Indoor Fungal Exposure and Allergic Respiratory Disease

  • Nicholas J Osborne
  • Christopher R Thornton
  • Richard A Sharpe
Allergens (RK Bush and JA Woodfolk, Section Editors)
Part of the following topical collections:
  1. Topical Collection on Allergens

Abstract

A gathering body of evidence has repeatedly revealed associations between indoor fungi and initiation, promotion, and exacerbation of allergic respiratory disease. The relationship between the exposure and outcome are complicated by the difficulties in measuring both exposure and outcome, the multifactorial nature of the disease, and the wide range of potential confounders. New technologies are becoming available that may enable better measurement of exposure and tighter case definitions so as to build more confidence in the associations discovered. The growing strength of the evidence base will aid the design of future public health interventions and generate new hypotheses on the cause of the rapid increase in allergic respiratory disease prevalence.

Keywords

Allergy Fungi Indoor fungal exposure Asthma Allergic respiratory disease Environment and allergy Epidemiology 

Notes

Compliance with Ethical Standards

Conflict of Interest

Drs. Osborne, Thornton, and Sharpe declare that they have no competing interests.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

References

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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media New York 2015

Authors and Affiliations

  • Nicholas J Osborne
    • 1
    • 2
  • Christopher R Thornton
    • 3
  • Richard A Sharpe
    • 2
  1. 1.Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology Research Group, Discipline of Pharmacology, Sydney Medical SchoolThe University of SydneySydneyAustralia
  2. 2.European Centre for Environment and Human Health, Knowledge Spa, Royal Cornwall HospitalUniversity of Exeter Medical SchoolTruroUK
  3. 3.Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of ExeterExeterUK

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