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Dannemiller KC, Haines SR, Nastasi N, Divjan A, Acosta LM, Barnes MA, Rappleye C, Green BJ, Perzanowski MS. The Presence of Carpet Alters Human Exposure to Microorganisms in the Home. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2018.12.630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Croston TL, Barnes MA, Lemons AR, Nayak AP, Germolec D, Beezhold DH, Green BJ. Comparison of Proteomic Profiles Influencing Pulmonary Immune Responses Following Repeated Exposure to Aspergillus and Stachybotrys species. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2018.12.567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Green BJ, Levetin E, Horner WE, Codina R, Barnes CS, Filley WV. Landscape Plant Selection Criteria for the Allergic Patient. THE JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY-IN PRACTICE 2018; 6:1869-1876. [PMID: 30097356 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2018.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Patients with pollen-related allergies are concerned about the species within their landscape that provoke their symptoms. Allergists are often asked for guidance but few information sources are available to aid patients in the recognition of allergenic plants and strategies to avoid personal exposure to them. Landscaping and horticultural workers also have few reliable guidance references, and what is available usually extols the virtues of the plants rather than their negative features. The aim of this article was to provide the results of the Landscape Allergen Working Group that was formed by the AAAAI Aerobiology Committee, which aimed to fill these existing knowledge gaps and develop guidance on producing a low-allergenic landscape. Within the context that complete pollen avoidance is unrealistic, the workgroup introduces selection criteria, avoidance strategies, and guidance on low-allergenic plants that could be selected by patients to reduce the overall pollen burden in their landscape environment. Specific focus is placed on entomophilous plants, which require insects as dispersal vectors and generally produce lower quantities of pollen, compared with anemophilous (wind-pollinated) species. Other biological hazards that can be encountered while performing landscaping activities are additionally reviewed and avoidance methods presented with the aim of protecting gardeners, and workers in the landscape and horticulture industries. The guidance presented in this article will ultimately be a helpful resource for the allergist and assist in engaging patients who are seeking to reduce the burden of allergen in their landscape environment.
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Soffer N, Green BJ, Acosta L, Divjan A, Sobek E, Lemons AR, Rundle AG, Jacobson JS, Goldstein IF, Miller RL, Perzanowski MS. Alternaria is associated with asthma symptoms and exhaled NO among NYC children. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2018; 142:1366-1368.e10. [PMID: 29964057 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2018.04.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2017] [Revised: 03/23/2018] [Accepted: 04/13/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Park JH, Sulyok M, Lemons AR, Green BJ, Cox-Ganser JM. Characterization of fungi in office dust: Comparing results of microbial secondary metabolites, fungal internal transcribed spacer region sequencing, viable culture and other microbial indices. INDOOR AIR 2018; 28:10.1111/ina.12470. [PMID: 29729045 PMCID: PMC6215746 DOI: 10.1111/ina.12470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2017] [Accepted: 04/24/2018] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Recent developments in molecular and chemical methods have enabled the analysis of fungal DNA and secondary metabolites, often produced during fungal growth, in environmental samples. We compared 3 fungal analytical methods by analysing floor dust samples collected from an office building for fungi using viable culture, internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequencing and secondary metabolites using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Of the 32 metabolites identified, 29 had a potential link to fungi with levels ranging from 0.04 (minimum for alternariol monomethylether) to 5700 ng/g (maximum for neoechinulin A). The number of fungal metabolites quantified per sample ranged from 8 to 16 (average = 13/sample). We identified 216 fungal operational taxonomic units (OTUs) with the number per sample ranging from 6 to 29 (average = 18/sample). We identified 37 fungal species using culture, and the number per sample ranged from 2 to 13 (average = 8/sample). Agreement in identification between ITS sequencing and culturing was weak (kappa = -0.12 to 0.27). The number of cultured fungal species poorly correlated with OTUs, which did not correlate with the number of metabolites. These suggest that using multiple measurement methods may provide an improved understanding of fungal exposures in indoor environments and that secondary metabolites may be considered as an additional source of exposure.
