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In this paper, we expose a preliminary study of the airborne fungal spore content in the atmosphere of Salamanca City including a fungal spore calendar. Sampling was carried out between February 2014 and February 2016, and along these 2 years of monitoring Cladosporium was the most abundant type followed by Aspergillus/Penicillium, both present fro...
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... total of 57 different spore types were identified during the 2 years of study, and all those broken or unidentified spores were included in the others category (Table 1). The total number of spores recorded in the 2 years of the study was similar, although it was lower during the second year (238,935 spores in 2014 and 210,943 spores in 2015). ...Similar publications
Allergic respiratory diseases caused by fungal spores are mainly associated with dry-air spores, predominantly present in the air during sunny, dry days. Wet-air spores, whose occurrence is linked to atmospheric humidity, can also cause allergic disease. However, this type of spore has received only marginal attention in aerobiological studies. In...
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... This low influence of meteorological variables is consistent with studies conducted in subtropical and temperate climate regions (e.g. Oliveira et al., 2009;Ivanovici, 2016;Berman, 2018;Antón et al., 2019;Grinn-Gofroń et al., 2020). Collectively, individual meteorological variables exerted a similar influence on the airborne fungal spores (Figs. 3, 4; Fig. 2 Average monthly sum/count of dominant aerospora taxa for August 2019-July 2021. ...
... Overall, however, mid-ranging temperatures, of ~ 15-20 °C, were associated with higher airborne fungal spore counts (Figs. 3, 4; Table 2; Supplementary Fig. 4a), which is somewhat consistent with the notion that higher temperatures promote fungal spore release (Grinn-Gofroñ et al., 2018). Among the various meteorological variables considered, rainfall, relative humidity and temperature are typically the strongest influencing factors on fungal spore dispersal, and while influences are generally location-specific, the results for studies within subtropical and temperate climate regions broadly correspond to that depicted for Johannesburg (Crotzer and Levetin, 1996;O'Hollaren et al., 1991;Weber, 2001;Oliveira et al., 2009;Haskouri et al., 2016;Ivanovici, 2016;Berman, 2018;Antón et al., 2019;Grinn-Gofroñ et al., 2018. ...
... higher densities of points on the GAM plots for all fungal spores, it appears that higher daily counts mostly corresponded to wind speeds < ~ 3 m s −1 (Figs. 4, 5; Table 2). Several studies considering similar fungal spores also depict that slower wind speeds are associated with higher airborne fungal spore levels (Ivanovici, 2016;Antón et al., 2019;Grinn-Gofroñ et al., 2020); however, studies also report higher fungal spore air loads in association with stronger winds (Wu et al., 2004;Grinn-Gofroñ et al., 2018;Oneto et al., 2020). Higher densities of points on the GAM plots also depict that wind directions ranging from 0 to 150° mostly coincided with higher counts (Figs. 4, 5); a result dependent on fungal spore source locations (Grinn-Gofroñ et al., 2020). ...
Airborne fungal spores and pollen (aerospora), synergistic with air pollution, are key triggers of allergic respiratory diseases. Effective diagnosis and treatment requires up-to-date location-specific knowledge on the temporal variability of aerospora types and levels. Johannesburg is the largest city in South Africa and has grown substantially in three decades, with changes in ground cover, population density and air pollution, yet until now, no continuous aerospora sampling has occurred. We present a daily two-year (August 2019–July 2021) aerospora assemblage for Johannesburg and explore temporal characteristics of 13 dominant aerospora in relation to daily meteorological variables (pressure, rainfall, relative humidity, temperature and wind characteristics). February–July, July–September and January-July represent high-risk periods for fungal spores [(Alternaria alternata (Fries. ex Keissler), Ascospores, Aspergillus niger (Van Tieghem), Penicillium chrysogenum (Thom), Cladosporium graminum (Corda), Epicoccum nigrum (Link), Helminthosporium solani (Durieu and Montagne) Nigrospora sphaerica (Saccardo ex. Mason), Smuts Ustilago nuda (Jensen ex. Rostrup) and Torula herbarum (Link)], trees (Cupressus, Morus and Platanus) and grass (Poaceae), respectively. Using a generalised additive model, results show that daily meteorological characteristics explained 7–32% of daily aerospora variability, with the largest effect on tree pollen. Rainfall, relative humidity and temperature influenced daily fungal spore and Poaceae counts, with moderate/low rainfall (< 20 mm), higher/mid-ranging relative humidity (~ 40–60%) and temperatures of ~ 15–20 °C associated with higher counts during high-risk periods. Rainfall predominantly influenced tree counts during high-risk periods, with higher counts occurring on low rainfall (<10 mm) days. These results update the aerospora profile of Johannesburg, South Africa, providing important information to inform allergy care.
