Essay - Analysis of Two Methods of Mold Spore Trapping Current Scientific...

Analysis of Two Methods ***** Mold Spore Trapping

Current Scientific Knowledge

Overview

People are exposed to aeroallergens in a variety of settings, both at home and at work. Fungi ***** ubiquitous airborne allergens ***** are important causes of human diseases, especially in the upper and lower respiratory tracts. These diseases occur ***** persons ***** various ages.

Airborne spores and other fungi particles are ubiquitous in nonpolar landscapes, especially amongst field crops, and often form the bulk of suspended biogenic debris. The term mold often is used synonymously with the ***** fungi. A more precise definition would specify that molds lack macroscopic reproductive structures but may produce visible colonies. Respiratory illness in subjects exposed to rust ***** dark-spored imperfecti fungi was described more than 60 years ago, and physicians worldwide now recognize a sensitiz*****tion to diverse fungi.

Since fungus ***** commonly are derived from wholly microscopic sources, exposure hazards are assessed largely through direct sampling of a suspect **********. Because of their small size, fungal emanations present special collection requirements to ensure particle viability for culture-based studies.

Fungi have two basic structures. Yeast grows as single cells by central division of eccentric budding to ***** daughter units. Most ***** familiar ***** are composed of branching threads, 3-10 mcm in width, termed hyphae. ***** mycelium is an aggregate of hyphae. Hyphae are modified to bear the simple ***** parts of many microfungi and ********** the structural tissue of fleshy fungi (eg, mushrooms, puff balls).

In general, familiar allergenic molds reproduce asexually. However, two large and distinctive classes, Ascomycetes and Basidiomycetes, also produce innumerable sexual ***** for atmospheric dispersion. In its life cycle, a single ***** organism produces both sexual and asexual spores from morphologically different structures, respectively ***** perfect ***** imperfect stages.

Statistics of Occurrence

***** are 35 million persons with sinus problems and 15 million persons with asthma reported in the United States alone. Clinically, physicians k***** that a ***** infection can contribute significantly ***** ***** frequency ***** severity ***** asthma attac*****s.

Toxicity of Mold and Physiology of Affectation

The physiology of mucus in individuals ***** asthma is similar to that of nasal *****. Mucociliary clearance (MCC) involves cilia and the layers of mucus on ***** ciliated epithelium and refers to the movement of ********** al*****g a desired path ***** maximum health. In the ***** respira*****ry tract, cilia propel the mucus and its trapped bacteria and particles to the nasopharynx, where it drops to ***** hypopharynx and is swallowed. The stomach acid then disposes of the unwanted invaders.

***** the lower respiratory tract, the cilia ***** line the trachea and bronchial tree similarly move the ***** blanket up the ***** and into the hypopharynx for swallowing.

***** science of rheology investigates ***** makeup of this liquid and ***** its viscosity and elasticity. Two layers of mucus are present over the ***** cell; an outer, thick, viscoelastic, semisolid mucus layer, which the cilia do not strike directly, is found ***** a ***** of watery serous fluid. Due to ***** lowered v*****cosity of