Syndrome, Sick House,Syndromes, Sick House