... However, the dynamics of this spore type around the world are variable. Several authors have shown that the main period occurs during spring, as in Central Spain, Salamanca [25]. In contrast, others reported a two-season occurrence (spring and autumn), as in Poland [11] or Ireland [26]. ...
... Some authors analyzed the air using viable sampling methods that resulted in the calculation of colony-forming units (CFU), which means brief periods of sampling sporadically through the year [30][31][32]. Other authors use aerobiological methods based on palynology (with the identification of the particles through an optical microscope) [23,25]. In this case, the air sampling is continuous, but there is no consensus on the surface of the sample analyzed. ...
Aspergillus is a genus of saprophytic fungus widely distributed in the environment and associated with soil, decaying vegetation, or seeds. However, some species, such as A. fumigatus, are considered opportunistic pathogens in humans. Their conidia (asexual spores) and mycelia are associated with clinical diseases known as invasive aspergillosis (IA), mainly related to the respiratory tract, such as allergic asthma, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA), or hypersensitivity. However, they can also disseminate to other organs, particularly the central nervous system. Due to the dispersal mechanism of the conidia through the air, airborne fungal particle measurement should be used to prevent and control this mold. This study aims to measure the outdoor airborne concentration of Aspergillus conidia and the Asp f 1 allergen concentration in Bellaterra (Barcelona, Spain) during 2021 and 2022, and to compare their dynamics to improve the understanding of the biology of this genus and contribute to a better diagnosis, prevention, and therapeutic measures in the face of possible health problems. The results show that both particles were airborne nearly all year round, but their concentrations showed no correlation. Due to Asp f 1 not being present in the conidia itself but being detectable during their germination and in hyphal fragments, we report the relevance of the aero-immunological analysis as a methodology to detect the potential pathogenic hazard of this fungus.
... The analysis of meteorological conditions confirmed the 'dry' spores character for Cladosporium, Alternaria, Epicoccum, and Dreschlera spores (Burch & Levetin, 2002;Ianovici, 2016;Troutt & Levetin, 2001), while Coprinus and hyaline spores are related to 'wet' conditions (Antón et al., 2019). Although the dataset is limited to just one month, analysis of diurnal patterns with clear day-night differences confirmed preferences for humidity and moisture by predominance in night hours records for Ganoderma (Craig & Levetin, 2000;O'Connor et al., 2014) and Coprinus (Aira et al., 2009;Almaguer et al., 2014). ...