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Lemons AR, Lindsley WG, Green BJ. Collection and Extraction of Occupational Air Samples for Analysis of Fungal DNA. J Vis Exp 2018. [PMID: 29782003 DOI: 10.3791/56730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Traditional methods of identifying fungal exposures in occupational environments, such as culture and microscopy-based approaches, have several limitations that have resulted in the exclusion of many species. Advances in the field over the last two decades have led occupational health researchers to turn to molecular-based approaches for identifying fungal hazards. These methods have resulted in the detection of many species within indoor and occupational environments that have not been detected using traditional methods. This protocol details an approach for determining fungal diversity within air samples through genomic DNA extraction, amplification, sequencing, and taxonomic identification of fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions. ITS sequencing results in the detection of many fungal species that are either not detected or difficult to identify to species level using culture or microscopy. While these methods do not provide quantitative measures of fungal burden, they offer a new approach to hazard identification and can be used to determine overall species richness and diversity within an occupational environment.
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Green BJ, Couch JR, Lemons AR, Burton NC, Victory KR, Nayak AP, Beezhold DH. Microbial hazards during harvesting and processing at an outdoor United States cannabis farm. JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE 2018; 15:430-440. [PMID: 29370578 PMCID: PMC6314012 DOI: 10.1080/15459624.2018.1432863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Cannabis cultivation is an emerging industry within the United States. Organic dust derived in part from naturally occurring microorganisms is known to cause byssinosis in the hemp industry. In this pilot study, bacteria and fungi encountered by workers at an outdoor cannabis farm that utilized organic practices were elucidated by 16 S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) region sequencing, respectively. Area (n = 14) and personal air samples (n = 12) were collected during harvesting and processing activities. 16 S rRNA and ITS regions of extracted bacterial and fungal genomic DNA were amplified and sequenced using Sanger sequencing. Bacterial sequencing resolved 1,077 sequences that were clustered into 639 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and predominantly placed in the phylum, Actinobacteria (46%). Personal air samples revealed higher bacterial and Actinobacteria diversity compared to outdoor area samples collected within the facility (p < 0.05). A high degree of dissimilarity between bacteria was identified within and between samples. Fungal sequences (n = 985) were identified and predominantly clustered in the phylum Ascomycota (53%). Of the 216 fungal OTUs elucidated, the cannabis plant pathogenic species, Botrytis cinerea, was the most prevalent and accounted for 34% of all fungal sequences. The relative abundance of B. cinerea was highest in personal air samples (59%) compared to area samples collected in the drying room (19%), greenhouse (18%), and outdoor environment (6%). There was 49% sample similarity between fungi identified within personal air samples, but higher dissimilarity coefficients were observed within and between greenhouse, drying room, and outdoor area air samples. The results of this pilot study suggest that the cannabis farm workers are potentially exposed to Actinobacteria as well as the cannabis plant pathogen, B. cinerea during harvesting, bud-stripping, and hand-trimming processes.
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Barnes MA, Croston TL, Lemons AR, Beezhold DH, Green BJ. Investigating local and systemic immune changes following sub-chronic inhalation of Aspergillus versicolor spores. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.200.supp.52.37] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Fungi are environmentally ubiquitous, and can be particularly abundant in damp indoor locations which may lead to pulmonary fungal exposure via inhalation of bioaerosols. Some of the adverse pulmonary health effects associated with fungal challenges include asthma, allergy, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and local or disseminated infection. Here, we study the innate immune effects following 13 weeks sub-chronic inhalation exposures to spores derived from a common indoor fungal contaminant, Aspergillus versicolor. Compared to air-only control mice, A. versicolor-exposed B6C3F1 mice exhibited increased recruitment of leukocytes to the lung, particularly eosinophils and type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s), but also alveolar macrophages, inflammatory monocytes, and neutrophils following 13 weeks of exposure in nose-only inhalation chambers. Local expression of ccl2, ccl7, eotaxin, and il13 mRNA was increased in lung tissue. In addition, IL-4, CCL3, CCL4, CXCL1, and CXCL5 were increased in bronchoaveolar lavage fluid of A. versicolor-exposed mice compared to controls. Systemically, circulating CCL7, CXCL1, CXCL5, and CXCL10 were increased in serum of mice following inhalation of spores. Taken together, these data indicate A. versicolor elicits a Th2-biased immune response that is driven by multiple innate immune cell populations, including monocytes, eosinophils, and ILC2s.
