scholarly journals Diversity and Seasonal Dynamics of Airborne Fungi in Nerja Cave, Spain

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (13) ◽  
pp. 6236
Author(s):  
Valme Jurado ◽  
Yolanda Del Rosal ◽  
Cristina Liñan ◽  
Tamara Martin-Pozas ◽  
Jose Luis Gonzalez-Pimentel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Seasonal Dynamics ◽  
Novel Species ◽  
Fungal Spores ◽  
Airborne Fungi ◽  
Southern Spain ◽  
Cold Air ◽  
High Occurrence ◽  
Penicillium Spores ◽  
Aerobiological Study

Nerja Cave, Southern Spain, was revealed as an important biodiversity reservoir from which several novel species of Aspergillus were described. We carried out an aerobiological study in Nerja Cave to assess the origin of airborne fungi. This study quantified the fungi present in the air of ten representative halls covering the three sectors comprising the cave: Touristic Galleries, High Galleries, and New Galleries. Microclimatological monitoring allowed us to understand the dynamic of airborne fungi in two seasons of the year (winter and summer), corresponding to the strongest and the lowest cave ventilation, and to validate the influence that the transport of airborne fungi from outside may have on the cave itself. The data show that cold air enters in winter, as confirmed by the abundant presence of Aspergillus and Penicillium spores inside and outside the cave. In summer, the abundance of some fungi in the air of Nerja Cave, which are not detected outside, indicates a stagnation or low ventilation, and therefore, the concentration of fungal spores is maxima. The high occurrence of Cladosporium outside the cave and the scarce abundance inside support the cave stagnation in this season.

scholarly journals Airborne Fungi in Show Caves from Southern Spain

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 5027
Author(s):  
Irene Dominguez-Moñino ◽  
Valme Jurado ◽  
Miguel Angel Rogerio-Candelera ◽  
Bernardo Hermosin ◽  
Cesareo Saiz-Jimenez
Keyword(s):  
Entomopathogenic Fungi ◽  
Airborne Fungi ◽  
Southern Spain ◽  
Ecological Indicator ◽  
Outdoor Air ◽  
Northern Spain ◽  
Pochonia Chlamydosporia ◽  
The North ◽  
Show Caves ◽  
Characteristic Features

The aerobiology of caves in Southern Spain possesses special characteristics, different from caves located in Northern Spain. Previous studies demonstrated the influence of outdoor air on caves in the north and the existence of two different patterns, depending on the season. In summer there is an abundance of Ascomycota, whereas in winter Basidiomycota predominates, which are related to the periods of stagnation and ventilation, respectively. In caves in Southern Spain the presence of airborne Basidiomycota is scarce and Ascomycota represents the main group of fungi widely distributed across the caves in all seasons. The most characteristic features were the abundant presence of entomopathogenic fungi (Beauveria bassiana, Parengyodontium album, Pochonia chlamydosporia, Leptobacillium symbioticum, Leptobacillium leptobactrum) and Cladosporium cladosporioides in Cueva del Tesoro, Cueva de Ardales and Gruta de las Maravillas. However, the presence of yeasts of the genera Cutaneotrichosporon, Trichosporon, Cryptococcus, Naganishia, Cystobasidium, Microstroma and Phragmotaenium was exclusive to Gruta de las Maravillas. Fungal hazard in the three show caves were determined using an ecological indicator based on the concentration of spores in cave air.

scholarly journals First Speleomycological Study on the Occurrence of Psychrophilic and Psychrotolerant Aeromycota in the Brestovská Cave (Western Tatras Mts., Slovakia) and First Reports for Some Species at Underground Sites

Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 497
Author(s):  
Rafał Ogórek ◽  
Mateusz Speruda ◽  
Justyna Borzęcka ◽  
Agata Piecuch ◽  
Magdalena Cal
Keyword(s):  
Global Warming ◽  
Immune System ◽  
Biological Material ◽  
Fungal Spores ◽  
Airborne Fungi ◽  
Fungal Species ◽  
Air Samples ◽  
Cold Adapted ◽  
First Report