Due to the large diversity and quantity of fungal spores, such aerobiological studies are not so abundant and haven’t been done in Serbia so far. As the Pannonian plain is listed as a source of fungal spores all around Europe, our study aimed to describe the aerobiological characteristics of airborne fungal spores measured in location representative for the Pannonian plain during the wheat harvest period and to evaluate automatic bioaerosol monitoring for quantification of total airborne fungal spores. The study revealed that Cladosporium, Alternaria, and Coprinus accounted for over 90% of the total fungal spores count. The relation to meteorology confirmed a distinction between “dry” and “wet” spores and their diurnal cycles, as Ganoderma and Coprinus peaked around dawn, and Alternaria and Cladosporium peaks correlated with daily peaks of temperature and relative humidity. Automatically quantified daily concentrations of total airborne fungal spores showed a statistically significant positive correlation (Pearson r = 0.55, p < 0.01) to values obtained from the manual Hirst method. The same correlations were found for total pollen (Pearson r = 0.60, p < 0.01) and starch granules (Spearman r = 0.80, p < 0.01). A low intensity of fluorescence measurements for fungal spores requires a separate automatic detection from pollen and indicates the need for a good quality training dataset. Thus, Hirst-type measurements provide an essential model for classifying bioaerosols with artificial intelligence.
... Además el TE Cladosporium y el TE Aspergillus/ Penicillium son los más frecuentes en estudios de ambientes exteriores en Cuba y otros países, como India (Chakraborty et al., 2018) y España (Fuentes et al., 2019). ...
La Comunidad de Las Terrazas es una de las áreas de la Reserva de la Biosfera de la Sierra del Rosario, con mayor actividad turística. En ella existen estudios sobre los hongos presentes en varios ecosistemas. Sin embargo, la exposición a biopartículas aerotransportadas de origen fúngico ha sido menos estudiada, a pesar de que pueden existir elevadas concentraciones y diversidad de estos bioaerosoles. Por ello, el objetivo de este trabajo fue identificar esporas fúngicas y fragmentos de hifas en el aire de la zona recreativa del lago El Palmar, Artemisa, Cuba. El muestreo del aire exterior se hizo el 6 de diciembre de 2019 en seis puntos aleatorios con un equipo volumétrico no viable Zefon Bio-Pump. Posterior a la identificación se determinó la concentración de esporas y fragmentos de hifas. Los valores de abundancia y frecuencia de las esporas se utilizaron para hacer la clasificación de especies ordenada por la prueba de Olmstead-Tukey. Las concentraciones de esporas estuvieron entre 2760 - 15880 esporas/m3 y las de los fragmentos de hifas entre 106 -427 hifas/m3, los valores más elevados se detectaron en las zonas de vasta vegetación. Se identificaron 15 géneros y cinco tipos esporales, en su mayoría informados en la literatura como alergénicos. Además, pueden encontrarse como fitopatógenos o endófitos de plantas, por lo que se sugiere hacer la recolecta de hongos viables para determinar sus propiedades patogénicas in vitro.
... Cladosporium has been found to be the most abundant species in the atmosphere in previous studies, matching with the concentrations found in this study. However, the maximum Seasonal Spore Integral (SSIn) of Cladosporium was relatively high in this study when compared with other studies around Europe [15,57,60]. This trend is the opposite to that found in Denmark [55], where the SsIn has been stable since the 1990s with a decrease in the peak concentrations. ...
Abstract: Ambient fungal spores within the atmosphere can contribute to a range of negative human, animal and plant health conditions and diseases. However, trends in fungal spore seasonality, species prevalence, and geographical origin have been significantly understudied in Ireland. Previously unpublished data from the late 1970s have recently been collected and analysed to establish historical fungal spore trends/characteristics for Dublin. Historical spore concentrations were largely
dominated by Alternaria, Ascospores, Basidiospores, Botrytis, Cladosporium, Erysiphe and Rusts. The main fungal spore season for Dublin commenced in April with the fructification of Scopulariopsis and Ganoderma. However, the vast majority of other spore types did not reach peak spore release until late summer. The correlation between ambient spore concentration, and meteorological parameters was examined using Multivariable Regression Tree (MRT) analysis. The notable correlations found for fungal spore concentrations tended to involve temperature-based parameters. The use of a non-parametric wind regression was also employed to determine the potential geographical origin of ambient fungal spores. The impact of wind direction, and high windspeed on fungal spores was established, ultimately highlighting the importance of studying and monitoring fungal spores within Ireland, rather than attempting to rely on data from other regions, as most fungal spores collected in Dublin appeared to originate from within the island.
