Evaluation of Methods for Enumerating Microorganisms in Filter Samples from Highly Contaminated Occupational Environments

Eduard, Wijnand; Lacey, J.; Karlsson, K.; Palmgren, Urban; Ström, Gunnar; Blomquist, Göran

doi:10.1202/0002-8894(1990)051<0427:eomfem>2.0.co;2

Cited by 14 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…For instance, Karlsson and Malmberg (1989) found culturability of approximately 17% including bacteria, actinomycetes, and fungi together in an agricultural environment. Eduard et al (1990) reported that the culturability of fungi in a sawmill and a pig confinement ranged from 3% to 98%. The culturability level obtained by Hanhela et al (1995) was between 1% and 10%; however, they also included actinomycete spores in the total count.…”

Section: Culturabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Culturability and concentration of indoor and outdoor airborne fungi in six single-family homes

Lee

Grinshpun

Martuzevičius

et al. 2006

Atmospheric Environment

132

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In this study, the culturability of indoor and outdoor airborne fungi was determined through longterm sampling (24-h) using a Button Personal Inhalable Aerosol Sampler. The air samples were collected during three seasons in six Cincinnati area homes that were free from moisture damage or visible mold. Cultivation and total microscopic enumeration methods were employed for the sample analysis. The geometric means of indoor and outdoor culturable fungal concentrations were 88 and 102 colony-forming units (CFU) m -3 , respectively, with a geometric mean of the I/O ratio equal to 0.66. Overall, 26 genera of culturable fungi were recovered from the indoor and outdoor samples. For total fungal spores, the indoor and outdoor geometric means were 211 and 605 spores m -3 , respectively, with a geometric mean of I/O ratio equal to 0.32. The identification revealed 37 fungal genera from indoor and outdoor samples based on the total spore analysis. Indoor and outdoor concentrations of culturable and total fungal spores showed significant correlations (r = 0.655, p<0.0001 and r = 0.633, p<0.0001, respectively). The indoor and outdoor median viabilities of fungi were 55% and 25%, respectively, which indicates that indoor environment provides more favorable survival conditions for the aerosolized fungi. Among the seasons, the highest indoor and outdoor culturability of fungi was observed in the fall. Cladosporium had a highest median value of culturability (38% and 33% for indoor and outdoor, respectively) followed by Aspergillus/ Penicillium (9% and 2%) among predominant genera of fungi. Increased culturability of fungi inside the homes may have important implications because of the potential increase in the release of allergens from viable spores and pathogenicity of viable fungi on immunocompromised individuals.

show abstract

Section: Culturabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Culturability and concentration of indoor and outdoor airborne fungi in six single-family homes

Lee

Grinshpun

Martuzevičius

et al. 2006

Atmospheric Environment

132

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Because DG18 agar favors the growth of slowly growing fungi, such as W sebi, and inhibits the growth of fast growing genera, it is recommended for enumerating xerophilic fungi from dried, low-moisture foodstuffs and from the air in occupational environments where fast growing fungi (eg, Eurotiunz spp (A glnucus, imperfect state) are present (19,23). W sebi may be an important fungus as an aspect of health effects, because its spores are small (2.5-3.5 ym in diameter) and they usually occur in spore aggregates of less than three spores in the air (11,24). Thus airborne spores of W sebi can easily reach the alveolar region of the lung.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Fungal spores originate from different sources in the agricultural environment. Laboratory and experimental studies have indicated that the same fungal species that are identified in hay, grain, straw, silage, wood shavings, and sawdust are also detected in the air samples collected during the handling of the same materials (6,(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, in recent years, direct epifluorescence, scanning electron and light microscope counting techniques have been developed for making the total spore count Ministry of Labour, Occupational Safety and Health Division, Tampere, Finland. 5,6,11,17). However, the identification of microorganisms seems to be a problem with these methods, beca~lse it is solely based on differences in spore size, shape, and surface ornamentation.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For highly contaminated occupational environments, the use of viable counting techniques has been criticized because of the short sampling times, a risk of overloaded agar plates, and a consequent large variability in concentrations between samples (6,11,16). In addition, viable spores or culturable spores, as a matter of fact, represent only a small part of the total airborne spores.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Prevalence of microfungi in Finnish cow barns and some aspects of the occurrence of Wallemia sebi and Fusaria

Hanhela¹,

Louhelainen²,

Al³

1995

Scand J Work Environ Health

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Hanhela R, Louhelainen K, Pasanen A-L. Prevalence of microfungi in Finnish cow barns and some aspects of the occurrence of Wallemia sebi and Fusaria. Scand J Work Environ Health 1995;21:223--8. Objectives The occurrence of microfungi in the air and in feeding and bedding materials was studied on 32 Finnish dairy farms. Methods Air samples for determining viable and total spore concentrations were collected on membrane filters and with a cascade impactor. Genera of mesophilic, xerophilic, and thermophilic fungi were identified in four culture media. Total spore counts were done with the aid of an epifluorescence microscope. To identify fungal flora in agricultural materials, feeding and bedding material samples were also taken from the farms. Results The airborne spore concentrations varied for viable mesophilic, xerophilic, and ther mophilic fungi from 10' to lo7 colony-forming units per cubic meter, and for total spores from lo5 to lo7 spores per cubic meter. Asl~ergillus, Perzicilliur?z, Cladosporiunz, Absidia species, Wclllenzin sebi and yeasts were the predominant fungi in the air, as well as in the material samples. C O~C~U S~O~S In general, the airborne spore concentrations were high although the variation in the concentrations of different fungal groups was large between the farms. Along with using new growth media, two fungi whose prevalence was earlier poorly known in Finland were detected. W sebi proved to be the most abundant xerophilic fungi in the air and hay samples, while Fusariunz spp were very common in grain and straw but rare in air.

show abstract

Air sampling of fungal spores on filters. An investigation on passive sampling and viability

Näsman¹,

Blomquist²,

Levin³

1999

J. Environ. Monitor.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In this study, glycerol was tested as a collection substrate for passive bioaerosol sampling. Filters (mixed cellulose acetate and nitrate) were soaked in glycerol and exposed for an aerosol from three different fungal species: Penicillum commune, Aspergillus versicolor and Paecilomyces variotii. The passive sampling method was compared with a closed-face polycarbonate filter sampling method. Exposure was performed in an exposure chamber. The total number of spores was determined by microscopic techniques, and the cultivable number was determined by cultivation on Malt Extract Agar dishes. The glycerol soaked filter demonstrated a good correlation with the closed-face sampler with regard to the total count. Spores stored in a pumped filter cassette were not affected by storage for up to 7 days. On the other hand, the culturability of the spores was markedly decreased after 1 day when stored on glycerol soaked filters.

show abstract

Evaluation of Methods for Enumerating Microorganisms in Filter Samples from Highly Contaminated Occupational Environments

Cited by 14 publications

References 0 publications

Culturability and concentration of indoor and outdoor airborne fungi in six single-family homes

Culturability and concentration of indoor and outdoor airborne fungi in six single-family homes

Prevalence of microfungi in Finnish cow barns and some aspects of the occurrence of Wallemia sebi and Fusaria

Air sampling of fungal spores on filters. An investigation on passive sampling and viability

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About