Common bacteria found in classroom dust are associated with reduced lung function in children according to research presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Barcelona, Spain. The research may show us how to make sure schools are healthy environments for children and their developing lungs.
The study was presented by Dr Soutrik Banerjee from the Department of Environmental and Prevention Sciences, University of Ferrara, Italy and French technology company, Alten S.A.
Dr Banerjee told the Congress: "We know that indoor air quality in schools can be affected by pollutants, humidity, ventilation, temperature, dampness and biological agents like fungi and bacteria. However, much less is known about whether the types of bacteria growing in classroom dust are linked to children's lung function.
"We were particularly interested in two bacterial groups, Streptomyces and Mycobacterium spp., which are found in soil, dust and water systems. We wanted to see whether higher exposure to these bacteria in the classroom is associated with children's lung health across Europe."
The team used data from the SINPHONIE study, which covered 22 European countries and almost 300 classrooms, to measure the amount of Streptomyces and Mycobacterium spp. bacteria in classroom dust.
They also tested the lung function of children from each classroom using a standard breathing test called spirometry, where a child takes in a deep breath and then blows out as hard and fast as possible into a measuring device. This calculates the volume of air the lungs can hold and how quickly that volume of air can be exhaled. Reduced lung function is when your lungs can't hold as much air as normal or air cannot flow in and out of your lungs as easily as normal. It limits the amount of oxygen your body takes in and your ability to clear carbon dioxide, which can lead to fatigue and shortness of breath.
The researchers adjusted the data for age, gender, BMI, passive smoking, pet allergens, socio-economic indicators, school building age and region, and local levels of air pollution.
They found that children in classrooms with higher levels of Streptomyces had a 0.08 litres lower forced vital capacity (FVC), a measure of how much air a child can blow out maximally after taking a deep breath.