Muriel Vincent1, Francis Corazza2, Camille Chasseur3, Sandrine Bladt4, Marta Romano5, Kris Huygen6, Olivier Denis7, Olivier Michel8. 1. Program Allergology, Scientific Service Immunology, WIV-ISP (site Uccle), Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address: me230612@gmail.com. 2. Laboratory of Immunology and of Translational Research, CHU Brugmann (Université Libre de Bruxelles-ULB), Brussels, Belgium. 3. Program Health and Environment, Scientific Service Food, drugs and consumers security, WIV-ISP (site Ixelles), Brussels, Belgium. 4. Bruxelles Environnement-CRIPI, Bruxelles, Belgium. 5. Program Host-Pathogen Interaction, Scientific Service Immunology, WIV-ISP (site Uccle), Brussels, Belgium. 6. Program Allergology, Scientific Service Immunology, WIV-ISP (site Uccle), Brussels, Belgium; Program Host-Pathogen Interaction, Scientific Service Immunology, WIV-ISP (site Uccle), Brussels, Belgium. 7. Program Allergology, Scientific Service Immunology, WIV-ISP (site Uccle), Brussels, Belgium. 8. Clinic of Immunology and Allergology, CHU Brugmann (Université Libre de Bruxelles-ULB), Brussels, Belgium.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Most of the findings related to the noxious effect of mold sensitization on asthma come from investigations based on Alternaria alternata, Cladosporium herbarum, and Aspergillus fumigatus. However, species such as Penicillium spp, Cladosporium sphaerospermum, Cladosporium cladosporioides, or Aspergillus versicolor display a more pronounced indoor tropism, and their potential harmful respiratory effects cannot be neglected. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this work was to relate mold sensitizations with asthma severity and with the level of indoor mold contamination among mold-sensitized patients with asthma and nonsensitized patients with asthma. METHODS: A case-control study was conducted and several asthma severity markers were compared between patients with asthma with and without mold sensitization. Indoor contamination of patients' dwellings was also investigated. RESULTS: Our findings confirmed the association between sensitization to A fumigatus and severity for patients with asthma in contrast with sensitization to other species. Indoor mold contamination was detected in approximately 90% of dwellings. Overall mold exposure was not associated with asthma severity. However, regardless of the sensitization, exposure to A fumigatus and Penicillium spp in dust was linked to an increased risk of severe asthma. CONCLUSION: The harmful nature of mold sensitization and mold exposure for patients with asthma was not confirmed in this study. However, sensitization to A fumigatus was associated with an increased risk for severe asthma. A better investigation of the properties of Penicillium spp is recommended because its exposure was found to be associated with a more pronounced impairment of lung function.
BACKGROUND: Most of the findings related to the noxious effect of mold sensitization on asthma come from investigations based on Alternaria alternata, Cladosporium herbarum, and Aspergillus fumigatus. However, species such as Penicillium spp, Cladosporium sphaerospermum, Cladosporium cladosporioides, or Aspergillus versicolor display a more pronounced indoor tropism, and their potential harmful respiratory effects cannot be neglected. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this work was to relate mold sensitizations with asthma severity and with the level of indoor mold contamination among mold-sensitized patients with asthma and nonsensitized patients with asthma. METHODS: A case-control study was conducted and several asthma severity markers were compared between patients with asthma with and without mold sensitization. Indoor contamination of patients' dwellings was also investigated. RESULTS: Our findings confirmed the association between sensitization to A fumigatus and severity for patients with asthma in contrast with sensitization to other species. Indoor mold contamination was detected in approximately 90% of dwellings. Overall mold exposure was not associated with asthma severity. However, regardless of the sensitization, exposure to A fumigatus and Penicillium spp in dust was linked to an increased risk of severe asthma. CONCLUSION: The harmful nature of mold sensitization and mold exposure for patients with asthma was not confirmed in this study. However, sensitization to A fumigatus was associated with an increased risk for severe asthma. A better investigation of the properties of Penicillium spp is recommended because its exposure was found to be associated with a more pronounced impairment of lung function.