RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Various kinds of pathogenic and non-pathogenic fungi have been isolated from the house dust, the closest environment of human beings. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose is to investigate the distribution of yeasts in house dust. METHODS: House dust was sampled from 22 families in Taegu and 56 in a rural town in Kyungpook province for 2 months from May to June, 1992. It was cultivated for years on the media containing cycloheximide (500mg/L) RESULTS: Among 78 families, 56 (71.8%) showed positive culture for yeasts in house dut;1 species in 24 (30.8%), 2 species in 19 (24.3%), 3 species in 12 (15.4%) and 4 species in 1(1.3%). Rhodotorula(Rh). Ruora was the most frequently isolated one from 36(46.2%) out of 78 families, followed by Tricosporn(T.) cutaneum 25(32.1%). Candida (C.) albicans 16 (20.5%), Pityrosporum pachydermatis 4 (5.1%) and Torulopsis candida, Cryptococcus laurentii, C. rugosa and C. guillermondii 1 (1.3%), each. CONCLUSION: Rh. rubra, T. cutaneum and C. albicans were the most important yeast species in the houst dust of both rural and raban areas.