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S Gravesen

Publications and source records attributed to S Gravesen.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Indoor allergens.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed1986

Demonstration of microorganisms and dust in schools and offices. An observational study of non-industrial buildings.

"The sick-building syndrome" (WHO) is reported with increasing intensity in non-industrial places of work, such as schools, kindergartens, and offices, all of which have a heavy load of traffic (people). The construction of these buildings (e.g. flat roofs) often leads to water damage with subsequent microbial growth. Further, reduced cleaning budgets in connection with the wide use of needle-felt carpets, as well as ventilation systems not regularly maintained, will lead to pollution by dust and microorganisms. A systematic registration of dust and microbial parameters has been carried out since 1980 in buildings with indoor climate complaints, in order to elucidate the possible influence of these factors.

Air Microbiology↗
PubMed1985

The occurrence of indoor allergens in Saudi Arabia.

Investigations on indoor airborne allergens in Saudi Arabia were performed by mold cultures and dust analyses by counter-current immunoelectrophoresis. Twenty fungal genera were isolated, with Aspergillus as the most often encountered. Most of the dust-bound fungi found are ubiquitous and common. Antibodies against Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, cat- cow- and rat dander, and Cynodon dactylon pollen were used in the dust analyses. Animal antigens were found in five of the ten dust samples. House dust mites were extraordinarily rare. Pollen of Cynodon dactylon (Bermuda grass) was present in nearly all the samples, and in a concurrent clinical study this antigen was found to be the most common cause of perennial rhinitis.

Air Pollution↗
PubMed1983

Aerobiology of schools and public institutions--part of a study.

The influence of the indoor climate in relation to the health of persons has mainly been connected with the physico-chemical properties of the environment. Complaints from patients concerning eye, nose and throat problems, hoarseness, headache and fatigue are common, especially in schools and other public institutions with heavy traffic and badly cleaned or water damaged wall-to-wall carpets. The significance of specific allergenic components in dust such as mites, mould, animal dander and pollen is well-known. However, the influence of a dirt-factor or a moisture-factor in the carpets or from ventilation systems leading to accumulation, liberation and inhalation of dust and micro-organisms, on allergic and non-allergic persons has, until recently, been neglected. To obtain knowledge on this influence, a systematical registration of the biological factors based on consecutive investigation has started. Results from registration of airborne micro-organisms show a tendency towards a larger amount of micro-organisms measured 1 m above carpets than above bare floors.

Air Microbiology↗
PubMed1983

Extreme fatigue and malaise--a syndrome caused by badly cleaned wall-to-wall carpets?

Complaints connected with the indoor climate are often vague and a cause-effect relationship is difficult to demonstrate. The present paper describes two patients suffering from symptoms in the form of extreme fatigue and malaise. The patients connected their problems to the poorly cleaned working place. We found the working place to be covered with badly cleaned wall-to-wall carpet. Examination of 12 employees showed five to have symptoms related to the working place. Four of the five had precipitating antibodies against extracts of dust collected from the carpets and two of the five had a positive prick test to the same extract. After removal of the carpets all symptoms disappeared. We conclude that vague symptoms related to the indoor climate may be induced by accumulation of organic dust.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Demonstration isolation and identification of culturable microfungi and bacteria in horse hair and dandruff. Immunochemical comparison with allergic components.

Horse hiar and dandruff have been investigated for their content of microfungi and bacteria. Inoculation and incubation on V-8 agar containing penicillin and streptomycin, with subsequent colony counting and identification, revealed more than nine and five different genera of microfungi and bacteria respectively, in horse hair and dandruff. Isolation and cultivation of the quantitatively dominating species, and preparation of an extract of these were performed, followed by immunochemical comparison with extract of the horse hair and dandruff using crossed-line immuno-electrophoresis. As no immunochemical identity was demonstrated it was concluded that the identified microorganisms might serve as a guideline to suspected sensitizing substances when patients with a typical case history of horse allergy do not react to extracts of horse hair and dandruff.

Allergens↗
PubMed1978

Identification and prevalence of culturable mesophilic microfungi in house dust from 100 Danish homes. Comparison between airborne and dust-bound fungi.

In order to encircle possible allergen sources, fungi from house dust were cultivated and identified. Dust from vacuum cleaners was inoculated on Petri dishes containing V-8 agar with addition of penicillin and streptomycin to eliminate the bacterial flora. The number of genera identified were for the most part consistent with the genera trapped from the air. However, presumably owing to their dispersal biology it was demonstrated that members of Mucorales were much more frequently represented in the samples obtained by this method compared with gravimetric and volumetric measurements. The method is recommended as a simple way to demonstrate and identify the mould contents in house dust and as a tool for the identification of some of the real allergenic sources in house dust.

Air Microbiology↗
PubMed1977

Cladosporium herbarum extract characterized by means of quantitative immunoelectrophoretic methods with special attention to immediate type allergy.

Freeze-dried extract of Cladosporium herbarum Link ex Fr. was obtained by growing, harvesting, extracting, centrifuging, dialysing and freeze-drying. Quantitative immunoelectrophoresis using rabbit antibodies revealed the extraction procedure to be reproducible and the extract to be composed of 57 antigens, none of which originated from the substrate used in the growth. The molecular weight distribution and the approximate molecular weight of some antigens of C. herbarum were obtained using gel filtration. The pI distribution and the approximate pIs of a few distinct antigens of C. herbarum were obtained by isoelectric focusing. Preliminary identification of 4 allergens from C. herbarum was performed by means of CRIE (crossed radioimmunoelectrophoresis).

Antibodies, Fungal↗
PubMed1976

Precipitating antibodies against Micropolyspora phaeni in sera from mushroom workers.

A new method for determining precipitating antibodies in allergic alveolitis is presented. The principle used is immunoelectrophoresis, either as a counterelectrophoresis or as a crossed immunoelectrophoresis with intermediate gel. Twenty-two mushroom workers without anamnestic signs of allergic alveolitis and 15 control persons were investigated. Twelve mushroom workers (55%) had precipitating antibodies as determined by crossed immunoelectrophoresis, and nine of these persons had antibodies demonstrated with counterelectrophoresis. Thus, the sensitivity seems greater in the crossed immunoelectrophoresis, but we find that the simpler counterelectrophoresis is an excellent screening procedure in patients suspected of allergic alveolitis. In the controls only one person had precipitating antibodies, though the antigen tested for Micropolyspora phaeni exists ubiquitously. It seems probable from this study that the antigenic load is important, although it is remarkable that no mushroom worker with precipitating antibodies against M. phaeni had ever experienced symptoms compatible with allergic alveolitis.

Actinomycetales Infections↗