Cadavers stored under refrigerated conditions as a source of cold-adapted microscopic fungi

Fungi are frequently observed on human remains during decomposition; however, little is known about fungal communities associated with cadavers stored under refrigerated conditions. This study aimed to characterize the cultivable fungal diversity of human cadavers subjected to long-term cold storage and to identify taxa capable of persisting under these conditions. A total of 12 cadavers were examined, including refrigerated cadavers stored at 4 °C, frozen cadavers, and one non-refrigerated comparison case recovered from an indoor environment. Fungi were isolated using culture-based methods and identified using morphological and molecular approaches. The influence of four culture media (Yeast Peptone Glucose - YPG, Potato Dextrose Agar - PDA, Sabouraud agar with glucose - SGA, and Modified Leeming-Notman agar - MLNA) and three incubation temperatures (5, 24, and 37 °C) on fungal recovery was also evaluated. In total, 270 fungal isolates representing 73 species were obtained. The most frequently isolated species were Yarrowia lipolytica, Penicillium crustosum, Debaryomyces hansenii, Penicillium polonicum, and Pseudogymnoascus pannorum. PDA medium and incubation at 24 °C yielded the highest species richness. A negative correlation was observed between fungal species richness and storage time in a cold room. Several fungal taxa were recorded for the first time from human cadavers. These findings provide new baseline data on fungi associated with cold-stored human remains and contribute to the development of forensic and environmental mycology. KEY POINTS: • Fungal species recovered from refrigerated human cadavers. • Penicillium and yeast species dominated the fungal assemblages. • Species richness decreased with increasing storage time.