Physiological characteristics of 13 common fungal species in bathrooms
2009
Hamada, N., Osaka-shi. Inst. of Public Health and Environmental Sciences (Japan) | Abe, N.
To clarify the factors affecting fungal contamination in bathrooms, the growth of 13 common fungal species (13 isolates) in bathrooms was studied under various environmental conditions. Most of the fungi examined grew on media of 0.01% and 0.05% sodium fatty acid and on media of 0.01% anion surfactant. On media of non-ion surfactant, however, growth varied from species to species. Fungi found commonly in bathrooms can be divided into two groups. The first group, including six species, Cladophialophora boppii, Exophiala spinifera, E. salmonis, Phialophora europaea, Phoma herbarum, and Scolecobasidium constrictum, grew on media of 0.01%, 0.05%, and 0.25% non-ion surfactant, with the latter five species also growing on alkali medium. Most of them did not grow at 33degC, or on media with 10% NaCl, however. Fungi of these six species, identified using DNA and morphological analysis, were common in bathrooms, but not in other indoor environments, for example, in house dust or on windows. The second group contained seven species including Aureobasidium sp., Cladosporium cladosporioides, and Fusarium sp., which were common both in house dust and in bathrooms; they did not grow on media of 0.05% or 0.25% non-ion surfactant, but most grew comparatively fast on normal medium (1/4 PDA), and were able to grow on media with 10% NaCl and also at 33degC. The characteristic fungi found in bathrooms were able to exploit surfactant but were unable to grow well under comparatively dry or high-temperature conditions.
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