Culturability and toxicity of sick building syndrome-related fungi over time.

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1: J Occup Environ Hyg. 2004 Aug;1(8):500-4.

Culturability and toxicity of sick building syndrome-related fungi

over time.

SC, Carriker CG, Brasel TL, Karunasena E, DR, Wu C,

Andriychuk LA, Fogle MR, JM, Straus DC.

Center for Indoor Air Research, Department of Microbiology and

Immunology, Health Sciences Center Texas Tech University, 3601 4th

St., Lubbock, Texas 79430, USA. stephenwilson@...

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 degrees Celsius 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 degrees Celsius 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.

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