Airborne fungi survey. 1. Culture-plate survey of the home environment
Lumpkins, E.D.; Corbit, S.L.; Tiedeman, G.M.
Annals of Allergy 31(8): 361-370
1973
ISSN/ISBN: 0003-4738 PMID: 4737174 Document Number: 59489
A comparison was made between the incidence of fungi found outdoors and in the homes of patients with fungal allergies, in various parts of USA. One Petri dish containing Sabouraud's agar was exposed outdoors and 4 dishes of Sabouraud's agar with 0.33% rose bengal were exposed indoors, all plates being exposed for 1 h. In all, 2075 plates exposed indoors and 448 exposed outdoors were examined.Cladosporium was the most prevalent genus both indoors and outdoors but had a higher incidence outdoors. Alternaria was second in frequency and also had a higher incidence outdoors. These 2 genera probably mostly entered houses from outside. Penicillium and Aspergillus had a higher overall incidence inside houses and were particularly prevalent in basements. Pullularia was most prevalent outside, and inside it was most prevalent in basements. Cephalosporium and Trichoderma were more prevalent in basements than elsewhere. Geotrichum and Sporobolomyces were almost as frequent indoors as they were outdoors. Fomes was the 5th most common fungus outdoors. Individual homes frequently contained genera (e.g. Rhizopus) not found on simultaneously exposed outdoor plates. The seasonal and geographical incidence of the various genera are analysed. Findings lend support to home environment sampling in cases where mould allergy is suspected but the patient does not respond to the usual mould antigens.