DNA-based quantification of mycotoxin producing fungi in French dwellings

Ref ID: 19426

Author:

J. P. Gangneux,1 D. M eheust,1 P. Le Cann,2 T. Reponen3 and
S. Vesper4

Author address:

1Medical University Rennes, France; 2EHESP, Rennes, France;
3University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, USA and 4Environmental
Protection Agency, Cincinnati, USA

Full conference title:

6th Trends in Medical Mycology 2013

Date: 11 October 2014

Abstract:

Introduction The toxic effects of the ingestion of mycotoxins are
quite well known. What is less clear is the role of the inhalation of
mycotoxins in water-damaged homes and their effects on human
health. Because there are potentially hundreds of indoor mycotoxins,
it is not practical to measure all of them and some selection process
is needed.
Methods We utilized a DNA-based approach, quantitative PCR, to
measure 36 common indoor fungi, including Stachybotrys chartarum,
Aspergillus ochraceus and A. versicolor, in 40 homes in Brittany,
France. Analysis of these 36 fungi resulted in the description of the
fungal contamination by a metric called the Environmental Relative
Moldiness Index (ERMI). The ERMI value for a home is derived from
the mathematical treatment of the concentration of each of the 36
fungi to arrive at single number, the ERMI value.
Results The ERMI values in these homes ranged from -2.7 to 28.8
but there was a clear separation of the low-fungal contamination
homes with ERMI values (<6) (n = 20) from the high ERMI value homes (>8) (n = 20). By comparing the populations of each mold in
high versus low ERMI homes, we found, for example, that high ERMI
homes had 79 cells of S. chartarum per mg of dust compared to 1 cell
per mg dust for low ERMI value homes. Aspergillus versicolor occurred
at 321 cells for every cell in low ERMI homes and A. ochraceus was
found at a ratio of 6 to 1, high ERMI versus low ERMI homes.
Discussion A metric like the ERMI should provide a practical
approach to describing the fungal contamination in epidemiological
studies of possible mycotoxic effects from inhalation exposures. In
addition, the QPCR analysis of the mycotoxin producing fungi is
highly sensitive and specific and can help targeting the mycotoxins
that might be quantified in epidemiological studies.

Abstract Number: p224

Conference Year: 2013

Link to conference website: NULL

New link: NULL

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