Characterization of airborne molds, endotoxins, and glucans in homes in New Orleans after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

Carol Y Rao; Margaret A Riggs; Ginger L Chew; Michael L Muilenberg; Peter S Thorne; David Van Sickle; Kevin H Dunn; Clive Brown

doi:10.1128/AEM.01973-06

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Characterization of airborne molds, endotoxins, and glucans in homes in New Orleans after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Characterization of airborne molds, endotoxins, and glucans in homes in New Orleans after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

Carol Y Rao, Margaret A Riggs, Ginger L Chew, Michael L Muilenberg, Peter S Thorne, David Van Sickle, Kevin H Dunn and Clive Brown

Applied and environmental microbiology, Vol.73(5), pp.1630-1634

03/2007

DOI: 10.1128/AEM.01973-06

PMCID: PMC1828784

PMID: 17209066

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Abstract

In August and September 2005, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita caused breeches in the New Orleans, LA, levee system, resulting in catastrophic flooding. The city remained flooded for several weeks, leading to extraordinary mold growth in homes. To characterize the potential risks of mold exposures, we measured airborne molds and markers of molds and bacteria in New Orleans area homes. In October 2005, we collected air samples from 5 mildly water-damaged houses, 15 moderately to heavily water-damaged houses, and 11 outdoor locations. The air filters were analyzed for culturable fungi, spores, (1-->3,1-->6)-beta-D-glucans, and endotoxins. Culturable fungi were significantly higher in the moderately/heavily water-damaged houses (geometric mean=67,000 CFU/m3) than in the mildly water-damaged houses (geometric mean=3,700 CFU/m3) (P=0.02). The predominant molds found were Aspergillus niger, Penicillium spp., Trichoderma, and Paecilomyces. The indoor and outdoor geometric means for endotoxins were 22.3 endotoxin units (EU)/m3 and 10.5 EU/m3, respectively, and for (1-->3,1-->6)-beta-D-glucans were 1.7 microg/m3 and 0.9 microg/m3, respectively. In the moderately/heavily water-damaged houses, the geometric means were 31.3 EU/m3 for endotoxins and 1.8 microg/m3 for (1-->3,1-->6)-beta-D-glucans. Molds, endotoxins, and fungal glucans were detected in the environment after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in New Orleans at concentrations that have been associated with health effects. The species and concentrations were different from those previously reported for non-water-damaged buildings in the southeastern United States.

Environmental Monitoring

Housing

Air Pollution, Indoor - analysis

Aspergillus niger - isolation & purification

Fungi - classification

Air Microbiology

Penicillium - isolation & purification

Fungi - isolation & purification

Spores, Fungal - isolation & purification

Disasters

Fungi - physiology

Paecilomyces - isolation & purification

Glucans - analysis

Louisiana

Trichoderma - isolation & purification

Endotoxins - analysis

Details

Title: Subtitle: Characterization of airborne molds, endotoxins, and glucans in homes in New Orleans after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita
Creators: Carol Y Rao - Epidemic Intelligence Service, Mycotic Diseases Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd. NE, MS-C09, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. crao@cdc.gov
Margaret A Riggs
Ginger L Chew
Michael L Muilenberg
Peter S Thorne
David Van Sickle
Kevin H Dunn
Clive Brown
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Applied and environmental microbiology, Vol.73(5), pp.1630-1634
DOI: 10.1128/AEM.01973-06
PMID: 17209066
PMCID: PMC1828784
NLM abbreviation: Appl Environ Microbiol
ISSN: 0099-2240
eISSN: 1098-5336
Publisher: United States
Grant note: P30 ES005605 / NIEHS NIH HHS P30ES009089 / NIEHS NIH HHS P30 ES009089 / NIEHS NIH HHS P30ES00000243 / NIEHS NIH HHS P30ES05605 / NIEHS NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 03/2007
Academic Unit: Civil and Environmental Engineering; Occupational and Environmental Health
Record Identifier: 9983997444902771

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