Quantitative assessment of mycological air pollution in selected rooms of residential and dormitory housing facilities.

The qualitative and quantitative mycological composition of indoor areas of three private residencies and an academic dormitory in Wroclaw, Poland was investigated. Seasonal fungal samples were obtained using a MAS-100 air sampler. The samples were cultured on three different media: Sabouraud Agar (SAB), Dichloran Glycerol Selective Medium (DG18) and Malt Extract Agar (MEA). The number of colony forming unit (CFU) values ranged from 10 CFU/m3 to 490 CFU/m3 depending on the culture medium, season, and sampling site. The identification of the cultured fungi was performed using macro- and microscopic observations and diagnostic keys. Eleven fungal genera were identified. The most common fungi were members of genera Cladosporium, Penicillium, Aspergillus, Alternaria, and Fusarium; the least common fungi were members of genera Geotrichum and Paecilomyces. Seasonal variations in the concentration of fungi were observed with the highest concentration of fungi in the spring and the lowest concentration of fungi in the winter. There were no statistically significant correlations between fungal concentrations and the temperature or the relative humidity of the sample sites.

Seasonal biodiversity of pathogenic fungi in farming air area. Case study.

Poultry production proved to be a significant source of bioaerosols. The exposure to high concentration of microorganisms in the air can cause primarily irritations, infections, allergies, and toxic effects. The aim of the present study was to investigate the seasonal biodiversity of airborne fungi in the poultry house, in the surrounding area, as well as to estimate health risk. Seasonal investigations were conducted in the spring, summer, autumn and winter 2010 in the poultry house located near Wroclaw in Lower Silesia (Poland). The air samples were collected with the use of a Merck MAS-100 onto nutrient Sabouraud agar and were incubated for 5 days at 26 degrees C. Subsequently the colony-forming units (CFU) were determined. The identification of the isolated fungi was made in accordance with the standard procedures. In the summer and autumn when the weather conditions are most friendly for the spread and the development of numerous microorganisms, fungi were more abundant in the surrounding area than in early spring and winter, when both humidity and temperature were lower. The total of 26 species were analysed (10 in the poultry house and 17 in the surrounding areas). Among 12 fungal genera: Aspergillus, Penicilium, Alternaria, Exophiala, Mycelia sterilla, Fusarium, Cladosporium, Scopulariopsis, Chaetomium, Acremonium, Candida and Rhodotorula nearly everything occurred to be the potential respiratory allergens.

[Mapping of environmental mycologic hazards using GIS method]. / Mapowanie mikologicznych zagrozen srodowiska z zastosowaniem GIS-u.

Intensive poultry production is associated with extreme densities of birds crammed into industrial-scale hen houses. Consequently, the bird keepers are exposed to elevated concentrations of dust. Exposure to dust, containing pathogenic mycological agents, may cause exacerbate asthma, allergic alveolitis, as well as organic dust toxic syndrome. Geographic Information System (GIS) allows to view, understand, question, interpret, and visualize biological data, among them mycological threats. The aim of the presently reported study was to create the mycological database from the chicken farms and their visualization on the map of Lower Silesia, Poland. Field data for Aspergillus fumigatus, A. flavus, Candida sp. were collected in Wroclaw laboratory in 2008. GIS database was formed using ArcView 9.2. computer software. The visualization data on the digital maps were analyzed for the Health and Safety Executive.