Most underground ecosystems are heterotrophic, fungi in these objects are dispersed in the air in the form of spores, and they may be potentially hazardous to mammals. Research in underground sites has focused on mesophilic airborne fungi and only a few concerned cold-adapted species. Therefore, the goal of our research was the first report of psychrophilic and psychrotolerant aeromycota in the Brestovská Cave using culture-based techniques with genetic and phenotypic identification. Plates with PDA medium containing sampled biological material were incubated at 8 ± 0.5 °C. The density of mycobiota inside the cave ranged from 37.4 to 71 CFU 1 m−3 of air and 63.3 CFU 1 m−3 of air outside the cave. Thus, the level of fungal spores did not exceed the standards for the mycological quality of the air. A total of 18 species were isolated during the study, and some species may be potentially dangerous to people with weakened immune system. All fungal species were present inside the cave and only seven of them were outside. Cladosporium cladosporioides dominated in the external air samples and Mortierella parvispora was cultured most frequently from internal air samples. To our knowledge, this is the first discovery of the fungal species such as Coniothyrium pyrinum, Cystobasidium laryngis, Filobasidium wieringae, Leucosporidium drummii, M. parvispora, Mrakia blollopis, Nakazawaea holstii, and Vishniacozyma victoriae in the air inside the underground sites. Moreover, C. pyrinum, C. laryngis, L. drummii, M. blollopis, and N. holstii have never been detected in any component of the underground ecosystems. There are possible reasons explaining the detection of those species, but global warming is the most likely.

scholarly journals Diversity, Concentration and Dynamics of Culturable Fungal Bioaerosols at Doha, Qatar

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 182
Author(s):  
Raghdaa K. Fayad ◽  
Roda F. Al-Thani ◽  
Fatima A. Al-Naemi ◽  
Mohammed H. Abu-Dieyeh
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Fungal Spores ◽  
Gravimetric Method ◽  
Fungal Spore ◽  
Industrial Area ◽  
Airborne Fungi ◽  
Culture Collection ◽  
Colony Count ◽  
Study Sites ◽  
Future Work

This research was conducted to investigate the dynamics of airborne fungi using viable culture collection and in respect to different abiotic variables, including seasonal and intra-diurnal variations. A gravimetric method was used to sample airborne fungal deposition on potato dextrose agar plates on alternate days, for a year between April 2015 to March 2016. From 176 settle plate exposures, a total of 1197 mould and 283 yeast colony-forming units (CFU), 21 genera and 62 species were retrieved. The highest fungal spore count was recorded in February 2016, whereas the lowest count occurred in August 2015. The main constituents of the fungal airspora were attributed to Cladosporium (60.2%), Aspergillus (10.4%), Fusarium (9.4%), Alternaria (8.5%), and Ganoderma spp. (2.3%). Temperature was negatively correlated with total colony count (r = −0.231, p ≤ 0.05) or species richness (r = −0.267, p ≤ 0.001), while wind speed was positively correlated with total colony count (r = 0.484, p ≤ 0.001) or species richness (r = 0.257, p ≤ −0.001). The highest dispersal of fungal spores was obtained at 18:00, whereas the lowest fungal spores release was recorded at 00:00 (midnight). There were no significant differences in species composition and richness of the airborne fungal population between two study sites, the Industrial area and Qatar University Campus. The count of Alternaria spp. and Fusarium spp. were significantly higher at the Industrial area site, which corresponds to a higher CO2 level than the Qatar University site. This study lays the foundation for future work to assess the implications of such aeromycological data on public health.

Aerobiological study of fungal spores from Palencia (Spain)

Aerobiologia ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Baudilio Herrero ◽  
M. Amor Fombella-Blanco ◽  
Delia Fernández-González ◽  
Rosa Maria Valencia-Barrera
Keyword(s):  
Fungal Spores ◽  
Aerobiological Study

An aerobiological study of pollen grains and fungal spores of Barcelona (Spain)

Aerobiologia ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 255-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monserrat Roses-Codinachs ◽  
Maria Suarez-Cervera ◽  
Jesus Marquez ◽  
Jose Torres
Keyword(s):  
Fungal Spores ◽  
Pollen Grains ◽  
Aerobiological Study

scholarly journals Airborne fungi in the city of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

2002 ◽  
Vol 44 (5) ◽  
pp. 269-272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adelina MEZZARI ◽  
Christiano PERIN ◽  
Sidnei Alves SANTOS JÚNIOR ◽  
Luiz Antonio Guerra BERND
Keyword(s):  
Fungal Spores ◽  
Specific Treatment ◽  
Airborne Fungi ◽  
Rio Grande Do Sul ◽  
Porto Alegre ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Rotorod Sampler ◽  
Electric Engine ◽  
The City ◽  
Allergic Manifestations

