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However, therearesituations inwhichtheSBSispermanentdue todesign
errors,lackofmaintenanceintheairconditioningsystemsoruseofinadequate
filters, resulting in thedevelopment of abiofilmin the air-conditioningducts,
formed by the microbial colonization and contamination (bacteria, fungi,
virus, and protozoan) and the presence of insects and animals. This biofilm
contributes toseveraldiseasesandeventothedeathofmoresensitivepersons.
In 25% of the cases of permanent SBS, the causes are due to fungi and
products of the bacterial metabolism, such as endotoxins. In 15%, dusts,
in 12%, bacteria and in the other cases, either low or high air relative
humidity, presence of carcinogenic formaldehyde (present in insecticides),
suspension of fiber glass and others. The danger is even greater in small
environments with larger number of people sharing the same area,
thus requiring a more frequent change of air to dilute these substances.
The most common symptoms of SBS are: irritation of the eyes,
nose and throat, mental fatigue, headache, infection of the air ways,
cough, hoarseness, asthmatic loud breathing, difficulty to breath,
itching and non-specific hypersensitivity, joint pain and tearfulness.
The bioaerosol exposure (dust with fungi and bacteria) causes more
serious effects, such as rhinitis, sinusitis, conjunctivitis, pneumonia,
asthma, alveolitis, humidifier fever, Broncho pulmonary aspergillosis
(Severe disease in hospitalized patients due to the rapidity with which it
generalizes, leading to death with symptoms that are similar to those of
influenza) contact dermatitis, eczemas, contact urticaria and mycotoxicosis.
Persons submitted to these environments often think that they are allergic
to the work environment but actually they are living in sick buildings.
