Genotoxic and cytotoxic compounds were isolated and purified from the culture medium of an indoor air mold, Aspergillus fumigatus. One of these compounds was identified as gliotoxin, a known fungal secondary metabolite. Growth of A. fumigatus and gliotoxin production on some building materials were also studied. Strong growth of the mold and the presence of gliotoxin were detected on spruce wood, gypsum board, and chipboard under saturation conditions.Molds and actinomycetes are some of the microbial types that are associated with moisture-and mold-damaged buildings (10, 17). Exposure to dampness and different indoor air microorganisms is now accepted as harmful in both occupational and home environments. These microorganisms produce a diverse range of health effects including many irritative symptoms in the respiratory tract and eyes, allergies, asthma, and respiratory infections (9,13,14,20,27,28). There are also many hazardous agents responsible for these health effects, i.e., immunogenic, physiologically reactive, and toxic cell wall components or metabolic products produced by microorganisms. Molds and actinomycetes are known to produce bioactive secondary metabolites, though the contribution of these metabolites to the human symptoms associated with microbial aerosols is still largely unknown. Trichothecene mycotoxins produced by Stachybotrys chartarum have been associated with mycotoxicosis in people living or working in buildings infested with this fungus (4, 11).Actinomycetes and molds isolated from soil or indoor air are known to produce genotoxic secondary metabolites (8, 21). As long as the chemical nature of these compounds remains obscure, it is difficult to evaluate their toxicological significance. Therefore, our objective has been to detect and isolate genotoxic compounds from different indoor air molds and actinomycetes. The production of microbial toxins on water-damaged building materials (2,18,19,25) has been assessed, but there is no knowledge about the production of Aspergillus fumigatus specific secondary metabolites under similar conditions. However, A. fumigatus belongs to the group of indicator microorganisms typical of moisture-damaged buildings (23).In this study, we describe the isolation of three genotoxic and cytotoxic fractions from the cultivation medium of A. fumigatus isolated from indoor air and the identification of one of these fractions as gliotoxin. We also investigated the growth of, and gliotoxin production by, A. fumigatus on some building materials. MATERIALS AND METHODSThe tester strain, Aspergillus sp. strain HT30, was among the strains isolated from the indoor air of buildings with a history of moisture problems producing symptoms in the inhabitants of the building. These symptoms included those of respiratory irritation, such as rhinitis, rising phlegm, night cough, and hoarseness; irritation of eyes and skin; fatigue; and subfebrile temperatures and also included common respiratory infections, such as sinusitis and bronchitis. Subsequently, the isolate was typed ...
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