This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

A Study in Dutch Governmental Office Buildings

K. Bart Teeuw, MSc, PhD; Christina M. J. E. Vandenbroucke-Grauls, MD, PhD; Jan Verhoef, MD, PhD

Arch Intern Med. 1994;154(20):2339-2345.

Abstract
Methods
During a survey of building-related symptoms among 1355 employees working in 19 governmental office buildings in the Netherlands, we measured physical and chemical factors, airborne microorganisms, and endotoxin. Mechanically ventilated buildings were grouped as "healthy" or "sick" based on symptom prevalence (mean symptom prevalence <15% or 15%). We compared physical, chemical, and microbiological characteristics between mechanically ventilated and naturally ventilated buildings.

Results
Gram-negative rods were found in higher numbers in the "sick" buildings. The concentration of airborne endotoxin was six to seven times higher in the "sick" buildings than in the "healthy" buildings (254 vs 46 ng/m³); it was 35 ng/m³ in naturally ventilated buildings. No differences in physical characteristics of the buildings were found. Volatile organic compounds and carbon dioxide were present at higher concentrations in naturally ventilated buildings.

Conclusion
Airborne microbial contamination, in particular with gram-negative rods and perhaps with endotoxin, may have a role in the causation of sick building syndrome.

(Arch Intern Med. 1994;154:2339-2345)

Author Affiliations
From the Eijkman-Winkler Laboratory for Experimental Microbiology, University of Utrecht (Drs Teeuw, Vandenbroucke-Grauls, and Verhoef), the Department of Clinical Microbiology, University Hospital Utrecht (Drs Vandenbroucke-Grauls and Verhoef), and U-Gene Research (Dr Teeuw), Utrecht, the Netherlands.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Endotoxin contamination in the dental surgery
Huntington et al.
J Med Microbiol 2007;56:1230-1234.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Cough: Occupational and Environmental Considerations: ACCP Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines
Tarlo
Chest 2006;129:186S-196S.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Commentary: Air conditioning as a risk for increased use of health services
Mendell
Int J Epidemiol 2004;33:1123-1126.
FULL TEXT  

Inflammatory potential of dust from schools and building related symptoms
Allermann et al.
Occup. Environ. Med. 2003;60:e5-5.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Do Indoor Molds in Nonindustrial Environments Threaten Workers' Health? A Review of the Epidemiologic Evidence
Kolstad et al.
Epidemiol Rev 2002;24:203-217.
FULL TEXT  

Improving the Health of Workers in Indoor Environments: Priority Research Needs for a National Occupational Research Agenda
Mendell et al.
AJPH 2002;92:1430-1440.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Upper Respiratory Symptoms Associated With Aging of the Ventilation System in Artificially Ventilated Offices in Sao Paulo, Brazil*
Graudenz et al.
Chest 2002;122:729-735.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Building sickness syndrome in healthy and unhealthy buildings: an epidemiological and environmental assessment with cluster analysis
Niven et al.
Occup. Environ. Med. 2000;57:627-634.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Building-Related Illnesses
Menzies and Bourbeau
NEJM 1997;337:1524-1531.
FULL TEXT