Introduction and Objective:

The Conservation and Restoration sector has not yet been fully or comprehensively addressed by Occupational Health, so there are several knowledge gaps.

The authors aimed to collect and summarize all the information they found on the topic.

Fungi are the most common microorganisms and interior spaces are no exception; growth is enhanced by humidity, high temperature, low light and nutrients.

Methodology:

A Scoping Review was conducted in February 2019, considering Scopus search engines; PubMed/ MedLine; Web of Science; Science Direct; Academic Search Complete; CINALH; Database of Abstracts and Reviews; Central Register of Controlled Trials; Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews; Nursing and Allied Health Collection; MedicLatina and RCAAP.

Content / Results:

Restored objects often have fungi whose medical impact on Conservative-Restorers is poorly evaluated. They can cause allergies, infections and/ or sometimes, even death, due to the metabolic products present. There are several techniques for assessing your presence. Some antifungal methods may be harmful to health.

Eighty-five percent of employees who came into contact with contaminated objects in a museum reported allergic symptoms, and 35 percent reported worsening of semiology during work (tearing, conjunctival erythema, itchy skin and nasal flow). Allergen-related antibodies were higher than those in the general population (24 versus 17%), for example.

Discussion and Conclusions:

Concrete and serious harms associated with some fungal strains have long been known. However, the Conservation and Restoration sector is still poorly studied in the context of Occupational Health and the risks of eventual contact with these microorganisms are no exception.

It would be very pertinent to have motivated teams to study this sector and to address some of the limitations not developed in the international literature.

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