... Due to the absence of a study concerning intradiurnal variation of fungal spore concentrations in the air for this area, we made the assumption that they do not vary largely for the specific 6 h timescale of our sampling (09.00-15.00). This is supported by studies in similar or different biogeographical areas (Abu-Dieyeh and Barham 2014; Antón et al. 2019;Oliveira et al. 2009;Ščevková et al. 2019;Stępalska and Wołek 2009). In addition, using the data from the rooftop station, we explored if there were any differences in fungal spore concentrations among the four 2 h intervals (from 08:00 to 16:00) for the days and years of sampling ( Fig. S2). ...
We studied the diversity and abundance of the airborne fungal spores in the city of Thessaloniki, Greece, for two consecutive years. Air samples were collected at one rooftop station (at 30 m) and six near-ground stations (at 1.5 m) that differed in the size and composition of adjacent green spaces. The effects of meteorological factors on airborne fungal spore concentrations were also explored. Cladosporium spores were dominant everywhere in the air of the city. The total concentration of the airborne fungal spores at 30 m was 10 times lower than near the ground. Differences in concentration and composition were far less pronounced among near-ground stations. The attributes of the fungal spore season did not change in a consistent way among stations and years. Concentrations at the near-ground stations matched the grouping of the latter into stations of high, intermediate, and low urban green space. Minimum air temperature was the primary meteorological factor affecting spore abundance, followed by relative humidity. Airborne fungal spores are more homogeneously distributed in the air of the city, but their concentrations decrease more rapidly with height than pollen.
... Factors such as the variety, production, release and dispersal of airborne fungal spores vary based on the time of day, weather, season, geographic region and local spore inventory (Oliveira et al. 2010;Sadyś et al. 2014). Fungal spores that have a positive relationship between temperature and concentrations are called dry air spores, and fungal spores that show a positive relationship with relative humidity are called wet air spores (Antón et al. 2019). ...
The present study aimed to determine the fungal spores and their concentrations in the atmosphere of Mardin (southeast
Turkey) in 2014 and 2015 using the volumetric method. A total of 43 taxa, hyphal fragments, and single septate ascospores were
identified by light microscopy. It was determined that the dominant fungal spores included Cladosporium (51.5%), Ustilaginales
species spores (13.9%), Alternaria (6.9%), Pucciniales species spores (1.6%), Agrocybe (1.2%), Pleospora (1.1%) and hyphal
fragments (15.5%). The highest atmospheric spore concentrations were observed in May and the lowest levels were determined
in February in both years. Dry air spores constituted a significant ratio of the total count (73.9%) in the atmosphere of Mardin.
There were significant positive correlations between atmospheric concentrations of Alternaria, Cladosporium, Ustilaginales, and
Pucciniales spores and temperatures. There were significant negative correlations between airborne fungal spore concentrations
and daily mean humidity. There was a significant negative correlation between Agrocybe spore concentrations and daily mean
temperature and a significant positive correlation between the same and humidity and precipitation. No significant correlation
was determined between the meteorological variables and Pleospora and Aspergillus/Penicillium spore concentrations.
... Aerobiological behaviour of Alternaria in the city of Santiago de Chile during the studied period (2005-2015) Alternaria/year ASIn (spores/m 3 ) Peak value (spores/m 3 ) Peak value (date) Length MSS (days) Start MSS End MSS ASIn Annual Spore Integral. MSS Main Spore Season 3.2 Spore calendarIt should be highlighted that Alternaria spores reached just class 5 (24-49 spores/m 3 ) as its highest exponential class, similar but lower than in other European Mediterranean locations in which class 6 was reached(Fuentes Antón et al., 2019), with an irregular register throughout the annual periods. Nevertheless, the most frequent one was class 4 (12-23 spores/m 3 ). ...
