Short communication Fungal contamination of bedding

Asthma prevalence has increased progressively over the past three decades in the UK. Numerous theories have been promulgated including the hygiene hypothesis, additional exposure to house dust mite etc., none of which have been substantiated on detailed study. An association with fungal exposure is less well studied. It is often assumed that such exposures generally occur outside, apart from mouldy buildings. One substantial life-style change over the last 30 years has been altered bedding – from feather/flock pillows and sheets/blankets, to mainly polyester pillows and quilts. With no need for feather containment, the covers on pillows are more porous with pore size increasing from 2 to >10 lm. Synthetic pillows are a risk for both prevalence and for severity of asthma. Butland et al. estimated that the increase in synthetic bedding could explain 50% of the increase in prevalence in wheezing (1). We have considered the hypothesis that fungi growing on bedding could be an environmental health risk. Adults may produce up to 100 l of sweat in bed every year, which for approximately 8 h/24 is at approximately 30 C and high humidity – an ideal fungal culture medium. Fungal contamination of kapok pillows was noted in 1936, and associated with wheezing (2). Methods