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Nayak AP, Croston TL, Lemons AR, Goldsmith WT, Marshall NB, Kashon ML, Germolec DR, Beezhold DH, Green BJ. Aspergillus fumigatus viability drives allergic responses to inhaled conidia. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 2018; 121:200-210.e2. [PMID: 29660515 DOI: 10.1016/j.anai.2018.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Revised: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aspergillus fumigatus-induced allergic airway disease has been shown to involve conidial germination in vivo, but the immunological mechanisms remain uncharacterized. OBJECTIVE A subchronic murine exposure model was used to examine the immunological mediators that are regulated in response to either culturable or nonculturable A fumigatus conidia. METHODS Female B6C3F1/N mice were repeatedly dosed via inhalation with 1 × 105 viable or heat-inactivated conidia (HIC), twice per week for 13 weeks (26 exposures). Control mice inhaled high-efficiency particulate arrestor-filtered air. The influence of A fumigatus conidial germination on the pulmonary immunopathological outcomes was evaluated by flow cytometry analysis of cellular infiltration in the airways, assessment of lung messenger RNA expression, quantitative proteomics, and histopathology of whole lung tissue. RESULTS Repeated inhalation of viable conidia, but not HIC, resulted in allergic inflammation marked by vascular remodeling, extensive eosinophilia, and accumulation of alternatively activated macrophages (AAMs) in the murine airways. More specifically, mice that inhaled viable conidia resulted in a mixed TH1 and TH2 (IL-13) cytokine response. Recruitment of eosinophils corresponded with increased Ccl11 transcripts. Furthermore, genes associated with M2 or alternatively activated macrophage polarization (eg, Arg1, Chil3, and Retnla) were significantly up-regulated in viable A fumigatus-exposed mice. In mice inhaling HIC, CD4+ T cells expressing IFN-γ (TH1) dominated the lymphocytic infiltration. Quantitative proteomics of the lung revealed metabolic reprogramming accompanied by mitochondrial dysfunction and endoplasmic reticulum stress stimulated by oxidative stress from repetitive microbial insult. CONCLUSION Our studies demonstrate that A fumigatus conidial viability in vivo is critical to the immunopathological presentation of chronic fungal allergic disease.
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Victory KR, Couch J, Lowe B, Green BJ. Notes from the Field: Occupational Hazards Associated with Harvesting and Processing Cannabis - Washington, 2015-2016. MMWR-MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY WEEKLY REPORT 2018; 67:259-260. [PMID: 29494573 PMCID: PMC5861698 DOI: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6708a7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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Croston TL, Lemons AR, Beezhold DH, Green BJ. MicroRNA Regulation of Host Immune Responses following Fungal Exposure. Front Immunol 2018; 9:170. [PMID: 29467760 PMCID: PMC5808297 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.00170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2017] [Accepted: 01/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal bioaerosols are ubiquitous in the environment and human exposure can result in a variety of health effects ranging from systemic, subcutaneous, and cutaneous infections to respiratory morbidity including allergy, asthma, and hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Recent research has focused on the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) following fungal exposure and is overlooked, yet important, group of regulators capable of influencing fungal immune responses through a variety of cellular mechanisms. These small non-coding ribose nucleic acids function to regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level and have been shown to participate in multiple disease pathways including cancer, heart disease, apoptosis, as well as immune responses to microbial hazards and occupational allergens. Recent animal model studies have characterized miRNAs following the exposure to inflammatory stimuli. Studies focused on microbial exposure, including bacterial infections, as well as exposure to different allergens have shown miRNAs, such as miR-21, miR-146, miR-132, miR-155, and the let-7 family members, to be involved in immune and inflammatory responses. Interestingly, the few studies have assessed that the miRNA profiles following fungal exposure have identified the same critical miRNAs that have been characterized in other inflammatory-mediated and allergy-induced experimental models. Review of available in vitro, animal and human studies of exposures to Aspergillus fumigatus, Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans, Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, and Stachybotrys chartarum identified several miRNAs that were shared between responses to these species including miR-125 a/b (macrophage polarization/activation), miR-132 [toll-like receptor (TLR)2-mediated signaling], miR-146a (TLR mediated signaling, alternative macrophage activation), and miR-29a/b (natural killer cell function, C-leptin signaling, inhibition of Th1 immune response). Although these datasets provide preliminary insight into the role of miRNAs in fungal exposed models, interpretation of miRNA datasets can be challenging for researchers. To assist in navigating this rapidly evolving field, the aim of this review is to describe miRNAs in the framework of host recognition mechanisms and provide initial insight into the regulatory pathways in response to fungal exposure.
