Keratinophilic fungi in the antarctic environment

Results of a study on the diffusion of keratinophilic fungi in an Antarctic environment are given. Nine soil samples collected from as many sites along the coast of Ross Sea, and six dust samples inside the Italian scientific base were examined by direct inoculation and hair baiting methods for soil samples and plate dilution method for dust samples. As regards the variety of species isolated and the counting of the numbers of colonies, plate dilution method proved to be very effective. Aspergillus spp., Cladosporium sp., Dematiaceae, Fusarium sp., Geomyces pannorum v. pannorum, G. pannorum v. vinaceus, Mycelia sterilia, Penicillium spp. were isolated from soil. From the dust the following moulds were isolated: Aphanoascus fulvescens, Aspergillus sp., Beauveria sp., Chrysosporium carmichaelii, Dematiaceae, Geomyces pannorum v. pannorum, G. pannorum v. vinaceus, Malbranchea gypsea, Mycelia sterilia, Nectria inventa, Penicillium spp., Scopulariopsis brevicaulis, Scopulariopsis sp. and Trichophyton mentagrophytes. The presence of four colonies of Trichophyton mentagrophytes is emphasized and correlated with the anthropization process.