Journal of Pediatrics & Child Care
Research Article
Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma in Association with Fungal Pollution of Indoor Environments
Sibi Das1*, Sethi Das C2, Silvanose C3 and Jibin VG4
1Sri Siddhartha Medical College, Tumkuru, Karnataka, India
2Aster CMI Hospital, Bengaluru, India
3Laboratory Manager, Dubai Falcon Hospital, Dubai, UAE
4Pediatrics Department, District Hospital, Bundi, Rajasthan, India
*Address for Correspondence:
Sibi D, Sri Siddhartha Medical College, Tumkuru, Karnataka,
India; E-mail: sdsilvanose@gmail.com
Submission: 23 January, 2023
Accepted: 03 March, 2023
Published: 06 March, 2023
Copyright: © 2023 Sibi D, et al. This is an open access article
distributed under the Creative Commons Attr-ibution License,
which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction
in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
Allergy or asthma is triggered by inhaling allergens such
as dust, mites, pet dander, pollens, and fungal molds. Samples
were collected from various indoor environments including
air conditioner filters, carpets, indoor plant soil, living room air,
and pillow covers of residents living in air-conditioned flats for
screening the fungal pollution of indoor environments and their
role in allergies and asthma. This study included 30 residents with
school-aged children suffering from allergies or asthma and
a healthy control group of another 20 other residential indoor
environments. The fungi isolated from indoor environments include
Aspergillus niger, A. nidulans, A. flavus, A. fumigatus, Alternaria
sp., Paeciliomyces species, Bipolaris species, Trichophyton
verrucosum, and T. rubrum. Aspergillus species were isolated from
all environments while Trichophyton species were only isolated
from indoor plant soil. The fungal presence was higher in the
indoor environments of group 1 with allergic rhinitis and asthma
with a significant p-value <0.00001 showing its role in allergic
rhinitis when compared the group 2 without allergy or asthma.
The children suffering from allergies and asthma were further
grouped into intermittent (70%), persistent (13%), and asthma or
allergic asthma (17%) cases based on symptoms and duration.
For the treatment of intermittent allergic rhinitis, a combination of
oral antihistamines, and nasal decongestants were used, while
persistent allergy symptoms were treated with corticosteroids
(oral/intranasal), oral antihistamines, and oral leukotriene receptor
antagonists. Asthma cases were treated with salbutamol sulfate,
a bronchodilator, and oral leukotriene receptor antagonists
with a combination of antiallergic treatments. A combination of
treatments with improved indoor hygiene showed better relief for
allergic rhinitis and asthma and was significantly reduced from
persistent symptoms to intermittent or recovered from allergic
symptoms.