Is There Any Relation Between Moldy Building Exposure and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

 

This page lists an abstract of a journal article published by two researchers from Iran in 2006.

Is there any relation between moldy building exposure and chronic fatigue syndrome?
Med Hypotheses
2006 Mar 7
Authors: Shahriar Gharibzadeh and Sayed Shahabuddin Hoseini
Affiliations: Neuromuscular Systems Laboratory, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Somayyeh, Hafez, Tehran 15875-4413, Iran, and Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Enghelab Street, Tehran, Iran
PMID: 16527430

Available online 9 March 2006.

It is reported that workers who are employed in moldy buildings, show different symptoms like respiratory difficulties, fatigue, fever and headache. Hirvonen et al. have reported elevated cytokines (interleukin-1, interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor a) and nitric oxide (NO) levels in nasal lavage of workers in exposure to moldy buildings. Due to laboratory tests, Aspergillus fumigatus, Trichoderma, Actinomycetes, etc. were detected in indoor air [1]. On the other hand, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is the current name for a disorder characterized by debilitating fatigue and several associated complaints including headache, sleep disorder, low grade fever and concentration difficulties [2]. It is mentioned that post-infectious, immunological, and psychological factors are involved in the syndrome [3]. Researches in patients with CFS have shown a significant elevation in serum levels of interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factors a and ß [4]. which can result in the appearance of CFS symptoms. Small amounts of circulating cytokines can enter the cerebrospinal fluid and the parenchyma of the brain [5]. Cytokines administered systemically or directly into the central nervous system have shown to alter the activity of hypothalamus, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex [6].

In addition, elevated nitric oxide levels have been documented in CFS patients. It is hypothesized that NO plays a significant role in pain sensitization, which is seen in these patients [7]. Moreover, excessive NO production is an important factor in pulmonary manifestations including vasodilation, edema and cytotoxicity [1].

It seems from the abovementioned points that, in accordance with the post-infectious theory of CFS, the exposure to moldy conditions may be a trigger for the onset of CFS. Moreover, the working of persons with CFS in moldy conditions may aggravate their symptoms including pulmonary pain and psychoneurological manifestations. Surely, our hypothesis needs to be validated by experimental evaluation.