Bookworms beware

People who frequently visit libraries may risk developing of allergic disorders, according to a study published in Aerobiologia . A B Singh and his team at the Centre for Biochemical Technology (CBT), New Delhi, have found high levels of allergy-causing fungal spores in library air. When the researchers investigated six libraries in Delhi, they found 74 different types of fungi. The fungi cause respiratory diseases such as allergenic rhinitis and bronchial asthma in persons regularly exposed to them. The use of airconditioners could help keep fungi out of libraries, the researchers say.