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Fungal DNA in dust in Swedish day care centres: associations with respiratory symptoms, fractional exhaled nitrogen oxide (FeNO) and C-reactive protein (CRP) in serum among day care centre staff

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Abstract

Purpose

To study associations between fungal DNA in day care centres, fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and inflammatory markers in day care centre staff.

Methods

Totally, 62 staff (90 %) from five day care centres in Sweden participated. All were females. Settled dust was collected and analysed for five sequences of fungal DNA by quantitative PCR. Levels of FeNO (NIOX MINO 50 ml/min) and serum levels of eosinophilic cationic protein, myeloperoxidase (MPO) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in blood (HsCRP) were measured. Dynamic spirometry was performed, and dyspnoea was measured. Biomarkers and dyspnoea ratings were log-transformed, and associations were analysed by linear mixed models, adjusting for age, atopy, smoking, body mass index (BMI), ETS and dampness/mould at home.

Results

Geometric mean (GM) for FeNO was 15.3 ppb, 6 % were smokers, 14 % were obese, 31 % were overweight and 18 % had atopy. GM concentration was 2.16 × 105 cell equivalents (CE)/g for total fungal DNA, 2310 CE/g for Aspergillus/penicillium (Asp/Pen) DNA, 17 CE/g for Aspergillus versicolor DNA and 14 CE/g dust for Streptomyces DNA. FeNO was associated with total fungal DNA (p = 0.004), Asp/Pen DNA (p = 0.005) and Streptomyces DNA (p = 0.03). HsCRP was associated with total fungal DNA (p = 0.03) and BMI (p = 0.001). Dyspnoea was associated with Asp/Pen DNA (p = 0.04). Subjects with ETS at home had lower lung function (FEV1) (p = 0.03), and those with dampness/mould at home had lower MPO (p = 0.03).

Conclusion

Fungal contamination in day care centres, measured as fungal DNA, can be a risk factor for airway inflammation, and CRP is associated with BMI.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by grants from the Swedish council for Environmental and Agricultural Science and Spatial Planning (FORMAS), the Swedish Asthma and Allergy Association’s Research Foundation and Uppsala University Hospital, Sweden.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Science, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Uppsala University, Uppsala University Hospital, 75185, Uppsala, Sweden

    Dan Norbäck, Gui-Hong Cai, Erik Lampa & Gunilla Wieslander

  2. Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Ivan Kreft

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  1. Dan Norbäck
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  2. Gui-Hong Cai
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  3. Ivan Kreft
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  4. Erik Lampa
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Correspondence to Dan Norbäck.

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The authors have no conflicting financial interest.

Ethics

The researchers informed all invited staff at meetings and collected participants’ signed consent forms, followed later by investigations. All medical investigations have been performed in compliance with the relevant laws and institutional guidelines for this kind of studies in April 2005. The study was performed on May 2005. WHO regulation of clinical studies came in 2006. Informed consent was obtained from all the participants. The protocol of the study was approved by the Regional Ethical Committee of Uppsala University (2005/65).

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Norbäck, D., Cai, GH., Kreft, I. et al. Fungal DNA in dust in Swedish day care centres: associations with respiratory symptoms, fractional exhaled nitrogen oxide (FeNO) and C-reactive protein (CRP) in serum among day care centre staff. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 89, 331–340 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-015-1076-4

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