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Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Noninvasive Sampling of Mucosal Lining Fluid for the Quantification of In Vivo Upper Airway Immune-mediator Levels
Published on: August 7, 2017
Characterizing microbial exposure with ergosterol, 3-hydroxy fatty acids, and viable microbes in house dust:
Anne Hyvärinen1, Aleksandra Sebastian, Juha Pekkanen
1National Public Health Institute, Environmental Health Department, Kuopio, Finland. Anne.Hyvarinen@ktl.fi
Abstract:
The authors assessed determinants of ergosterol, 3-OH fatty acids (FAs), and viable microbes in vacuum cleaner dust, and investigated the association between these microbial markers and childhood asthma. The authors studied the homes of 36 children who were new cases of childhood asthma and the homes of 36 controls. Home characteristics explained 34% to 44% of the variation in levels of different microbial groups. Determinants of 3-OH FAs were a lower level of cleanliness, having a fireplace, having livestock, and moisture damage; determinants of viable bacteria were the level of home repair needed and the material used in the building frame of the home. Ergosterol was associated with the presence of livestock and the practice of cleaning rugs outside; viable fungi was associated with the material used in the building frame, visible mold, and the practice of cleaning rugs outside. Exposure to mesophilic actinomycetes was nonsignificantly associated with risk of asthma. The authors concluded that the variation of microbial levels in dust could be explained relatively well by home characteristics, and suggested that exposure to mesophilic actinomycetes may increase the risk of new asthma.
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