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Exposure to Microorganisms: Diseases and Diagnosis *
Author(s) -
Reijula Kari
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
indoor air
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.387
H-Index - 99
eISSN - 1600-0668
pISSN - 0905-6947
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0668.1998.tb00006.x
Subject(s) - hypersensitivity pneumonitis , damp , sick building syndrome , moisture , environmental health , asthma , allergy , medicine , toxicology , environmental science , indoor air quality , immunology , biology , environmental engineering , lung , geography , meteorology
The number of moisture‐problem buildings in Finland is unexpectedly high according to recent investigations. In approximately 55% of Finnish buildings, moisture damage is in need of repair. With more than 1.15 million buildings in this country, almost 600 000 buildings suffer moisture problems and in over 100 000 there is growth of molds, either in building materials or on infested surfaces of the building. This means that over 400 000 Finns have been exposed to molds in damp houses. Exposure to molds is a significant health risk and should be prevented. Irritation of eyes, respiratory tract and skin may occur following exposure to microbes, and numbers of exposed persons develop a hypersensitivity reaction to fungal allergens. Asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis (extrinsic allergic alveolitis) and organic dust toxic syndrome (ODTS) may also develop after exposure. Secondary infections are more common in persons living in damp houses. In the present article, clinical manifestations associated with mold exposure in moisture‐problem buildings will be described.