Abstract
Background: The terminology of “sick building syndrome” (SBS), meaning that a person may feel sick in a certain building, but when leaving the building, the symptoms will reverse, is imprecise. Many different environmental hazards may cause the feeling of sickness, such as high indoor air velocity, elevated noise, low or high humidity, vapors or dust. The Aim: To describe SBS in connection with exposure to indoor air dampness microbiota (DM). Methods: A search through Medline/Pubmed. Results and Conclusions: Chronic course of SBS may be avoided. By contrast, persistent or cumulative exposure to DM may make SBS potentially life-threatening and lead to irreversible dampness and mold hypersensitivity syndrome (DMHS). The corner feature of DMHS is acquired by dysregulation of the immune system in the direction of hypersensitivities (types I–IV) and simultaneous deprivation of immunity that manifests as increased susceptibility to infections. DMHS is a systemic low-grade inflammation and a biotoxicosis. There is already some evidence that DMHS may be linked to autoimmunity. Autoantibodies towards, e.g., myelin basic protein, myelin-associated glycoprotein, ganglioside GM1, smooth muscle cells and antinuclear autoantibodies were reported in mold-related illness. DMHS is also a mitochondropathy and endocrinopathy. The association of autoimmunity with DMHS should be confirmed through cohort studies preferably using chip-based technology.
Highlights
The terminology of “sick building syndrome” (SBS), meaning that a person may feel sick in a certain building, but when leaving the building, the symptoms will reverse, is imprecise
The corner feature of dampness and mold hypersensitivity syndrome (DMHS) is acquired by dysregulation of the immune system in the direction of hypersensitivities and simultaneous deprivation of immunity that manifests as increased susceptibility to infections
When sensory receptors become overstimulated, the disease may manifest as multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), reactive airway opinion, in DMHS, the central wording of “hypersensitivity” has a prominent meaning and depicts distress syndrome (RADS) or reactive upper airway distress syndrome (RUDS) [21,24]
Summary
The colorful term of sick building syndrome (SBS) was coined already in the 1970s. Originally, it was linked to the working environment [1,2,3,4,5] but later to homes, with sick house syndrome [6]. The involvement of the central nervous system (CNS) into the pathology of SBS (as a feature of DMHS) was reported already in the 1990s It may manifest as a concurrent chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) [20] or MCS [9,21]. Prolonged exposure to chemical and/or biological pollutants may overstimulate sensory receptors of the mucosa This initiates the release of substance P and other neuropeptides involved in local or systemic inflammatory responses. When sensory receptors become overstimulated, the disease may manifest as MCS, reactive airway release of substance P and other neuropeptides involved in local or systemic inflammatory responses. Thethat crossover immune and non‐immune inflammation is shown neurotoxins [26] It can be SFN is of related to SBS/DMHS when the disease goes chronic. Hypoperfusion and hypoxia, especially of the brain, may lead to “brain fog”, cognitive impairment, central and muscular fatigue and other neurological symptoms, often reported by occupants of moldy environments [55]
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