Knowledge of anemophilous fungi in a given city or region is important for the ecological diagnosis and specific treatment of allergic manifestations induced by inhaled allergens. In order to diagnose the presence of anemophilous fungi, several qualitative and quantitative techniques are used depending on the study place. This study of fungal air spores was performed with a Rotorod Sampler®, an equipment which samples the air through a plastic rod attached to an electric engine that makes it spin fast enough to collect the particles in the air. The samples were collected once a week during 24 hours using the standard cycle of the manufacturers. A total of 52 samples were obtained from April 2000 through March 2001. The results revealed prevalence of ascosporos (50.49%), Cladosporium (17.86%), Aspergillus/Penicillium (15.03%), basidiosporos (3.84%), rusts (3.82%), and Helminthosporium (2.49%), and a lesser frequency of Botrytis (1.22%), Alternaria (1.19%), smuts (0.90%), Curvularia (0.87%), Nigrospora (0.61%), and Fusarium (0.08%). Also, 1.59% of the spores detected here could not be identified by the systematic key used. More fungal spores were observed during the summer than during the autumn.

scholarly journals Alteromonas hispanica sp. nov., a polyunsaturated-fatty-acid-producing, halophilic bacterium isolated from Fuente de Piedra, southern Spain

2005 ◽  
Vol 55 (6) ◽  
pp. 2385-2390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernando Martínez-Checa ◽  
Victoria Béjar ◽  
Inmaculada Llamas ◽  
Ana del Moral ◽  
Emilia Quesada
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acid ◽  
Type Strain ◽  
Novel Species ◽  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
Halophilic Bacterium ◽  
Southern Spain ◽  
Isoprenoid Quinone ◽  
Hypersaline Water ◽  
Phenotypic Tests ◽  
Major Isoprenoid Quinone

Strain F-32T, which produces exopolysaccharides and contains polyunsaturated fatty acids, was isolated from a hypersaline water sample collected from Fuente de Piedra (southern Spain). Phylogenetic analyses indicated conclusively that the strain in question belonged to the genus Alteromonas. Phenotypic tests showed that it could be assigned to the genus Alteromonas although it had a number of distinctive characteristics: it is moderately halophilic, growing best with 7·5–10 % w/v NaCl; it grows at 4 °C and produces H2S; it does not grow with d-cellobiose, d-fructose, d-galactose, d-glucose or lactose as sole sources of carbon and energy; and its fatty-acid profile is typical of Alteromonas but it also contains a large amount of an unusual acid with three double bonds [18 : 3ω6c (6, 9, 12); 5·01 %, w/v]. The major isoprenoid quinone is Q8. The DNA G+C content is 46·3 mol%. The phylogenetic, phenotypic and genetic properties of strain F-32T place it within a novel species, for which the name Alteromonas hispanica sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is F-32T (=CECT 7067T=LMG 22958T).

scholarly journals Analysis of culturable airborne fungi in outdoor environments in Tianjin, China

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yumna Nageen ◽  
Michael Dare Asemoloye ◽  
Sergei Põlme ◽  
Xiao Wang ◽  
Shihan Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wind Speed ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Fungal Community ◽  
Fungal Spores ◽  
Winter Season ◽  
Airborne Fungi ◽  
Influential Factor ◽  
Urban Site ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Outdoor Environments

Abstract Background Fungal spores dispersed in the atmosphere may become cause of different pathological conditions and allergies for human beings. A number of studies have been performed to analyze the diversity of airborne fungi in different environments worldwide, and in particular in many urban areas in China. We investigated, for the first time, the diversity, concentration and distribution of airborne fungi in Tianjin city. We sampled 8 outdoor environments, using open plate method, during a whole winter season. Isolated fungi were identified by morphological and molecular analysis. Environmental factors which could influence the airborne fungi concentration (temperature, humidity, wind speed, and air pressure) were monitored and analyzed. The effect of different urban site functions (busy areas with high traffic flow and commercial activities vs. green areas) on airborne fungal diversity was also analyzed. Results A total of 560 fungal strains, belonging to 110 species and 49 genera of Ascomycota (80 %), Basidiomycota (18 %), and Mucoromycota (2 %) were isolated in this study. The dominant fungal genus was Alternaria (22 %), followed by Cladosporium (18.4 %), Naganishia (14.1 %), Fusarium (5.9 %), Phoma (4.11 %), and Didymella (4.8 %). A fungal concentration ranging from 0 to 3224.13 CFU m− 3 was recorded during the whole study. Permutational multivariate analysis showed that the month was the most influential factor for airborne fungal community structure, probably because it can be regarded as a proxy of environmental variables, followed by wind speed. The two analyzed environments (busy vs. green) had no detectable effect on the air fungal community, which could be related to the relatively small size of parks in Tianjin and/or to the study season. Conclusions Our study shed light on the highly diverse community of airborne fungi characterizing the outdoor environments of Tianjin, and clarified the role that different environmental factors played in shaping the analyzed fungal community. The dominant presence of fungi with potential hazardous effect on human health, such as Alternaria, Cladosporium and Naganishia, deserves further attention. Our results may represent a valuable source of information for air quality monitoring, microbial pollution control, and airborne diseases prevention.

