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Massive contamination of Exophiala dermatitidis and E. phaeomuriformis in railway stations in subtropical Turkey

Aylin Döğen1, Engin Kaplan, Macit Ilkit

  • 1Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Mersin, Mersin, Turkey.

Mycopathologia
|November 6, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Opportunistic black fungi thrive in hydrocarbon-rich environments like railway ties. This study found Exophiala species on treated oak and concrete sleepers, suggesting a potential health risk from these common urban fungi.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental microbiology
  • Medical mycology
  • Urban ecology

Background:

  • Opportunistic fungi, particularly black yeast-like fungi, are frequently found in man-made environments.
  • Hydrocarbon-rich substrates, such as railway ties, are known habitats for these fungi.
  • Understanding the natural habitat of these fungi is crucial for controlling contamination and potential health risks.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the presence and diversity of black fungi on railway ties treated with creosote and stained with petroleum oil.
  • To identify the specific species of black fungi colonizing these artificial substrates.
  • To assess the association between hydrocarbon contamination and the prevalence of opportunistic black yeasts.

Main Methods:

  • Collection of 570 railway tie samples (creosote-treated oak and petroleum oil-stained concrete) from subtropical climate stations in Turkey.
  • Inoculation of samples onto malt extract agar and incubation at 37 °C.
  • Identification of recovered black fungi using rDNA internal transcribed spacer sequencing.

Main Results:

  • A total of 97 black yeast-like fungi were recovered (17.0% positive rate).
  • Fungal prevalence was higher on creosote-treated oak (19.7%) compared to concrete sleepers (13.6%), a statistically significant difference (P = 0.05).
  • The dominant species identified were Exophiala dermatitidis (57.7%) and Exophiala phaeomuriformis (42.3%).

Conclusions:

  • Hydrocarbon-rich environments, such as railway ties, significantly support the growth of opportunistic black yeasts.
  • Exophiala species are prevalent on these artificial substrates, indicating their adaptation to urban, contaminated environments.
  • The findings highlight a potential health risk associated with exposure to these fungi in close proximity to human populations.

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