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Updated: May 23, 2026
Collection and Extraction of Occupational Air Samples for Analysis of Fungal DNA
Published on: May 2, 2018
Microbiological evaluation of ten French archives and link to occupational symptoms
S Roussel1, G Reboux, L Millon
1Department of Parasitology-Mycology, University Hospital of Besançon, France. sroussel@univ-fcomte.fr
Unlabelled:
Fungi that damage documents in archives may harm workers' health, depending on which mold species are inhaled, the concentrations of fungal species inhaled, and individual factors. Our aim was to identify and quantify fungi in archives and to investigate possible links with the symptoms experienced by workers. Ten French archives were sampled using an air impactor and electrostatic dust collectors. Allergies and general symptoms felt by 144 workers were reported using a self-report questionnaire. Utilizing culture-based analysis methods along with qPCR, Penicillium chrysogenum, Cladosporium sphaerospermum, and Aspergillus versicolor were the three main fungi in air and dust in terms of quantity and frequency. Median fungal concentrations in storage areas, ranged from 30 to 465 CFU/m(3). People working in the most contaminated archives did not report more symptoms of allergy than others. However, workers in contact with moldy documents reported more headaches (odds ratio, 2.4; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-5.3), fatigue (OR, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.2-6.7), eye irritation (OR, 5.4; 95% CI, 1.9-14.9), throat irritation (OR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.0-5.7), coughing (OR, 3.2; 95% CI, 1.2-8.4), and rhinorrhea (OR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.0-6.4) than others. Other parameters such as dust levels and concentrations of metabolites and chemical substances should be considered as confounding factors in further investigations to isolate the role of molds.
Practical Implications:
Most studies about fungi and archives deal with the conservation of manuscripts and documents, and few discuss workers' health problems. Our study shows that archives do not represent a highly contaminated environment. Symptoms felt by workers were more often linked to direct contact with moldy documents than to high concentrations of mold in the air of archive storage areas. This study provides data on concentration levels in archives that could be used to interpret microbiological investigations in this type of environment in the future.
Insights
Fungal contamination in archives is common, but high airborne mold concentrations did not correlate with worker allergies. Direct contact with moldy documents, however, was linked to increased worker symptoms like headaches and irritation.
Area of Science:
- Environmental microbiology
- Occupational health
- Mycology
Background:
- Fungal contamination in archives poses potential health risks to workers.
- Previous research has primarily focused on document preservation rather than occupational health impacts.
- Understanding the relationship between airborne fungi and worker symptoms is crucial for workplace safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and quantify fungal species in French archives.
- To investigate the correlation between fungal exposure levels and reported health symptoms in archive workers.
- To assess the health risks associated with fungal presence in archival environments.
Main Methods:
- Air sampling using an impactor and electrostatic dust collectors in ten French archives.
- Quantitative fungal analysis via culture-based methods and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR).
- Self-report questionnaires administered to 144 workers to document allergies and general health symptoms.
Main Results:
- Penicillium chrysogenum, Cladosporium sphaerospermum, and Aspergillus versicolor were the predominant fungi identified.
- Median fungal concentrations in storage areas ranged from 30 to 465 colony-forming units (CFU)/m³.
- No significant increase in allergy symptoms was observed in workers from more contaminated archives; however, direct contact with moldy documents correlated with increased headaches, fatigue, eye/throat irritation, coughing, and rhinorrhea.
Conclusions:
- Archives generally do not present highly contaminated environments in terms of airborne fungi.
- Direct contact with moldy documents is a more significant factor for worker symptoms than high airborne fungal concentrations.
- The study provides baseline data on fungal concentrations in archives, aiding future microbiological assessments and informing occupational health strategies.
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