Airborne Microfungi Research Articles

Bactericidal Properties of Biogenic Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized from Dematiaceous Airborne Fungi

Analysis of the extracellular biosynthesis of AgNPs was made from dematiaceous airborne microfungi and were processed for their antibiotic potential against pathogenic clinical bacterial strains procured from Imtech, Chandigarh, India. Characterization done by UV-VIS spectroscopy, FESEM, FTIR, and XRD confirmed the silver nanomaterials synthesized from the fungi. The antibacterial potency of the AgNPs was found to be very good against five bacterial pathogens viz., Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris Staphylococcus aureus, and Vibrio cholerae. The synergistic effect of silver nanoparticles synthesized from Alternaria solani with Tetracycline was found to be the maximum effective combined drug to control the pathogenic bacteria in comparison to the silver nanoparticles alone. MTT assay proved the AgNPs have no toxicity towards the Vero cell line at low concentration, and the nature of susceptibility of cells exposed to various AgNPs depends on the type and source of mammalian cells in vitro.

식물정유의 실내 총부유 곰팡이에 대한 생장 억제 활성 평가

식물정유의 실내 총부유 곰팡이에 대한 생장 억제 활성 평가

A-36 住宅の床下空間における温湿度と空中浮遊カビ濃度の測定

A-36 住宅の床下空間における温湿度と空中浮遊カビ濃度の測定

Cultivable microscopic fungi from an underground chemosynthesis-based ecosystem: a preliminary study.

Movile Cave, a unique groundwater ecosystem in southern Romania, was discovered in 1986. This chemoautotrophic cave contains an abundant and diverse fauna with terrestrial and aquatic invertebrate communities, including 33 endemic species. Since its discovery, studies have focused mainly on cave chemoautotrophic bacteria, while the microfungal community has been largely neglected. In this study, we determined the microfungal species living on various substrates in Movile Cave and compared this spectrum with the mycobiota detected outside the cave (outside air-borne and soil-borne microfungi). To investigate all of the niches, we collected samples for two consecutive years from the dry part of the cave (cave air and sediment, corroded limestone walls, isopod feces, and isopod and spider cadavers) and from the post-siphon part of the cave, i.e., Airbell II (sediment and floating microbial mat). A total of 123 microfungal species were identified from among several hundred isolates. Of these, 96 species were only detected in the cave environment and not outside of the cave, while 90 species were from the dry part of the cave and 28 were from Airbell II. The most diverse genera were Penicillium (at least 18 species) and Aspergillus (14 species), followed by Cladosporium (9 species). Surprisingly, high CFU counts of air-borne microfungi were found inside the cave; they were even higher than outside the cave during the first year of investigation.

Airborne microfungi in Oncology Service of Medical School Hospital of Trakya University

This study was performed in six different stations – drug preparation, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and three different patient rooms – in Oncology Service of Trakya University Medical Hospital in Edirne. Indoor air samples of equal volumes of 100 L were taken twice a month during the six-month study period. The analysis of samples showed that 8540 microfungi colonies were present in a total of 7.2 m3 air sample. November and April were found to be the months during which the highest numbers of fungal spores were isolated with 2570 CFU/m3 and 2060 CFU/m3, respectively, while the lowest spore counts were isolated during January (730 CFU/m3). Penicillium was found to be the most commonly isolated fungal genus with 2950 CFU/m3/spore followed by Cladosporium with 2110 CFU/m3. The other fungal genera isolated during the study are Aspergillus (640 CFU/m3), Alternaria (200 CFU/m3), Trichoderma (70 CFU/m3) and Rhizopus (40 CFU/m3). Among the most frequently isolated fungal species, Penicillium brevicompactum was the most common species with 960 CFU/m3 followed by Cladosporium cladosporioides with 930 CFU/m3. Aspergillus fumigatus, the fungal species of paramount importance in terms of human health, was also reported with a 410 CFU/m3. Statistical analyses were performed in order to reveal the relationship between microfungal colony numbers isolated and station temperature and relative humidity.