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Lemons AR, Sobek EA, Croston TL, Green BJ. Identification of fungal hazards associated with mold-contaminated homes in Atanta, Georgia. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2017.12.913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Croston TL, Green BJ, Lemons AR, Barnes MA, Goldsmith WT, Orandle MS, Nayak AP, Jackson BP, Germolec DR, Beezhold DH. Fungal fragmentation influences pulmonary immune responses following repeated exposure to Stachybotrys chartarum. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2017.12.588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Little M, Acosta LM, D'Andrea C, Divjan A, Dannemiller KC, Sobek EA, Lemons AR, Green BJ, Perzanowski M. Domestic fungal exposure and asthma morbidity among asthmatic children living in NYC homes damaged by Hurricane Sandy. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2017.12.591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Dannemiller KC, Acosta LM, Divjan A, Rundle AG, Miller RL, Lemons AR, Green BJ, Perzanowski M. Domestic fungal diversity in NYC homes, neighborhood asthma prevalence and asthma persistence. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2017.12.589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Coombs K, Taft D, Ward DV, Green BJ, Chew GL, Shamsaei B, Meller J, Indugula R, Reponen T. Variability of indoor fungal microbiome of green and non-green low-income homes in Cincinnati, Ohio. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 610-611:212-218. [PMID: 28803198 PMCID: PMC6728913 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.07.274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2017] [Revised: 07/26/2017] [Accepted: 07/31/2017] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
"Green" housing is designed to use low-impact materials, increase energy efficiency and improve occupant health. However, little is known about the indoor mycobiome of green homes. The current study is a subset of a multicenter study that aims to investigate the indoor environment of green homes and the respiratory health of asthmatic children. In the current study, the mycobiome in air, bed dust and floor dust was compared between green (study site) and non-green (control site), low-income homes in Cincinnati, Ohio. The samples were collected at baseline (within four months following renovation), and 12months after the baseline at the study site. Parallel sample collection was conducted in non-green control homes. Air samples were collected by PM2.5 samplers over 5-days. Bed and floor dust samples were vacuumed after the air sampling was completed. The DNA sample extracts were analyzed using ITS amplicon sequencing. Analysis indicated that there was no clear trend in the fungal communities between green and non-green homes. Instead, fungal community differences were greatest between sample types - air, bed, and floor. Microbial communities also changed substantially between sampling intervals in both green and non-green homes for all sample types, potentially indicating that there was very little stability in the mycobiomes. Research gaps remain regarding how indoor mycobiome fluctuates over time. Longer follow-up periods might elucidate the effect of green renovation on microbial load in buildings.
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Green BJ, Lemons AR, Park Y, Cox-Ganser JM, Park JH. Assessment of fungal diversity in a water-damaged office building. JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE 2017; 14:285-293. [PMID: 27786737 PMCID: PMC6314010 DOI: 10.1080/15459624.2016.1252044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies have described fungal communities in indoor environments using gene sequencing-based approaches. In this study, dust-borne fungal communities were elucidated from a water-damaged office building located in the northeastern region of the United States using internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rRNA gene sequencing. Genomic DNA was extracted from 5 mg of floor dust derived from 22 samples collected from either the lower floors (n = 8) or a top floor (n = 14) of the office building. ITS gene sequencing resolved a total of 933 ITS sequences and was clustered into 216 fungal operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Analysis of fungal OTUs at the 97% similarity threshold showed a difference between the lower and top floors that was marginally significant (p = 0.049). Species richness and diversity indices were reduced in the lower floor samples compared to the top floor samples and there was a high degree of compositional dissimilarity within and between the two different areas within the building. Fungal OTUs were placed in the phyla Ascomycota (55%), Basidiomycota (41%), Zygomycota (3%), Glomeromycota (0.4%), Chytridiomycota (0.3%), and unassigned fungi (0.5%). The Ascomycota classes with the highest relative abundances included the Dothideomycetes (30%) and Eurotiomycetes (16%). The Basidiomycota consisted of the classes Ustilaginomycetes (14%), Tremellomycetes (11%), and Agaricomycetes (8%). Sequence reads derived from the plant pathogen Ustilago syntherismae were the most abundant in the analysis as were obligate Basidiomycota yeast species that accounted for 12% and 11% of fungal ITS sequences, respectively. ITS gene sequencing provides additional insight into the diversity of fungal OTUs. These data further highlight the contribution of fungi placed in the phylum Basidiomycota, obligate yeasts, as well as xerophilic species that are typically not resolved using traditional culture methods.
