TY - JOUR
T1 - Pollen and fungal spores indoor and outdoor of mobile homes
AU - Sterling, David A.
AU - Lewis, Roger D.
N1 - Funding Information:
* Saint Louis University Health Sciences Center, School of Public Health, Department of Community Health, Division of Environmental and Occupational Health, 3663 Lindell Blvd, St. Louis, Missouri. † Supported in part by a Beaumont faculty development grant from Saint Louis University. Received for publication August 21, 1997. Accepted for publication December 9, 1997.
Funding Information:
The original research was supported in-part by a state interagency contract with the Texas Department of Labor and Standards through the University of Texas School of Public Health. We thank Tom Stock, PhD, CIH from the University of Texas School of Public Health who graciously gave access to the original data records of the study, and facilities during the abstraction process. We also thank Ms Carmen Gabler, MPH from Saint Louis Uni versity School of Public Health who spent much time in the diligent ab straction of the data. The abstraction and analysis of the airborne pollen and fungal spore data reported here was supported in part by a Beaumont fac-
PY - 1998/3
Y1 - 1998/3
N2 - Background: Allergenic diseases triggered by aeroallergens extract a health cost in quality of life and in economic impact. People generally spend 90% to 95% of their time indoors, so understanding the environmental factors that affect the presence of aeroallergens indoors are important in understanding health impact and potential intervention methods. Objective: Describe the relationship of indoor airborne pollen and fungal spores in occupied mobile homes with outdoor concentrations and other environmental factors within geographically diverse areas of Texas. Methods: Airborne pollen and fungal spores were collected during the daytime with RotoRod samplers indoor and outdoor of mobile homes in Houston and E1 Paso, Texas. Samples were counted simultaneously with a dual eyepiece microscope and identified morphologically and through staining techniques. Results: Geometric mean concentrations (counts/m3) indoors and outdoors for pollen, respectively, were Houston 7.1 and 196.4; and El Paso 17.5 and 71.5. Geometric mean concentrations (counts/m3) indoors and outdoors for spore, respectively, were Houston 98.5 and 196.4; and El Paso 36.9 and 71.5. Indoor to outdoor ratios (I/O) for pollen and fungal spores were found to be higher on average than has been previously reported. Modeling of predictive factors in Houston demonstrate that 62% and 41% of indoor levels of pollen and fungal spores, respectively, can be explained by their corresponding outdoor levels. These data suggest that the many factors associated with individual exposure to airborne pollen and fungal spores indoors are under the control of the occupant, and may additionally be influenced by the physical characteristics of mobile homes, in particular the high surface area to volume ratio and restricted flow patterns.
AB - Background: Allergenic diseases triggered by aeroallergens extract a health cost in quality of life and in economic impact. People generally spend 90% to 95% of their time indoors, so understanding the environmental factors that affect the presence of aeroallergens indoors are important in understanding health impact and potential intervention methods. Objective: Describe the relationship of indoor airborne pollen and fungal spores in occupied mobile homes with outdoor concentrations and other environmental factors within geographically diverse areas of Texas. Methods: Airborne pollen and fungal spores were collected during the daytime with RotoRod samplers indoor and outdoor of mobile homes in Houston and E1 Paso, Texas. Samples were counted simultaneously with a dual eyepiece microscope and identified morphologically and through staining techniques. Results: Geometric mean concentrations (counts/m3) indoors and outdoors for pollen, respectively, were Houston 7.1 and 196.4; and El Paso 17.5 and 71.5. Geometric mean concentrations (counts/m3) indoors and outdoors for spore, respectively, were Houston 98.5 and 196.4; and El Paso 36.9 and 71.5. Indoor to outdoor ratios (I/O) for pollen and fungal spores were found to be higher on average than has been previously reported. Modeling of predictive factors in Houston demonstrate that 62% and 41% of indoor levels of pollen and fungal spores, respectively, can be explained by their corresponding outdoor levels. These data suggest that the many factors associated with individual exposure to airborne pollen and fungal spores indoors are under the control of the occupant, and may additionally be influenced by the physical characteristics of mobile homes, in particular the high surface area to volume ratio and restricted flow patterns.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0031919511&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S1081-1206(10)62971-7
DO - 10.1016/S1081-1206(10)62971-7
M3 - Article
C2 - 9532979
AN - SCOPUS:0031919511
SN - 1081-1206
VL - 80
SP - 279
EP - 285
JO - Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
JF - Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
IS - 3
ER -