Preliminary survey of indoor and outdoor airborne microfungi at coastal buildings in Egypt

Forty six species and two sterile fungi and yeast species were isolated from samples collected both indoors and outdoors of coastal buildings located in an Egyptian coastal city. Twenty flats from ten buildings were investigated; children living in these buildings have been reported to suffer from respiratory illnesses. Samples were taken using a New Brunswick sampler (model STA-101) operating for 3.0 min at a flow rate of 6.0 l/min. Most of the species isolated have been associated with symptoms of respiratory allergies. Indoors the total culturable fungal count was 1548 CFU/m3; outdoors, it was 1452 CFU/m3. Indoor values of culturable fungal count, total spores count and ergosterol content ranged from 52 to 124 CFU/m3, 100 to 400 spore/m3 and 5 to 27.7 mg/m3, respectively, whereas outdoor levels typically varied between 25 and 222 CFU/m3, 110 and 900 spore/m3 and 3.3 and 67.2 mg/m3, respectively. The maxima for these parameters were detected indoors in house no. 6 and outdoors, outside of house no. 7. The most abundant species were primarily mitosporic (2832 CFU/m3). The most frequent species in both the indoor and outdoor samples were Cladosporium cladosporioides followed by Alternaria alternata and Penicillium chrysogenum,with inside:outside ratios of 1.4, 1.8 and 1.9, respectively. The patterns of fungal abundance were influenced to some extent by changes in the relative humidity and temperature. Other factors, such as type of culture media, rate of sedimentation, size, survival rates of spore and species competition,also affected fungal counts and should be taken into consideration during any analysis of bioaerosol data.

Airborne microfungi from eastern Canadian sawmills.

Working in sawmills is associated with bioaerosol exposure and respiratory health problems. This study is the first to analyze the mycoflora of eastern Canadian sawmills and the nature of airborne contamination at different work sites. Fifty work sites (debarking, sawing, planing, and sorting) within 17 sawmills were sampled for airborne microfungi. One thousand seven hundred strains were isolated, quantified to determine the frequency of occurrence, and then identified. Unlike the European studies, we did not frequently identify the presence of fungi that were described in European sawmills as being related to respiratory health problems. In eastern Canadian sawmills, Penicillium species are the most frequently isolated microfungi.

Airborne microfungi from eastern Canadian sawmills

Airborne microfungi from eastern Canadian sawmills

Mould Allergy in Schoolchildren in Relation to Airborne Fungi and Residential Characteristics in Homes and Schools in Northern Norway

Abstract During winter, airborne microfungi were collected from the homes and schools of 19 children sensitized to house dust mites (HDM) and 19 non-atopic control children in the community of Sør-Varanger, northern Norway. The samples were cultivated and microfungal growth was identified microscopically. Indoor humidity, temperature, carbon dioxide (CO2), allergic symptoms and sensitization were registered. Symptom data and information concerning sociodemographic and housing conditions were obtained using a questionnaire. Penicillium was the most common microfungus in both homes and schools, followed by different yeasts, Aspergillus, Cladosporium and Mucor. The number of infected homes was equal in the HDM-sensitized and in the control group, but the mean aerospore counts were higher in the HDM-sensitized than in the control group. The lowest aerospore counts were found in the schools. High airborne spore counts appeared to be related to high indoor humidity. Only four children were sensitized to fungi, and these children were also sensitized to other allergens, such as animal dander and pollen, and suffered from asthma, allergic rhinoconjuncitivits (AR) and atopic dermatitis (AD). Three of these four children also had high counts of aerospores in their homes. However, no consistent association between mould growth and sensitization to moulds could be observed. The health implications of indoor fungal exposure may be multifactorial.

Viable fungi in indoor air in homes and schools in the Sør-Varanger community during winter.

