Skip to main content

Main menu

  • Home
  • Current issue
  • ERJ Early View
  • Past issues
  • ERS Guidelines
  • Authors/reviewers
    • Instructions for authors
    • Submit a manuscript
    • Open access
    • Peer reviewer login
  • Alerts
  • Subscriptions
  • ERS Publications
    • European Respiratory Journal
    • ERJ Open Research
    • European Respiratory Review
    • Breathe
    • ERS Books
    • ERS publications home

User menu

  • Log in
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
  • My Cart

Search

  • Advanced search
  • ERS Publications
    • European Respiratory Journal
    • ERJ Open Research
    • European Respiratory Review
    • Breathe
    • ERS Books
    • ERS publications home

Login

European Respiratory Society

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Current issue
  • ERJ Early View
  • Past issues
  • ERS Guidelines
  • Authors/reviewers
    • Instructions for authors
    • Submit a manuscript
    • Open access
    • Peer reviewer login
  • Alerts
  • Subscriptions

Outdoor fungal spores are associated with child asthma hospitalisations - a case-crossover study

Rachel Tham, Shyamali Dharmage, Philip Taylor, Ed Newbigin, Mimi L.K. Tang, Don Vicendese, Rob J. Hyndman, Michael J. Abramson, Bircan Erbas
European Respiratory Journal 2014 44: 2919; DOI:
Rachel Tham
1Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Shyamali Dharmage
1Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Philip Taylor
2School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Ed Newbigin
3School of Botany, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Mimi L.K. Tang
4Department of Allergy and Immunology, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
5Allergy and Immune Disorders Research, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia
6Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Don Vicendese
7School of Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Rob J. Hyndman
8Department of Econometrics and Business Statistics, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Michael J. Abramson
9Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Bircan Erbas
7School of Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • Article
  • Info & Metrics
Loading

Abstract

Introduction

Asthma can be exacerbated by exposure to various fungal spores and Human Rhinovirus [HRV], but current understanding of the importance of fungal exposure to child asthma hospitalisations is limited. Moreover the interaction between HRV and fungal spore exposure on admission has not been examined.

Aim

To investigate the role of outdoor fungal spores in child asthma hospitalisations and if HRV modifies any such effect.

Methods

We conducted a case-crossover study of 644 child asthma hospitalisations in Melbourne, Australia (2009–11). On admission, participants had nasal and throat swabs that were tested using a sensitive nested multiplex PCR for HRV infection. Daily ambient spore counts of 14 fungi species were obtained using a Burkard Volumetric spore trap. Conditional logistic regression assessed the role of fungi adjusting for confounders. Interaction terms were included if there was evidence of effect modification from HRV. Results are presented as odds ratios [OR] per unit increase in daily number of fungi spores/m3 of air sampled.

Results

Overall, higher risk of hospitalisation was observed when participants were exposed to Alternaria (OR=1.011, 95%CI 1.004-1.017), Coprinus (1.009, 1.000-1.017), Leptosphaeria (1.001, 1.000-1.013) independent of air pollution, HRV and sensitization to common allergens. There was evidence of effect modification by HRV in boys exposed to Leptosphaeria (1.028, 1.006-1.050) and Ganoderma (1.320, 1.048-1.660). No evidence of HRV effect modification in girls.

Conclusion

Some fungal genera are associated with increased risk of asthma hospitalisation in both sexes but the risk increased with two specific fungal genera in boys infected with HRV.

  • Environment
  • Child
  • Epidemiology
  • © 2014 ERS
Previous
Back to top
Vol 44 Issue Suppl 58 Table of Contents
  • Table of Contents
  • Index by author
Email

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on European Respiratory Society .

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Outdoor fungal spores are associated with child asthma hospitalisations - a case-crossover study
(Your Name) has sent you a message from European Respiratory Society
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the European Respiratory Society web site.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Citation Tools
Outdoor fungal spores are associated with child asthma hospitalisations - a case-crossover study
Rachel Tham, Shyamali Dharmage, Philip Taylor, Ed Newbigin, Mimi L.K. Tang, Don Vicendese, Rob J. Hyndman, Michael J. Abramson, Bircan Erbas
European Respiratory Journal Sep 2014, 44 (Suppl 58) 2919;

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero

Share
Outdoor fungal spores are associated with child asthma hospitalisations - a case-crossover study
Rachel Tham, Shyamali Dharmage, Philip Taylor, Ed Newbigin, Mimi L.K. Tang, Don Vicendese, Rob J. Hyndman, Michael J. Abramson, Bircan Erbas
European Respiratory Journal Sep 2014, 44 (Suppl 58) 2919;
del.icio.us logo Digg logo Reddit logo Technorati logo Twitter logo CiteULike logo Connotea logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo

Jump To

  • Article
  • Info & Metrics
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One

More in this TOC Section

  • Clinico-radiological and functional assessment of respiratory symptomatics with either exposure to biomass fuel smoke or tobacco smoking
  • Burnt sugarcane harvesting is associated with short and long term alterations in systemic and pulmonary inflammatory markers
  • Systemic inflammatory profile associated with exposure time to burning sugarcane
Show more 6.2 Occupational and Environmental Health

Related Articles

Navigate

  • Home
  • Current issue
  • Archive

About the ERJ

  • Journal information
  • Editorial board
  • Press
  • Permissions and reprints
  • Advertising

The European Respiratory Society

  • Society home
  • myERS
  • Privacy policy
  • Accessibility

ERS publications

  • European Respiratory Journal
  • ERJ Open Research
  • European Respiratory Review
  • Breathe
  • ERS books online
  • ERS Bookshop

Help

  • Feedback

For authors

  • Instructions for authors
  • Publication ethics and malpractice
  • Submit a manuscript

For readers

  • Alerts
  • Subjects
  • Podcasts
  • RSS

Subscriptions

  • Accessing the ERS publications

Contact us

European Respiratory Society
442 Glossop Road
Sheffield S10 2PX
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 114 2672860
Email: journals@ersnet.org

ISSN

Print ISSN:  0903-1936
Online ISSN: 1399-3003

Copyright © 2023 by the European Respiratory Society