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Lemons AR, Hogan MB, Gault RA, Holland K, Sobek E, Olsen-Wilson KA, Park Y, Park JH, Gu JK, Kashon ML, Green BJ. Microbial rRNA sequencing analysis of evaporative cooler indoor environments located in the Great Basin Desert region of the United States. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2017; 19:101-110. [PMID: 28091681 PMCID: PMC5450635 DOI: 10.1039/c6em00413j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies conducted in the Great Basin Desert region of the United States have shown that skin test reactivity to fungal and dust mite allergens are increased in children with asthma or allergy living in homes with evaporative coolers (EC). The objective of this study was to determine if the increased humidity previously reported in EC homes leads to varying microbial populations compared to homes with air conditioners (AC). Children with physician-diagnosed allergic rhinitis living in EC or AC environments were recruited into the study. Air samples were collected from the child's bedroom for genomic DNA extraction and metagenomic analysis of bacteria and fungi using the Illumina MiSeq sequencing platform. The analysis of bacterial populations revealed no major differences between EC and AC sampling environments. The fungal populations observed in EC homes differed from AC homes. The most prevalent species discovered in AC environments belonged to the genera Cryptococcus (20%) and Aspergillus (20%). In contrast, the most common fungi identified in EC homes belonged to the order Pleosporales and included Alternaria alternata (32%) and Phoma spp. (22%). The variations in fungal populations provide preliminary evidence of the microbial burden children may be exposed to within EC environments in this region.
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Croston TL, Nayak AP, Lemons AR, Goldsmith WT, Germolec DM, Beezhold DH, Green BJ. Pulmonary Immune Response Following Subchronic Stachybotrys chartarum Exposure. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2016.12.291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Coombs K, Vesper S, Green BJ, Yermakov M, Reponen T. Fungal Microbiomes Associated with Green and Non-Green Building Materials. INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION 2017; 125:251-257. [PMID: 29681691 PMCID: PMC5906815 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibiod.2017.07.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Water-damaged buildings can lead to fungal growth and occupant health problems. Green building materials, derived from renewable sources, are increasingly utilized in construction and renovations. However, the question as to what fungi will grow on these green compared to non-green materials, after they get wet, has not been adequately studied. By determining what fungi grow on each type of material, the potential health risks can be more adequately assessed. In this study, we inoculated green and non-green pieces of ceiling tile, composite board, drywall, and flooring with indoor dust containing a complex mixture of naturally occurring fungi. The materials were saturated with water and incubated for two months in a controlled environment. The resulting fungal microbiomes were evaluated using ITS amplicon sequencing. Overall, the richness and diversity of the mycobiomes on each pair of green and non-green pieces were not significantly different. However, different genera dominated on each type of material. For example, Aspergillus spp. had the highest relative abundance on green and non-green ceiling tiles and green composite boards, but Peniophora spp. dominated the non-green composite board. In contrast, Penicillium spp. dominated green and non-green flooring samples. Green gypsum board was dominated by Phialophora spp. and Stachybotrys spp., but non-green gypsum board by Myrothecium spp. These data suggest that water-damaged green and non-green building materials can result in mycobiomes that are dominated by fungal genera whose member species pose different potentials for health risks.
