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Some toxigenic fungi, fungal chemical metabolites, and their health effects

Some toxigenic fungi, fungal chemical metabolites, and their health effects

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This chapter reviews existing literature on airborne fungi, with emphasis on indoor fungal growth and contamination as well as the health effects of mycotoxins and fungal volatile organic compounds (VOCs). A wealth of literature on outdoor airborne fungi can also be found in reviews by various researchers. The majority of airborne fungi collected o...

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... complaints and clinical findings in patients liv- ing or working in wet and moldy buildings often cannot be explained as allergic reactions in otherwise healthy individu- als. An overview of clinically important health disorders based on various case reports and results of disease cluster investigations are presented for the most important myco- toxin producers (Table 8) (215)(216)(217). ...

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... Since β-glucans also occur in other organisms, the assays may be less specific; however, exposure to these compounds has been associated with pulmonary inflammation [64]. Mycotoxins are a large group of secondary compounds produced by microfungi and are specific to individual fungi [65]. Although mycotoxins are not routinely assayed, various mycotoxins have been isolated from water damaged buildings, schools, and agricultural environments [22,[66][67][68]. ...
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Purpose of Review To review current air sampling instruments and analysis methods and to describe new approaches being developed. Recent Findings Spore trap sampling with analysis by microscopy remains the most widely used methods for aeroallergen determination even though there are often long delays from sample acquisition to data availability, as well as a need for specially-trained staff for sample analysis. The use of immunoassays and molecular biology to analyze outdoor or indoor samples has expanded in recent years and has provided valuable data on allergen exposure. New automated sampling devices capture pollen, analyze, and identify pollen grains by light scattering, laser-induced fluorescence, microscopy, or holography using signal or image processing to classify the pollen in real time or near real time. Summary Air sampling data from current methods provide valuable information on aeroallergen exposure. The automated devices in use and under development show great potential but are not ready to replace existing aeroallergen networks.
... The association of pollen with asthma and other allergies has long been reported by Taketomi et al. (2006) and Xie et al. (2019). Spores of fungi have also been linked with exacerbation of myriad of diseases including allergies and mycotoxicity (Pringle, 2013;Li et al., 2016;Ezike et al., 2016;Adeniyi et al., 2017). Both pollen and fungal spore constituents of the aeroallergens are very sensitive to seasonal and weather changes. ...
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... Los bioaerosoles pueden penetrar en el cuerpo humano principalmente a través de la nariz, la boca y los ojos (Rick et al., 2016). La inhalación de biopartículas de origen fúngico transportadas por el aire puede provocar alergias respiratorias (Li et al., 2016). Estos bioaerosoles fúngicos mayores de 10 μm se depositan en la nasofaringe, mientras que los de menor dimensión en las vías respiratorias inferiores y los pulmones (Secondo et al., 2021). ...
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... Fungi, fungal spores, hyphae, and by-products are ubiquitous in nature; however, dampness and molds should not be allowed in environments such as homes and public buildings, since fungi in damp and water-damaged buildings play an important role in public health and disease prevention (Yang & Johanning, 2007). According to Rao, Burge, and Chang (1996), and their review of quantitative standards and guidelines for fungi in indoor air, there is a very broad range of accepted values for the CFU counts in indoor air samples, and although our work was performed in a semiopen environment, visitors and staff are actually in contact with contaminated air and are therefore exposed to several potentially harmful fungi. ...
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... Mould colonisation represents a major issue in buildings facing moisture problems. They are unaesthetic and unhealthy for inhabitants [5][6][7][8][9]. Fungal development depends on three main parameters: temperature, humidity and the presence of organic nutrients. ...
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Bioaerosol monitoring is a rapidly emerging area in the context of work environments because microbial pollution is a key element of indoor air pollution and plays an important role in certain infectious diseases and allergies. However, as yet, relatively little is known about inhaled doses of microorganisms in workplaces. Today, the important issue of social concern is due to waste management, transport, sorting, and processing of wastes and their environmental impact and effects on public health. In fact, waste management activities can have numerous adverse effects on human wellbeing. Health effects are generally linked to exposure (EX), defined as the concentration of a contaminant and the length of time a person is exposed to this concentration. Dose is an effective tool for evaluating the quantity of a contaminant that actually crosses the body's boundaries and influences the goal tissue. This document presents an analysis of the fungal waste-sorting plant EX dose (FWSPED) inhaled by workers in a waste-sorting plant (WSP) in Poland in March 2019. The main purpose of this research was to assess FWSPED inhaled by workers in two cabins at the WSP: the preliminary manual sorting cabin (PSP) and the purification manual sorting cabin (quality control; QSP). It was found that the FWSPED inhaled by workers was 193 CFU/kg in the PSP and 185 CFU/kg in the QSP. Fungal particles were quantitatively evaluated and qualitatively identified by the GEN III Biolog system. During the research, it was found that isolates belonging to the Aspergilus flavus and Penicillum chrysogenum strains were detected most frequently in the WSP. The total elimination of many anthropogenic sources is not possible, but the important findings of this research can be used to develop realistic management policies and methods to improve the biological air quality of WSPs for effective protection of WSP workers.
... Since, Myrotheciumspp. has the ability to grow on walls of houses and produce mycotoxins that are similar to Stachybotrys toxins; they can cause a variety of adverse health effects like inhibition of protein synthesis, immune suppression, and impairment of alveolar macrophage function [5]. The genus Myrothecium is a potential secondary metabolites producer, with more than 30 compounds from M. verrucaria [6]. ...
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We report two cases of keratitis caused by a rare fungus Myrothecium species. Clinical presentation, identification, and management were studied. Both fungi were grown from corneal scraping and identified as M. verrucaria and M. gramineum based on the microbiological techniques and DNA sequencing analysis. Both patients were treated with topical natamycin and or voriconazole/econazole. In the first patient, there was total healing of the with scar formation, however, the prognosis was poor in the second patient.
... Myrothecium species are prolific producers of vast of biologically active secondary metabolites such as enzymes, antibiotics, sesquiterpenoids, triterpenes, diterpenoids, cyclopeptides such as verrucamides A-D [11][12][13][14][15]. Additionally, Myrothecium species produce many macrocyclic trichothecene mycotoxins such as verrucarins and roridins, [16][17][18]. More than twenty compounds were reported from M. roridum, and arround thirty compounds were listed to be originated from M. verrucaria [19]. Some Myrothecium species, such as M. verrucaria, are known for their production of many enzymes such as lipases, chitinases, laccases, and proteinases ...
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Myrothecium is a fungal genus that belongs to family Stachybotryaceae and has been involved as promising tool in many important mycotechnological applications such as potent bioherbicides with strong virulence against wide range of weeds and harmful plants from different plant families. Furthermore, Myrothecium exhibited strong insecti-cidal activities especially against mosquitoes and nematodes among other insects, promising antimicrobial activities, Myrothecium species are involved in many biotechnological applications due to secondary metabolites produced by them, and this review discuss challenges and potentials concerning using this genus as a tool in some medicinal and biotechnological applications.