Indoor air quality: biological contaminants: report on a WHO meeting, Rautavaara, 29 August–2 September 1988

Abstract

Working and living inside buildings expose people to all kinds of biological contaminants. This is a report on health hazards posed by the presence in indoor air of biological contaminants including suspended viable particles, suspended allergens, animal dander, fragments of dust mites and other biologically derived suspended material. Emphasis is placed on construction materials and building elements such as cooling towers, humidifiers, ventilation systems and design features leading to high indoor humidity, that can introduce or spread airborne biological contaminants. The first chapter catalogues some 16 infectious diseases, allergic reactions and other health risks linked to the presence of biological contaminants in indoor air. The second chapter presents hazard assessment and offers advice on strategies available for the investigation of individuals or populations suffering from suspected indoor air-related infectious diseases including Legionnaires disease, allergic reactions or toxic reactions following the inhalation of mycotoxins. Other chapters review methods for environmental sampling and analysis, discuss the main sources of microbiological contaminants in buildings and identify factors in the indoor environment that can enhance the risk of contamination. The final chapter discusses strategies for control, concluding that most biological aerosols in buildings are caused by persistent moisture and inadequate ventilation, and that proper building design and maintenance are needed to reduce acute infections and allergic episodes caused by contaminated indoor air.