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Recovery of germinating fungal conidia from the nasal cavity after environmental exposure

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Abstract

Background

The expression of fungal allergens is increased by the germination of conidia. We assessed the state of germination of fungal conidia recovered by nasal lavage after environmental exposure.

Methods

Nasal lavage was performed on twenty adults at three stages: the start of the experiment, after 1 h indoors, and after 1 h outdoors. One half of the lavage liquid was immediately treated to prevent in-vitro germination and stained with periodic acid Schiff (PAS) to enable identification of germinated and ungerminated conidia. The untreated half of the lavage liquid was cultured on nutrient agar plates to enumerate and identify viable fungi.

Results

PAS staining showed that both ungerminated and germinated conidia, and hyphal fragments, were present in the nasal cavity. The most prevalent fungi recovered were Aspergillus, Alternaria, Cladosporium, Epicoccum, Penicillium, and Yeast species. The number of viable fungi recovered after 1 h indoors was significantly less than after 1 h outdoors (P < 0.01).

Conclusions

Viable fungi and germinating conidia, in addition to ungerminated conidia and hyphal fragments, were present in the nasal cavity after both indoor and outdoor exposure. This provides novel insight into the pathogenicity of exposure to fungal aeroallergens.

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Abbreviations

PAS:

Periodic acid Schiff

V8:

20% Vegetable juice nutrient agar

RB:

Rose-Bengal chloramphenicol nutrient agar

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by a grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council, Australia (Grant Number 253818). Volunteer participation was approved by the University of Sydney Human Research Ethics Committee (Approval Number 3577). Facilities for PAS staining were kindly provided by the Histopathology Laboratory, Department of Pathology, The University of Sydney.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, The University of Sydney, Room 461 Blackburn Building D06, NSW, 2006, Sydney, Australia

    Jason K. Sercombe & Euan R. Tovey

  2. The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia

    Jason K. Sercombe, Brett J. Green & Euan R. Tovey

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  1. Jason K. Sercombe
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  2. Brett J. Green
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  3. Euan R. Tovey
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Correspondence to Jason K. Sercombe.

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Sercombe, J.K., Green, B.J. & Tovey, E.R. Recovery of germinating fungal conidia from the nasal cavity after environmental exposure. Aerobiologia 22, 295–304 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10453-006-9043-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10453-006-9043-x

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