Advanced Biomedical Research

Enumeration and identification of dust fungal elements from the weather inversion phenomenon in Isfahan, Iran

Authors

1 Department of Medical Mycology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

2 Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

3 Air pollution Section, Isfahan Health Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

Background: Fungi are the major pathogens or allergens for which the air is the natural medium of their dispersal. Since the air pollution is associated with a wide range of adverse health outcomes, then identification of the type and population of fungi in these conditions will help the management of hygienic and control of fungal disease.
Materials and Methods: A total of 103 dust samples were collected from glass surfaces of different places by sedimentation method. Pollution standard indexes were provided by Environmental Protection Agency in Isfahan. All dust samples were mixed and homogenized in distilled water containing antibacterial agents. Serial cultures were done in 5 times experiments on two standard culture media. Isolated fungal colonies were identified by their standard morphologic and physiologic criteria. The analysis was performed by Mann-Whitney test calculating by SPSS version 20 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA).
Results: The real mean of total culture-able fungi in 1 g of sedimentation dust were account about 44800 colonies of different fungi. More than half of the viable fungi (62.8%) could grow out of 1 g of dust on Mycosel agar were the genera of Aspergillus, Penicillium and Cladosporium with 28.8%, 23.4% and 10.6% respectively. The dominant genus could grow on Sabouraud dextrose agar with chloramphenicol medium were the genera of Aspergillus, Cladosporium and Penicillium with 23.7%, 21.1% and 14.5% respectively.
Conclusions: Our data show the amount and variety of viable colony-forming fungi, which we are faced with in Isfahan during the air pollution condition. The real abundance of fungal particles and non-cultivable fungi in dust are still poorly understood and remain for further study in the future.

Keywords

1. Eduard W. Fungal spores: A critical review of the toxicological and epidemiological evidence as a basis for occupational exposure limit setting. Crit Rev Toxicol 2009;39:799-864.  Back to cited text no. 1
[PUBMED]    
2. Bush RK, Portnoy JM, Saxon A, Terr AI, Wood RA. The medical effects of mold exposure. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2006;117:326-33.  Back to cited text no. 2
    
3. Ayerst G. The effects of moisture and temperature on growth and spore germination in some fungi. J Stored Prod Res 1969;5:127-41.  Back to cited text no. 3
    
4. Agency UEP. Air Quality Criteria for Particulate Matter. National Center for Environmental Assessment-RTP Office U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park, NC.; 2004.  Back to cited text no. 4
    
5. Pope CA 3 rd . Epidemiology of fine particulate air pollution and human health: Biologic mechanisms and who's at risk? Environ Health Perspect 2000;108 Suppl 4:713-23.  Back to cited text no. 5
    
6. Green BJ, Tovey ER, Sercombe JK, Blachere FM, Beezhold DH, Schmechel D. Airborne fungal fragments and allergenicity. Med Mycol 2006;44 Suppl 1:S245-55.  Back to cited text no. 6
    
7. Brook RD, Franklin B, Cascio W, Hong Y, Howard G, Lipsett M, et al. Air pollution and cardiovascular disease: A statement for healthcare professionals from the expert panel on population and prevention science of the American Heart Association. Circulation 2004;109:2655-71.  Back to cited text no. 7
[PUBMED]    
8. Ho HM, Rao CY, Hsu HH, Chiu YH, Liu CM, Chao H. Characteristics and determinants of ambient fungal spores in Hualien, Taiwan. Atmos Environ 2005;39:5839-50.  Back to cited text no. 8
    
9. Monn C. Exposure assessment of air pollutants: A review on spatial heterogeneity and indoor/outdoor/personal exposure to suspended particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide and ozone. Atmos Environ 2001;35:1-32.  Back to cited text no. 9
    
10. Pöschl U. Atmospheric aerosols: Composition, transformation, climate and health effects. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2005;44:7520-40.  Back to cited text no. 10
    
11. Womiloju TO, Miller JD, Mayer PM, Brook JR. Methods to determine the biological composition of particulate matter collected from outdoor air. Atmos Environ 2003;37:4335-44.  Back to cited text no. 11
    
12. Bauer H, Schueller E, Weinke G, Berger A, Hitzenberger R, Marr IL, et al. Significant contributions of fungal spores to the organic carbon and to the aerosol mass balance of the urban atmospheric aerosol. Atmos Environ 2008;42:5542-9.  Back to cited text no. 12
    
13. Samson RA, Hoekstra ES, Frisvad JC. Introduction to Food and Airborne Fungi: Central Bureau Voor Schimmelcultures (CBS ) Utrecht, The Netherlands.; 2004.  Back to cited text no. 13
    
14. Griffin DW. Atmospheric movement of microorganisms in clouds of desert dust and implications for human health. Clin Microbiol Rev 2007;20:459-77.  Back to cited text no. 14
[PUBMED]    
15. Ruisi S, Barreca D, Selbmann L, Zucconi L, Onofri S. Fungi in Antarctica. Rev Environ Sci Biotechnol 2007;6:127-41.  Back to cited text no. 15
    
16. Prospero JM, Blades E, Mathison G, Naidu R. Interhemispheric transport of viable fungi and bacteria from Africa to the caribbean with soil dust. Aerobiologia 2005;21:1-19.  Back to cited text no. 16
    
17. Ascioglu S, Rex JH, de Pauw B, Bennett JE, Bille J, Crokaert F, et al. Defining opportunistic invasive fungal infections in immunocompromised patients with cancer and hematopoietic stem cell transplants: An international consensus. Clin Infect Dis 2002;34:7-14.  Back to cited text no. 17
[PUBMED]    
18. Denning DW. Invasive aspergillosis in immunocompromised patients. Curr Opin Infect Dis 1994;7:456.  Back to cited text no. 18
    
19. Dehghan P, Zaini F, Rezaei S, Jebali A, Kordbacheh P, Mahmoudi M. Detection of aflr gene and toxigenicity of Aspergillus flavus group isolated from patients with fungal sinusitis. Iran J Public Health 2008;37:134-141.  Back to cited text no. 19
    
20. Li CS, Hsu LY, Chou CC, Hsieh KH. Fungus allergens inside and outside the residences of atopic and control children. Arch Environ Health 1995;50:38-43.  Back to cited text no. 20
    
21. Kurup VP, Shen HD, Banerjee B. Respiratory fungal allergy. Microbes Infect 2000;2:1101-10.  Back to cited text no. 21
    
22. Howard DH. Pathogenic Fungi in Humans and Animals. USA.Florida,CRC Press; 2003.  Back to cited text no. 22
    
23. Glikson M, Rutherford S, Simpson R, Mitchell C, Yago A. Microscopic and submicron components of atmospheric particulate matter during high asthma periods in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Atmos Environ 1995;29:549-62.  Back to cited text no. 23
    
24. Bridge P, Spooner B. Soil fungi: Diversity and detection. Plant Soil 2001;232:147-54.  Back to cited text no. 24
    
25. Fröhlich-Nowoisky J, Pickersgill DA, Després VR, Pöschl U. High diversity of fungi in air particulate matter. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2009;106:12814-9.  Back to cited text no. 25
    
26. Al-Subai AA. Air-borne fungi at Doha, Qatar. Aerobiologia 2002;18:175-83.  Back to cited text no. 26
    
27. Breitenbach M, Simon-Nobbe B. The allergens of Cladosporium herbarum and Alternaria alternata. Chem Immunol 2002;81:48-72.  Back to cited text no. 27
Advanced Biomedical Research
Volume 2014, May
May 2014
Pages 1-5