Distribution of Yeasts in the House Dust

Lee, Young Hun; Jun, Jae Bok; Kim, Do Won; Chung, Sang Lip

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Various kinds of pathogenic and non-pathogenic fungi have been isolated from the house dust, the closest environment of human beings.
OBJECTIVE
Our purpose is to investigate the distribution of yeasts in house dust.
METHODS
House dust was sampled from 22 families in Taegu and 56 in a rural town in Kyungpook province for 2 months from May to June, 1992. It was cultivated for years on the media containing cycloheximide (500mg/L)
RESULTS
Among 78 families, 56 (71.8%) showed positive culture for yeasts in house dut;1 species in 24 (30.8%), 2 species in 19 (24.3%), 3 species in 12 (15.4%) and 4 species in 1(1.3%). Rhodotorula(Rh). Ruora was the most frequently isolated one from 36(46.2%) out of 78 families, followed by Tricosporn(T.) cutaneum 25(32.1%). Candida (C.) albicans 16 (20.5%), Pityrosporum pachydermatis 4 (5.1%) and Torulopsis candida, Cryptococcus laurentii, C. rugosa and C. guillermondii 1 (1.3%), each.
CONCLUSION
Rh. rubra, T. cutaneum and C. albicans were the most important yeast species in the houst dust of both rural and raban areas.