Aerial Fungal Contamination in Three Primary Schools of the Province of Heredia, Costa Rica
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51481/amc.v57i3.891Keywords:
Fungal contamination, spores, fungi, allergyAbstract
Background and aim: Fungal spores are considered etiological agents of allergic rhinitis and asthma; therefore, it is advised to monitor fungal levels within the classrooms. The aim of this paper was to study fungal aerial contamination in three public schools of Heredia by measuring the concentration of aerial fungal spores per cubic meter.
Methods: We used the Burkard Personal Volumetric Air Sampler to collect and identify fungal spores during the dry and rainy season. The relationship between the fungal spore concentration, the meteorological factors and structural characteristics of the schools was determined.
Results: A total of 1391.89 ± 119.70 spores/m3 was found in March, 3194.45 ± 577.03 spores/ m3 in May, 3747.12 ± 568.05 spores/m3 in October and 1009.99 ± 81.24 spores/m3 in December. Except for May, approximately 91.0 % of the spores identified belonged to four groups: Aspergillus/ Penicillium, ascospores, basidiospores and Cladosporium. In May, 78.46 % of the spores identified were Cladosporium. A negative correlation was found between spore concentration and wind velocity (-0.418; p<0.05), and a positive one with rain (0.568; p<0.05) and with humidity (0.504; p<0.05). No correlation was found with temperature changes.
Conclusion: The three schools analysed presented fungal spore concentrations which exceeded the limit of 1000 spores per cubic meter which is considered as healthy.
Downloads
References
Sautour M, Sixt N, Dalle F, L'Ollivier C, Fourquenet V, Calinon C, et al. Profiles and seasonal distribution of airborne fungi in indoor and outdoor environments at a French hospital. Sci Total Environ 2009; 407: 3766-3771.
Gioulekas D, Damialis A, Mpalafoutis C, Papakosta D, Giouleka P, Patakas D. Allergenic fungal spore records (15years) and relationship with meteorological parameters in Thessaloniki, Greece. Allergy Clin Immunol Int- J World Allergy Org 2004; 16: 52-59.
Ataygul E, Celenk S, Canitez Y, Bicakci A, Malyer H, Sapan N. Allergenic Fungal Spore Concentration in the Atmosphere of Bursa, Turkey. J Biol Environ Sci 2007; 1: 73-79.
Gioulekas D, Damialis A, Papakosta D, Spieksma F, Giouleka P, Patakas D. Allergenic fungi spore records (15 years) and sensitization in patients with respiratory allergy in Thessaloniki-Greece. J Invest Allergol Clin Immunol 2004; 14: 225-231.
Edmondson D, Fink J, Kurup V, Nordness M, Zacharisen M. Allergy and toxic mold syndrome. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 2005; 95: 234-239.
Khan A, Karuppayil, M. Fungal pollution of indoor environments and its management. Saudi J Bio Sci 2012; 19: 405-426.
Curtis L, Lieberman A, Stark M, Rea W, Vetter M. Adverse Health Effects of Indoor Molds. J Nutr Environ Med 2004; 14: 261-274.
Moularat S, Hulin M, Robine E, Annesi-Maesano I, Caillaud D. Airborne fungal volatile organic compounds in rural and urban dwellings: detection of mould contamination in 94 homes determined by visual inspection and airborne fungal volatile organic compound method. Sci Total Environ 2011; 409: 20052009.
Bholah R, Subratty A. Indoor biological contaminants and symptoms of sick building syndrome in office buildings in Mauritius. Int J Env Health Res 2002; 12: 93-98.
Oliveira M, Abreu I, Ribeiro H. Annual variation of fungal spores in atmospherere of Porto: 2003. Ann Agric Environ Med 2005; 12: 309-315.
Rockwell W, Santilli J. Fungal contamination of elementary schools: a new environmental hazard. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 2003; 90: 203-208.
Breitenbach M, Cameri R, Lehrer S. Fungal allergy and pathogenicity. Switzerland . Karger AG, 2002.
Burkard Manufacturing Co. Ltd. Operating instructions of the Personal Volumetric Air Sampler. England, 2005.
Baena-Cagnani C. Current status of allergen immnutherapy around the globe. Allergy Clin Immunol Int 2007; 19: 117-120.
Soto M, Bustamante M, Gutiérrez I, Hanson LA, Strannegard I. The prevalence of childhood asthma in Costa Rica. Clin Exp Allergy 1994; 24(12): 1130-1136.
Lai CK, Beasley R, Crane J, Foliaki S, Shan J, Weiland S. Global variation in the prevalence and severity of asthma symptoms: phase three of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC). Thorax 2009; 64(6): 476-483.
Ivey M, Monteil M, Simeon D. Climatic variables are associated with seasonal acute asthma admissions to accident and emergency room facilities in Trinidad, West Indies. Clin Exp Allergy 2003; 33: 1526-1530.
Jaikel D, Riggioni O. Análisis de las reacciones de hipersensibilidad tipo I a los basidiomicetes en una población alérgica costarricense, durante 2009. Acta Méd Costarric 2012; 5(4): 217-223.
Johansson P, Bok, G, Ekstrand-Trobin A. The effect of cyclic moisture and temperature on mould growth on Wood compared to steady state conditions. Build Environ 2013; 65: 178-184.
Mandrioli P, Comtois P, Isard S, Soldevilla C, Sydek L, Vilches E. Sampling: Principles and Techniques, Methods in Aerobiology. Italia: Pitagoras, 1998.
Aira M, Dopazo A, La-Serna I. Identification of fungal spores in the atmosphere of Santiago de Compostela (NW Spain) in the winter period. Polen 2003; 12: 65-76.
Calderón C, Lacey J, McCartney A, Rosas I. Influence of urban climate upon distribution of airborne Deuteromycete spore concentrations in Mexico City. Int J Biometeorol 1997; 40: 71-80.
Basilico M, Aringoli E, Althaus R, Basilico J, Chiericatti C. Influence of environmental factors on airborne fungi in houses of Santa Fe City, Argentina. Sci Total Environ 2007; 376: 143-150.
Munuera M, Carrión J, Navarro C. Airborne Alternaria spores in SE Spain (1993-1998): Occurrence patterns, relationship with weather variables and prediction models. Grana 2001; 40: 111-118.
Downloads
Published
Versions
- 2015-07-02 (2)
- 2015-07-02 (1)
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2015 Acta Médica Costarricense
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Los autores que publican en la revista Acta Médica Costarricense pueden distribuir, copiar, remezclar, retocar, leer, descargar, imprimir, buscar y crear a partir de su obra de modo no comercial, indicando los créditos a la revista y sus autores y compartir su obra en las mismas condiciones. Para ello se aplica la licencia Creative Commons Reconocimiento-NoComercial-CompartirIgual 4.0 Internacional(CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
