An aero mycological analysis of Mucormycetes in indoor and outdoor environments of northern India. (13th April 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Prakash, Hariprasath; Singh, Shreya; Rudramurthy, Shivaprakash Mandya; Singh, Pankaj; Mehta, Neha; Shaw, Dipika; Ghosh, Anup Kumar
• Is Part Of: Medical mycology. Volume 58:Number 1(2020)
• Page Start: 118
• Page End: 123
• Publication Date: 2019-04-13
• Subjects: Mucormycetes -- Rhizopus arrhizus -- air-surveillance; Medical mycology -- Periodicals; Veterinary mycology -- Periodicals; Mycology -- Periodicals; Mycoses -- Periodicals; Pathogenic fungi -- Periodicals; 616.969005
• DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myz031
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1369-3786

Abstract

Abstract: Mucormycosis is an angio-invasive infection, predominantly acquired by inhalation of sporangiospores from the environment. However, the burden of Mucormycetes sporangiospores in the air is not well studied. We aimed to estimate the burden of Mucormycetes spores in the outdoor and indoor (hospital) environment across different seasons in north India. A total of 380 air samples from outdoor ( n = 180) and indoor ( n = 200) environment were included in the study. Air samples were suctioned using air sampler (100 l/min) and cultured on Dichloran Rose Bengal Chloramphenicol (DRBC) with benomyl for selective isolation of Mucormycetes. The isolates were identified by phenotypic and genotypic methods. The mean spore count (±SD) of Mucormycetes (cfu/m 3 ) in outdoor samples varied from 0.73 (±0.96) to 8.60 (±5.70) across different seasons. In hospital, the mean spore count varied from 0.68 (±1.07) to 1.12 (±1.07) and 0.88 (±1.01) to 1.72 (±2.17) for air-conditioned wards and non-air-conditioned wards, respectively. Rhizopus arrhizus was the predominant agent isolated from both indoor and outdoor environment followed by Cunninghamella species. We also report a single isolate of the rare mucormycete agent, Apophysomyces variabilis from outdoor environment. The present study highlights the presence of low spore burden of Mucormycetes in outdoor and hospital settings in north India. This study also reports the first isolation of A. variabilis from air samples in the Indian subcontinent.