The present study investigated the content of fungal aerospores in homes and schools of house-dust-mite (HDM)-sensitized and control children in a subarctic area. During winter, airborne microfungi were collected from the homes and schools of 19 HDM-sensitized children and 19 nonatopic controls, all living in the community of Sør-Varanger, northern Norway. The samples were cultivated and microfungal growth was identified microscopically. Indoor humidity, temperature, and carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations were measured. Housing conditions and sociodemographic and symptom data were obtained by a questionnaire. Penicillium was the most common microfungus in both homes and schools, followed by various yeasts, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, and Mucor. The number of infected homes was equal in the HDM-sensitized group and the control group, but aerospore counts were higher in the HDM-sensitized group than in the control group. The lowest aerospore counts were found in the schools. High aerospore counts also appeared to be related to high indoor humidity. The keeping of pets and damp indoor conditions were more frequent in homes of HDM-sensitized children than in the control group, whereas parental smoking and carpeting occurred with equal frequency in both groups. This indicates that no allergy sanitation measures had been undertaken, especially in the homes of the HDM-sensitized children.

Characteristics of airborne microfungi in subtropical homes

Because of high relative humidity (60–90%) and mild temperature (15–37°C) all year round, fungi grow more quickly and easily in Taiwan, a subtropical country. Field evaluations of airborne fungi indoors and outdoors in two major types of cities (Taipei and Tai-Chi) in Taiwan were conducted during the fungus concentration peak season. Two-stage Andersen culture plate impactors were used to determine the number concentrations, genus and respirable fraction of indoor and outdoor fungi. The geometric mean concentrations of indoor and outdoor fungi in these two areas were found to be > 1000 colony forming units (CFU) m −3. In addition, Aspergillus, Penicillium, Cladosporium and yeast were observed to be dominant and their number concentrations in some homes exceeded 1000 CFU m −3.Moreover, the indoor and outdoor concentrations of the abundant fungi were found to be moderately correlated.

Air spore microfungi in dwellings of south of Spain

Indoor and outdoor airborne microfungi were studied in fourteen homes of Cordoba (Spain) for two years. Samplings were done gravimetrically in three rooms in each home and, for comparison, also outdoors. An overall 128 taxa were identified, which were classified according to their occurrence into occasional, frequent and permanent. No statistically significant quantitative differences were found between the microfungi in each room. On the other hand, there were significant quantitative differences between indoor and outdoor microfungi. Spores occurred at their maximum concentrations in spring. Finally,Aspergillus andCladosporium were found to be the most abundant genera indoors and outdoors, respectively.

On the connection between the occurrence of airborne microfungi and allergy symptoms

Abstract The clinical value of investigations of the patients' environment—indoor as well as outdoor—with the purpose of showing the connection between occurrence of microfungi and allergy symptoms is demonstrated. Type I and Type III allergic symptoms were correlated to Alternaria, Botrytis, Penicillium, Cladosporium and Paecilomyces.

A three-year-survey of microfungi in the air of Copenhagen 1977-79.

The presence and prevalence of common saprophytic airborne microfungi has been studied. Since August 1977 culturable microfungi in the outdoor air of Copenhagen have been monitored. The method used is a volumetric analysis by means of a Biap Slit-Sampler. The microfungal flora was dominated by very few genera, thus Cladosporium, Alternaria, Penicillium and Aspergillus make up 86.8% of the organisms collected. The mere number of microfungal spores might be misleading as a guide to the relative importance of atmospheric allergens. An alternative or a supplementary parameters could be the spore substance expressed as cubic spore substance/m3 of air, as suggested by Hyde (20). Most fungi show a seasonal dependence as well as fluctuations from year to year. The high season for living microfungi is found to be from June until October. The microfungi thus constitute a prolongation of the pollen season, a fact of importance in relation to patients suffering from inhalation-allergy.

Identification and quantitation of indoor airborne micro-fungi during 12 months from 44 Danish homes.

Identification and quantitation of indoor airborne micro-fungi during 12 months from 44 Danish homes.