Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Thermophilic fungi in the mycoflora of man and environmental air

  • Published:
Mycopathologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine if thermophilic fungi exist in the mycoflora of man and in the aeroflora of his environment.Humicola lanuginosa andHumicola grisea were isolated from 5 of 55 samples of outside air. Three thousand cultures were taken from the nasal mucosae, skin surfaces and recta of 570 children. Cultures were incubated at 50°C. Thermophilic fungi were isolated from 6 of 287 children receiving immunosuppressive therapy for malignancies and from 1 of 283 normal children.H. lanuginosa was recovered from the skin of one, the rectum of one and the nasal mucosae of three patients.Mucor pusillus was isolated from the nasopharynges of two patients.

Further studies are now indicated to determine the pathogenicity of these organisms with respect to tissue invasive disease, antigenicity and metabolite toxicity.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Mieke, Hugo. Die Selbsterhitzung des Heus, Eine Biologische Studie. Gustav Fischer, Jena, 1907, 127 p.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Crisan, E. V. (1959) The isolation and identification of thermophilic fungi. M.S. Thesis. Purdue University, Lafayette, Ind., 107p.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Kuster, E. &Locci, R. (1964) Studies on peat and peat microorganisms II. Occurrence of thermophilic fungi in peat.Arch. Mikrobiol. 48:319–324.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Fergus, C. L. (1964) Thermophilic and thermotolerant molds and actinomycetes of mushroom compost during peak heating.Mycologia 56:267–284.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Cooney, D. G. &Emerson, R. (1964) Thermophilic Fungi, an Account of their Biology, Activities and Classification. Freeman, San Francisco 188p.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Pepys, J., Jenkins, P. A., Festenstein, G. N., Gregory, P. H., Lacey, M. E. &Skinner, F. A. (1963) Farmer's lung: thermophilic actinomycetes as a source of farmer's hay lung antigen.Lancet 2:607–611.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Kobayashi, M., Stahmann, M. A., Rankin, J. &Rickie, H. A. (1963) Antigens in moldy hay as the cause of farmer's lung.Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 113:472–476.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Wenzel, F. L., Emanuel, D. A., Lawton, B. R. &Magnin, G. E. (1964) Isolation of the causative agent of farmer's lung.Ann. Allerg 22:533–540.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Hinson, K. F. W., Moon, A. J. &Plummer, N. S. (1952) Bronchopulmonary aspergillosis: a review and a report of eight new cases.Thorax 73:317–333.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Infectious Disease Service, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and University of Tennessee - Medical Units, USA

    Walter T. Hughes M. D. & Jefferson W. Crosier B. S.

Authors
  1. Walter T. Hughes M. D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jefferson W. Crosier B. S.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Supported by General Research Support Grant RR-05584 from National Institutes of Health; Cancer Research Center Grant CA-08480 and Training Grant CA-05176 from the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health and by ALSAC.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hughes, W.T., Crosier, J.W. Thermophilic fungi in the mycoflora of man and environmental air. Mycopathologia et Mycologia Applicata 49, 147–152 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02050857

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02050857

Keywords

Search

Navigation