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Broadwater K, de Perio MA, Roberts J, Burton NC, Lemons AR, Green BJ, Brueck SE. Investigating a persistent odor at an aircraft seat manufacturer. JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE 2016; 13:D159-65. [PMID: 27494786 PMCID: PMC5511731 DOI: 10.1080/15459624.2016.1183017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
An aircraft seat manufacturing company requested a NIOSH health hazard evaluation to help identify a strong odor that had persisted throughout the facility for over a year. Employees reported experiencing health effects thought to be related to the odor. We collected and analyzed area air samples for volatile organic compounds, endotoxin, bacterial and fungal metagenome, and metalworking fluid aerosol. Bulk metalworking fluid samples were analyzed for endotoxin, bacterial and fungal metagenome, and viable bacteria and fungus. We also evaluated the building ventilation systems and water diversion systems. Employees underwent confidential medical interviews about work practices, medical history, and health concerns. Based on our analyses, the odor was likely 2-methoxy-3,5-dimethylpyrazine. This pyrazine was found in air samples across the facility and originated from bacteria in the metalworking fluid. We did not identify bacteria known to produce the compound but bacteria from the same Proteobacteria order were found as well as bacteria from orders known to produce other pyrazines. Chemical and biological contaminants and odors could have contributed to health symptoms reported by employees, but it is likely that the symptoms were caused by several factors. We provided several recommendations to eliminate the odor including washing and disinfecting the metalworking machines and metalworking fluid recycling equipment, discarding all used metalworking fluid, instituting a metalworking fluid maintenance program at the site, and physically isolating the metalworking department from other departments.
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Croston TL, Nayak AP, Lemons AR, Goldsmith WT, Gu JK, Germolec DR, Beezhold DH, Green BJ. Influence of Aspergillus fumigatus conidia viability on murine pulmonary microRNA and mRNA expression following subchronic inhalation exposure. Clin Exp Allergy 2016; 46:1315-27. [PMID: 27473664 DOI: 10.1111/cea.12783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2016] [Revised: 06/13/2016] [Accepted: 06/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Personal exposure to fungal bioaerosols derived from contaminated building materials or agricultural commodities may induce or exacerbate a variety of adverse health effects. The genomic mechanisms that underlie pulmonary immune responses to fungal bioaerosols have remained unclear. OBJECTIVE The impact of fungal viability on the pulmonary microRNA and messenger RNA profiles that regulate murine immune responses was evaluated following subchronic inhalation exposure to Aspergillus fumigatus conidia. METHODS Three groups of naïve B6C3F1/N mice were exposed via nose-only inhalation to A. fumigatus viable conidia, heat-inactivated conidia (HIC), or HEPA-filtered air twice a week for 13 weeks. Total RNA was isolated from whole lung 24 and 48 h postfinal exposure and was further processed for gene expression and microRNA array analysis. The molecular network pathways between viable and HIC groups were evaluated. RESULTS Comparison of data sets revealed increased Il4, Il13 and Il33 expression in mice exposed to viable vs. HIC. Of 415 microRNAs detected, approximately 50% were altered in mice exposed to viable vs. HIC 48 h postexposure. Significantly down-regulated (P ≤ 0.05) miR-29a-3p was predicted to regulate TGF-β3 and Clec7a, genes involved in innate responses to viable A. fumigatus. Also significantly down-regulated (P ≤ 0.05), miR-23b-3p regulates genes involved in pulmonary IL-13 and IL-33 responses and SMAD2, downstream of TGF-β signalling. Using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis, a novel interaction was identified between viable conidia and SMAD2/3. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Examination of the pulmonary genetic profiles revealed differentially expressed genes and microRNAs following subchronic inhalation exposure to A. fumigatus. MicroRNAs regulating genes involved in the pulmonary immune responses were those with the greatest fold change. Specifically, germinating A. fumigatus conidia were associated with Clec7a and were predicted to interact with Il13 and Il33. Furthermore, altered microRNAs may serve as potential biomarkers to evaluate fungal exposure.
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Beggs PJ, Katelaris CH, Medek D, Johnston FH, Burton PK, Campbell B, Jaggard AK, Vicendese D, Bowman DMJS, Godwin I, Huete AR, Erbas B, Green BJ, Newnham RM, Newbigin E, Haberle SG, Davies JM. Differences in grass pollen allergen exposure across Australia. Aust N Z J Public Health 2016; 39:51-5. [PMID: 25648730 PMCID: PMC4704082 DOI: 10.1111/1753-6405.12325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2014] [Revised: 08/01/2014] [Accepted: 10/01/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: Allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma are important chronic diseases posing serious public health issues in Australia with associated medical, economic, and societal burdens. Pollen are significant sources of clinically relevant outdoor aeroallergens, recognised as both a major trigger for, and cause of, allergic respiratory diseases. This study aimed to provide a national, and indeed international, perspective on the state of Australian pollen data using a large representative sample. Methods: Atmospheric grass pollen concentration is examined over a number of years within the period 1995 to 2013 for Brisbane, Canberra, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, and Sydney, including determination of the ‘clinical’ grass pollen season and grass pollen peak. Results: The results of this study describe, for the first time, a striking spatial and temporal variability in grass pollen seasons in Australia, with important implications for clinicians and public health professionals, and the Australian grass pollen‐allergic community. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that static pollen calendars are of limited utility and in some cases misleading. This study also highlights significant deficiencies and limitations in the existing Australian pollen monitoring and data. Implications: Establishment of an Australian national pollen monitoring network would help facilitate advances in the clinical and public health management of the millions of Australians with asthma and allergic rhinitis.