Occupational aflatoxin exposure among feed mill workers in Nigeria

2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 385-389 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Oluwafemi ◽  
T. Odebiyi ◽  
A. Kolapo
Keyword(s):  
Aflatoxin B1 ◽  
Fungal Spores ◽  
Airborne Fungi ◽  
Incidence Rates ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Occupational Groups ◽  
Blood Samples ◽  
Aflatoxin B2 ◽  
Aspergillus Candidus ◽  
Feed Mill

There are indications that significant levels of mycotoxins may be absorbed from inhaled fungal spores. The problem is likely to be most serious with aflatoxins. Indoor airborne fungi in three feed mills in south-western Nigeria were assayed using Sabouraud dextrose agar and coconut agar medium. Fungi isolated include Aspergillus flavus, Rhizopus spp., Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus candidus, Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus terreus with incidence rates of 61, 15, 12, 5, 5 and 2%, respectively. Amount and type of aflatoxins produced in Sabouraud dextrose broth by aflatoxigenic strains of A. flavus isolated at the three mills were strain dependent. Exposure of feed mill workers to aflatoxins was assessed by HPLC analysis of blood samples. Subjects from different occupational groups served as a control group. The mean concentrations of aflatoxin B1, B2, G1 and G2 in blood samples of the feed mill workers varied from 73.4-189.2, <0.1-0.5, 0.3-1.9 and <0.1-3.4 ng/ml, respectively. There was a significant difiference between the mills regarding blood aflatoxin levels of the workers; poorly ventilated mills resulted in higher blood aflatoxin B1 levels. Aflatoxin B1 was not detected in the blood samples of the control group; mean concentrations of aflatoxin B2, G1 and G2 detected in this group varied from <0.1-0.3, 0.4-1.5 and <0.1-0.3 ng/ml, respectively. Results from the present study showed that ventilation of feed mills is an important issue that should be considered to lower the risk of aflatoxin exposure among feed mill workers.

An Assessement of the Air Quality in Apple Warehouses : New Record of Aspergillus Europaeus, Aspergillus Pulverulentus, Penicillium Allii and Penicllium Sumatraense as Decay Agents

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marwa SMIRI ◽  
Amina KHEIREDDINE ◽  
Rania Hammami ◽  
Mustapha ROUISSI ◽  
Eduardo Antonio Espeso ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fungal Spores ◽  
Storage Period ◽  
Airborne Fungi ◽  
Storage Conditions ◽  
Fungal Species ◽  
Penicillium Expansum ◽  
Phenotypic Characterization ◽  
In Vivo Experiments ◽  
Gravity Settling

Abstract Airborne fungi are one of the major components of aeromycobiota known to produce several fungal diseases in fruits. Their presence in indoor environment of warehouses may limit the storage period of apples. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of airborne fungal spores were conducted using gravity settling techniques to detect fungal airspora present in the atmosphere of two apple warehouses in Tunisia. In this study, 375 fungal isolates were obtained and purified. Phylogenetic analysis of Calmodulin, beta-tubulin and ITS regions coupled with phenotypic characterization helped to identify fifteen fungal species. Penicillium exhibited the highest diversity with ten species detected (Penicillium expansum, Penicillium allii, Penicillium polonicum, Penicillium solitum, Penicillium chrysogenum, Penicillium steckii, Penicillium viridicatum, Penicillium sumatraense, Penicillium italicum and Penicillium citrinum), followed by four species of Aspergillus genus (Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus pulverulentus, Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus europaeus) and Alternaria alternata. In vivo experiments confirmed the pathogenicity of thirteen species at room temperature and under cold-storage conditions. Among them, A. europaeus, A. pulverulentus, P. allii and P. Sumatraense were described for the first time as pathogenic on apples. The present study identified the major airborne fungi associated with postharvest rot in apple storage facilities in Tunisia and may help in efficient control of post-harvest and storage fruit diseases.

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