Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene

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http://journalsonline.tandf.co.uk/link.asp?id=U6GBTKG5B629D5AG

Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene

Publisher: & Francis Health Sciences, part of the

& Francis Group

Issue: Volume 1, Number 8 / August 2004

Pages: 500 - 504

URL: Linking Options

Culturability and Toxicity of Sick Building Syndrome-Related Fungi

Over Time

C. A1, Curtis G. Carriker A1, Trevor L. Brasel A1,

Enusha Karunasena A1, R. A1, Chunfa Wu A1, Larysa A.

Andriychuk A1, R. Fogle A1, M. A1, C.

Straus A1

A1 Center for Indoor Air Research, Department of Microbiology and

Immunology, Health Sciences Center Texas Tech University, Lubbock,

Texas

Abstract:

Two experiments were conducted regarding the culturability and

toxicity of fungi located on building materials over time and the

efficacy of seven laboratory techniques in recovering culturable

fungi from sample swabs. In the first experiment, eight sections of

drywall were inoculated with Stachybotrys chartarum and stored at 25

± 5°C and 20-60% relative humidity (RH) for up to two years. Another

eight sections of ceiling tile were stored at 100% RH for 1 year. Six

sections of ceiling tile and 15 swabs were also inoculated with

Penicillium chrysogenum and S. chartarum respectively and stored

under the same conditions for 8 months and 3.3 years. All materials

were tested for culturability at the end of the storage period. S.

chartarum-inoculated samples were also tested for toxicity. In the

second experiment (replicated twice), S. chartarum and Chaetomium

globosum were inoculated onto 84 swabs each. Storage was up to 266

days at 25 ± 5°C and 20-60% RH. Seven techniques were compared

regarding the recovery of culturable fungi from the swabs over

different time points. Results for Experiment 1 showed that all

samples were culturable after the storage period and that the S.

chartarum-inoculated drywall samples were toxic. In Experiment 2, all

techniques showed high rates of recovery. These data show that

despite being without a water source, these organisms can be

culturable and toxic after long periods of time under conditions

similar to human-occupied dwellings and that a number of preparation

techniques are suitable for the recovery of these fungi from

inoculated swabs.