There had been complaints of Sick Building Syndrome symptoms by employees in a large sealed office complex in Ottowa, Canada ever since it had opened. This prompted a comprehensive survey by questionnaire coupled with limited environmental measurements. Most respondents complained of irritation of the upper respiratory tract, the eyes and skin as well as various other health problems. These began shortly after coming to work in the building and were troublesome only during work; moving to other work in other parts of the complex made no difference.
Th is paper exmined whether US military personnel during Operation Desert Shield were adversely affected by respiratory disease due to crowded living conditions and high levels of suspended and blowing sand. The research was based on a questionnaire given to 2598 combatants stationed in North East Saudi Arabia for a mean of 102 days. Surface sand was analyzed from seven locations by scanning, electron microscopy and X Ray diffraction.
Describes a study conducted to determine whether indoor air pollution factors affected respiratory function and symptoms in 1357 non-smoking Caucasian children. The authors conducted interviews to find out about: exposure to pets and to gases, vapours and dusts from hobbies; the use of gas stoves; fireplaces, air conditioners and humidifiers; type of heating systems; and the number of residents, the number of smokers in the home.
Investigates whether energy conservation measures that tighten buildings also increase the risk of respiratory infection among occupants. Compares incidence rates of febrile acute respiratory disease at four army training centres over a 47 month period, between basic trainees in modern and old barracks. Rates were significantly higher in the modern (energy efficient design and construction) barracks.
Identified thermophilic actinomycetes contamination of the forced air systems as the sensitizing agents for most of the cases of hypersensitivity pneumonitis in eight patients. Concludes that patients should avoid the contaminated systems and use corticosteroids in severe cases as therapy for the disease.
Two out of fourteen workers in a clerical office suffered bronchial problems. An investigation found gross contamination with Penicillium mould of forced-air heater-cooler units which had not been properly maintained. A 50 to 80 fold excess in the number of colony-forming units per cubic meter or air in the affected office compared with a control office were found. Persistent alveolitis was diagnosed in one worker, while the other suffered from asthma, exacerbated by the poor indoor air quality.
Explores possible relations between symptoms of asthma, building characteristics and indoor concentration of volatile organic compounds in residential buildings. 88 persons from middle Sweden were studied. Measurements were taken at home of room temperature, air humidity, respirable duct, carbon dioxide, VOCs, formaldehyde and house dust mites. Health tests were also performed. Found that symptoms related to asthma were more common in homes with house dust mites and visible signs of dampness or microbial growth.
A study was done to find a link between bronchial obstruction in infants under two years old and ventilation rate in residential buildings. A matched case control study was carried out in Oslo over two years. It was found that the risk of bronchial obstruction was not directly associated with the ventilation rate in litres per second and per person. Environmental tobacco smoke affected the incidence of bronchial obstruction, as well as dampness, presence of textile wallpaper and plasticiser-containing surfaces.
An attempt was made to find any association between employees' respiratory tract symptoms and immediate skin test reaction with exposure to fungal and house dust mite aeroallergens at the workplace. Six mechanically ventilated non-industrial buildings were considered in Montreal. Concludes that potentially avoidable exposure to aeroallergens accounted for symptoms in a small subgroup of office employees with frequent work-related respiratory tract symptoms.
The authors used data from the Children's Respiratory Study in Tuscon, Arizona, USA to study the relationship between home environment and lower respiratory tract illness in infants. Health babies were recruited at birth. In the first year, 196 babies (21%) had wheezing LRI and 60 (6%) had non-wheezing LRI. Wheezing risk was higher for babies with evaporative home cooling (24%). Non-wheezing LRI linked with parents' rating of neighbourhood dust levels. There was no relation to type of home heating, cooking fuel, or pets.
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