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Early mold exposure may play role in asthma development

Reponen T. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2011;107:120-126.

Early life exposure to mold may play a role in childhood asthma development, according to a study published online.

Tiina Reponen, PhD, professor of environmental health at the University of Cincinnati, and colleagues analyzed 7 years of data for 176 children to evaluate the effects of mold exposure in early life.

The children were part of the Cincinnati Childhood Allergy and Air Pollution Study (CCAAPS), a long-term population-based study that included more than 700 children from the Cincinnati area. CCAAPS looked at the effects of environmental particles on childhood respiratory health and allergy development. Participants were identified during infancy as being at high risk to develop allergies based on family medical history.

The researchers measured mold exposure levels using a DNA-based analysis tool developed by the EPA — the environmental relative moldiness index (ERMI). The tool combines results of the analysis of 36 different types of mold into one index, which describes the mold burden in the homes. This index was used to determine the effect of mold exposure on the respiratory health of study participants.

Eighteen percent of children enrolled in CCAAPS were found to be asthmatic at age 7 years, which was three times more likely than those not exposed to mold.

It is estimated that about 9% of US school-age children will develop asthma; however, studies have shown that rates are often higher in children from poor, urban families. The disease cannot be accurately diagnosed until age 7 years and the causes are not completely known.

“This study should motivate expectant parents — especially if they have a family history of allergy or asthma — to correct water damage and reduce the mold burden in their homes to protect the respiratory health of their children,” Reponen said in a press release.

Disclosure: The study was provided by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. Initial funding for CCAAPS came from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. One researcher reported serving as the principal investigator of CCAAPS.

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