SURVEY FOR THE DIFFERENT GROUPS OF AIRBORNE FUNGI PREVALENT IN INDOOR ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to estimate quantitatively as well as qualitatively the concentration of the indoor airborne fungi inside homes, hospitals, schools and a university. The isolation process was carried out using the exposed plat•i! method in 6 locations inside these 4 sites. The period of isolation extended for one year.

Results obtained in the present study could be summarized as follows: 1. The total fungal count was 7641 cfu.

2. Home count recorded the highest count among all other sites of isolation. 3. Seasonal variation showed a pattern of double peaks in February and October. 4. Seventy-six culturable mold species belonging to twentycnine genera in total were isolated during this study. 5. The genus Aspergillus was the dominant genus in this study representing 40% of the total with high dominance to Aspergillus f/avus among all the isolated species. 6. Highest species richness was recovered in March where 37 species were isolated. Inside the sites, home recovered the highest species diversity where 45 different species were recovered in winter. Generally 66 species were recorded in home as the highest speCies diversity among the other sites of isolation. 7. Enzymatic abilities of the isolates were studied and revealed that 65.5% of the tested isolates showed cellulolytic activity and 42.3% showed keratinolytic activity.

8. Pathogenic potentiality of the different isolates was also tested by detecting their thermotoierance ability, 205 strains grew at 37"C belonging to the following species of the genus Aspergillus: A. clavato-flavus, A. f/avus, A. fumigatus, A. niger, A. oryzae, A.