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Possible cause of allergy for the librarians: books manipulation and ventilation as sources of fungus spores spreading

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Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the airborne viable spore concentrations and identify the fungal species in all indoor spaces from the lending library at the Technical University “Gheorghe Asachi” Iaşi, Romania. Samples were collected using the settle plate method and swab samples from PC cooler fan grids as well as from the wall in it’s vicinity and from paper/wood fragments. There were no air conditioning systems in the library rooms. The heating systems were standard with an environmental temperature of 20°C in winter, except for the storage area of old/rare books stacks II, where the temperature was below 15°C and the humidity was very high due to water infiltrations in the walls and poor maintenance. More than 296 fungal colonies from over 78 samples were identified, enumerated, and reported. Indoor airborne fungal spore deposition rates were within the range of 419–1,677 CFU/m2, with the predominance of genera being Aspergillus spp., Penicillium spp., Cladosporium spp., Alternaria spp. and Chaetomium spp. Approximately ten fungal colonies could not be identified. The PC fans move particles from the low levels (floor) to the air, and are thus responsible for maintaining a constant air velocity and contribute to fungal-spore aerosolization, transport, deposition and resuspension. Book paper and wood furniture are known to be suitable substrates for cellulose degrading fungi.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Animal Products and Public Health, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine “Ion Ionescu de la Brad”, Aleea M. Sadoveanu no. 8, Iasi, Romania

    Ingrid Cezara Apetrei, Cătălin Carp-Cărare, Eleonora Guguianu & Carmen Creţu

  2. Library Department, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine “Ion Ionescu de la Brad”, Aleea M. Sadoveanu no. 3, Iasi, Romania

    Gilda Eleonora Drăgănescu

  3. Department of Pneumology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Gr.T. Popa, University str. no. 16, Iasi, Romania

    Traian Mihăescu

  4. Department of Pharmacology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Gr.T. Popa, University str. no. 16, Iasi, Romania

    Alina Ştefanache

  5. Pharmacology Department, University Petre Andrei, Gavril Muzicescu Nr. 6, Iasi, Romania

    Xenia Patraş

  6. Department of Allergology, Medical Center Copou, Str. Cozma Toma no. 4, Iasi, Romania

    Ilinca Teodora Popescu

Authors
  1. Ingrid Cezara Apetrei
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  2. Gilda Eleonora Drăgănescu
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  3. Ilinca Teodora Popescu
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  4. Cătălin Carp-Cărare
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  5. Eleonora Guguianu
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  6. Traian Mihăescu
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  7. Alina Ştefanache
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  8. Carmen Creţu
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  9. Xenia Patraş
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Correspondence to Ingrid Cezara Apetrei.

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Apetrei, I.C., Drăgănescu, G.E., Popescu, I.T. et al. Possible cause of allergy for the librarians: books manipulation and ventilation as sources of fungus spores spreading. Aerobiologia 25, 159–166 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10453-009-9121-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10453-009-9121-y

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