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Mold in Home May
Mean Baby Breathing Problems
Mon July 21, 2003 05:31 PM ET
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - High fungus levels in the home can cause
breathing problems, even pneumonia, for infants, new research suggests.
Dampness in the basement or other rooms is known to
cause breathing problems for children and young adults. The new findings
suggest that this may be due to the presence of fungi, which thrive in
damp locations. However, the results also indicate that fungi can be a
problem even when the entire house is dry.
In a study of 499 children with at least one allergic
parent, Dr. Diane R. Gold, from Harvard University in Boston, and
colleagues evaluated the effect of domestic fungal levels on breathing
problems in the first year of life.
The researchers' findings are reported in the American
Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
After considering other factors such as house dampness
and visible mold or mildew, the authors found that exposure to high levels
of fungi made breathing problems much more likely for infants. For
example, infants who lived in homes with high levels of one type of
fungi--Zygomycetes--were nearly twice as likely to develop problems as
other infants.
To determine whether a home is likely to cause
breathing problems for an infant, the authors recommend not only looking
for wet spots and mold, but also measuring fungi levels.
SOURCE:
American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine July 15, 2003
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