Frederick Fung

Publications of Frederick Fung

• The fundamentals of mold-related illness: when to suspect the environment is making a patient sick.

  Authors: Frederick Fung, William G Hughson

  Postgraduate medicine. 05/2008; 120(1):80-4.

  Disorders related to indoor air quality have become a major concern for primary care physicians, who often are asked to evaluate patients whose symptoms may be caused or aggravated by indoor exposureDisorders related to indoor air quality have become a major concern for primary care physicians, who often are asked to evaluate patients whose symptoms may be caused or aggravated by indoor exposure to mold. In this article, we review the common types of indoor mold and discuss the management of mold exposure and related illnesses.

• Neurotoxicity of mercury in dental amalgam.

  Authors: Frederick Fung, F Lee Cantrell, Richard F Clark

  JAMA : the journal of the American Medical Association. 10/2006; 296(12):1462; author reply 1462-3.

• A reassessment of topical organic phosphorus insecticide exposures and permanent paralysis.

  Authors: Richard F Clark, Saralyn R Williams, Frederick Fung, Aaron B Schneir, Binh T Ly, David A Tanen, Stephen W Munday

  Journal of toxicology. Clinical toxicology. 02/2004; 42(7):991-2.

• Health effects of mycotoxins: a toxicological overview.

  Authors: Frederick Fung, Richard F Clark

  Journal of toxicology. Clinical toxicology. 02/2004; 42(2):217-34.

  Diseases caused by fungi are spread by direct implantation or inhalation of spores. Fungi can cause adverse human health effects to many organ systems. In addition to infection and allergy, fungi canDiseases caused by fungi are spread by direct implantation or inhalation of spores. Fungi can cause adverse human health effects to many organ systems. In addition to infection and allergy, fungi can produce mycotoxins and organic chemicals that are responsible for various toxicologic effects. We reviewed the published literature on important mycotoxins and systemic effects of mycotoxins. Scientific literature revealed a linkage between ingesting mycotoxin contaminated food and illness, especially hepatic, gastrointestinal, and carcinogenic diseases. Issues related to mycotoxin exposure, specific diseases, and management are discussed. Although there is agreement that diet is the main source of mycotoxin exposure, specific health effects and risk assessment from indoor nonagricultural exposure are limited by the paucity of scientific evidence currently available. Further research on the health effects of inhaling mycotoxins in indoor settings is needed.

• Health effects of indoor fungal bioaerosol exposure.

  Authors: Frederick Fung, William G Hughson

  Applied occupational and environmental hygiene. 08/2003; 18(7):535-44.

  Occupational and environmental health professionals are confronted with issues concerning the health effects of indoor fungal bioaerosol exposure. This article reviews current data on the healthOccupational and environmental health professionals are confronted with issues concerning the health effects of indoor fungal bioaerosol exposure. This article reviews current data on the health effects of indoor mold exposure and provides practical suggestions for occupational and environmental health practitioners regarding how best to manage these exposures based on published human studies. We conducted MEDLINE searches and reviewed all English language studies on indoor mold exposure (visible survey or objective sampling) and human health effects published from 1966 to November 2002. The main findings of the studies are analyzed in conjunction with plausible association of health effects and fungal exposure. Five case control studies, 17 cross-sectional surveys, and 7 case reports met the selection criteria. Current evidence suggests that excessive moisture promotes mold growth and is associated with an increased prevalence of symptoms due to irritation, allergy, and infection. However, specific human toxicity due to inhaled fungal toxins has not been scientifically established. Methods for measuring indoor bioaerosol exposure and health assessment are not well standardized, making interpretation of existing data difficult. Additional studies are needed to document human exposure-disease and dose-response relationships.