Since Alternaria is an important aeroal-lergen in temperate areas of the world, this study was undertaken in order to provide the first results obtained about the seasonal regimen of Alternaria airborne spores in the atmosphere of Santiago de Chile (Chile), for a period of 10 years (2005-2015), which has led to the construction of the first calendar for the city. Furthermore, the periods of maximum presence of these particles in the air were determined together with those days in which the threshold levels set up for the development of clinical symptoms were reached and/ or surpassed. The annual spore integral varied between 4077 spores/m 3 registered in 2013-2014 and 6824 spores/m 3 in 2010-2011, with a main spore season from midwinter (mid-July/mid-August) to the end of the autumn (June). Daily peaks were mainly detected in spring or autumn seasons but even in winter, although without surpassing 65 spores/m 3 in any case.
... Furthermore, our results show that dry regions in the Middle East were hot spots of Alternaria and Aspergillus. It has been suggested that the spores of Alternaria and Aspergillus require dry weather to become airborne and disseminate (33,34). Moreover, given that Alternaria and Aspergillus species are frequently found in soils in high abundance (35,36), it is possible that drier conditions facilitate the aerosolization of soil-associated Alternaria and Aspergillus to the near-surface atmosphere and dust. ...
The ubiquity and long-range transport of the microorganisms inhabiting dust can pose a serious risk to human, animal, and plant health. The well-recognized importance of dust-associated microorganisms contrasts starkly with our limited understanding of the factors determining the variation in the composition of these communities at the global scale. Here, we provide the first insight into the global determinants of dust-associated microorganisms by quantifying the environmental factors shaping bacterial and fungal community composition in 467 outdoor settled dust samples collected from 33 countries and 6 continents. Our results show that the global variation in dust-associated bacterial and fungal community composition was, to some degree, predictable from mean annual precipitation and temperature. Notably, our results show that the fungal genera Alternaria and Aspergillus, which contain many species that can serve as triggers of allergenic disease in humans and as plant pathogens, were more abundant in drier regions. Collectively, these results highlight the key influence of climate on the global distribution of dust-associated microorganisms and provide the baseline information needed to build a more comprehensive understanding of how microbial exposures vary across the globe and in response to climate change.
... While pollen monitoring is carried out weekly worldwide (Buters et al., 2018) with a taxon accuracy up to the genus or even species level, spore monitoring is infrequent and spore calendars exist since recently only for Spain (Fuentes Anton et al., 2019). This is due to the difficulties of studying fungi in airborne samples because of the vast number of spores, the high variation of spore morphology (even intraspecific), and the contemporaneous presence in the air of spores from both ubiquitous and seasonal fungi. ...
Fungi represent relevant allergens and plant pathogens that can disperse on long ranges, potentially producing severe consequences on public health and agriculture. Up to 11% of the bioaerosol particles are fungal spores and mycelium fragments. Estimation of fungal species diversity in time and space is decisive but may be biased by abiotic conditions and sampling methods. Traditional morphological analyses of fungal spores have been widely applied in aerobiology in the past, while recently eDNA metabarcoding can complement these studies. Here, we used both morphological analysis (spore count and taxon identification) and high-throughput sequencing to disentangle spatio-temporal variation of fungi across Northern and Central Italy and to evaluate the detection efficiency of the two approaches. Our results showed that eDNA metabarcoding detects about three times more genera and has a higher detection efficiency than the morphological analyses. However, the efficiency is high in both spore count and eDNA metabarcoding methods when the most abundant or the rarest genera are considered but it can substantially vary between the two approaches when moderately abundant genera are analyzed. Furthermore, morphological spore determination resulted in higher variance explained by PERMANOVA analysis with respect to eDNA metabarcoding (26% and 13%, respectively), which leads to a better spatio-temporal characterization of the fungal genera. As both morphological analyses and eDNA metabarcoding methods capture significant interactions between seasons and sites, they could be preferably used as complementing approaches to reliably study airborne fungal diversity and variation.
