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Collection and Extraction of Occupational Air Samples for Analysis of Fungal DNA

Collection and Extraction of Occupational Air Samples for Analysis of Fungal DNA

Published on: May 2, 2018

Associations of observed home dampness and mold with the fungal and bacterial dust microbiomes

Jennie Cox¹, Timothy Stone, Patrick Ryan

¹Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati, P.O. Box 670056, Cincinnati, OH, USA. reponeta@ucmail.uc.edu.

Environmental Science. Processes & Impacts

|March 1, 2021

Abstract:

The objective of this analysis was to examine and compare quantitative metrics of observed dampness and mold, including visible mold and moisture damage, and fungal and bacterial microbiomes. In-home visits were conducted at age 7 for children enrolled in the Cincinnati Childhood Allergy and Air Pollution Study. Trained study staff evaluated the primary residence and measured total areas of visible moisture and mold damage in the home. Floor dust was collected and archived. Archived dust samples collected from each home (n = 178) were extracted and analyzed using bacterial (16S rRNA gene) and fungal (internal transcribed spacer region) sequencing. Fungi were also divided into moisture requirement categories of xerophiles, mesophiles, and hydrophiles. Data analyses used Spearman's correlation, Kruskal-Wallis, Permanova, DESeq, and negative binomial regression models. Comparing high moisture or mold damage to no damage, five fungal species and two bacterial species had higher concentrations (absolute abundance) and six fungal species and three bacterial species had lower concentrations. Hydrophilic and mesophilic fungi showed significant dose-related increases with increasing moisture damage and mold damage, respectively. When comparing alpha or beta diversity of fungi and bacteria across mold and moisture damage levels, no significant associations or differences were found. Mold and moisture damage did not affect diversity of fungal and bacterial microbiomes. Instead, both kinds of damage were associated with changes in species composition of both bacterial and fungal microbiomes, indicating that fungal and bacterial communities in the home might be influenced by one another as well as by mold or moisture in the home.

Insights

Home mold and moisture damage alters indoor fungal and bacterial communities, impacting species composition but not overall microbial diversity. This research highlights the interconnectedness of indoor microbial ecosystems.

Area of Science:

Environmental microbiology
Indoor air quality
Microbial ecology

Background:

Indoor environments harbor complex fungal and bacterial communities.
Home moisture and mold damage are prevalent issues with potential health implications.
Understanding the impact of damage on indoor microbiomes is crucial for public health.

Purpose of the Study:

To quantitatively assess the relationship between visible home moisture/mold damage and indoor fungal/bacterial microbiomes.
To compare the absolute abundance and diversity of microbial species in homes with varying levels of damage.
To investigate the influence of moisture-dependent fungal groups on the indoor microbiome.

Main Methods:

In-home assessments of moisture and mold damage in children's residences.
Collection and analysis of floor dust samples using 16S rRNA (bacterial) and ITS (fungal) sequencing.
Categorization of fungi based on moisture requirements (xerophiles, mesophiles, hydrophiles).
Statistical analyses including correlation, regression, and diversity metrics (alpha and beta diversity).

Main Results:

Specific fungal and bacterial species showed altered absolute abundance in homes with moisture or mold damage.
Hydrophilic and mesophilic fungi exhibited dose-dependent increases with escalating moisture and mold damage, respectively.
No significant changes in overall fungal or bacterial diversity (alpha or beta) were observed across damage levels.
Both mold and moisture damage were associated with shifts in the species composition of indoor microbiomes.

Conclusions:

Visible mold and moisture damage significantly alter the species composition of indoor fungal and bacterial communities.
Microbial diversity remains unaffected, but specific microbial populations change in response to damage.
Indoor microbial communities may be influenced by the presence of mold/moisture and by inter-species interactions.

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