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Medek DE, Beggs PJ, Erbas B, Jaggard AK, Campbell BC, Vicendese D, Johnston FH, Godwin I, Huete AR, Green BJ, Burton PK, Bowman DMJS, Newnham RM, Katelaris CH, Haberle SG, Newbigin E, Davies JM. Regional and seasonal variation in airborne grass pollen levels between cities of Australia and New Zealand. AEROBIOLOGIA 2016; 32:289-302. [PMID: 27069303 PMCID: PMC4826055 DOI: 10.1007/s10453-015-9399-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Although grass pollen is widely regarded as the major outdoor aeroallergen source in Australia and New Zealand (NZ), no assemblage of airborne pollen data for the region has been previously compiled. Grass pollen count data collected at 14 urban sites in Australia and NZ over periods ranging from 1 to 17 years were acquired, assembled and compared, revealing considerable spatiotemporal variability. Although direct comparison between these data is problematic due to methodological differences between monitoring sites, the following patterns are apparent. Grass pollen seasons tended to have more than one peak from tropics to latitudes of 37°S and single peaks at sites south of this latitude. A longer grass pollen season was therefore found at sites below 37°S, driven by later seasonal end dates for grass growth and flowering. Daily pollen counts increased with latitude; subtropical regions had seasons of both high intensity and long duration. At higher latitude sites, the single springtime grass pollen peak is potentially due to a cooler growing season and a predominance of pollen from C3 grasses. The multiple peaks at lower latitude sites may be due to a warmer season and the predominance of pollen from C4 grasses. Prevalence and duration of seasonal allergies may reflect the differing pollen seasons across Australia and NZ. It must be emphasized that these findings are tentative due to limitations in the available data, reinforcing the need to implement standardized pollen-monitoring methods across Australasia. Furthermore, spatiotemporal differences in grass pollen counts indicate that local, current, standardized pollen monitoring would assist with the management of pollen allergen exposure for patients at risk of allergic rhinitis and asthma.
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Nayak AP, Green BJ, Lemons AR, Marshall NB, Goldsmith WT, Kashon ML, Anderson SE, Germolec DR, Beezhold DH. Subchronic exposures to fungal bioaerosols promotes allergic pulmonary inflammation in naïve mice. Clin Exp Allergy 2016; 46:861-70. [PMID: 26892490 DOI: 10.1111/cea.12724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2015] [Revised: 02/05/2016] [Accepted: 02/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epidemiological surveys indicate that occupants of mold contaminated environments are at increased risk of respiratory symptoms. The immunological mechanisms associated with these responses require further characterization. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to characterize the immunotoxicological outcomes following repeated inhalation of dry Aspergillus fumigatus spores aerosolized at concentrations potentially encountered in contaminated indoor environments. METHODS Aspergillus fumigatus spores were delivered to the lungs of naïve BALB/cJ mice housed in a multi-animal nose-only chamber twice a week for a period of 13 weeks. Mice were evaluated at 24 and 48 h post-exposure for histopathological changes in lung architecture, recruitment of specific immune cells to the airways, and serum antibody responses. RESULT Germinating A. fumigatus spores were observed in lungs along with persistent fungal debris in the perivascular regions of the lungs. Repeated exposures promoted pleocellular infiltration with concomitant epithelial mucus hypersecretion, goblet cell metaplasia, subepithelial fibrosis and enhanced airway hyperreactivity. Cellular infiltration in airways was predominated by CD4(+) T cells expressing the pro-allergic cytokine IL-13. Furthermore, our studies show that antifungal T cell responses (IFN-γ(+) or IL-17A(+) ) co-expressed IL-13, revealing a novel mechanism for the dysregulated immune response to inhaled fungi. Total IgE production was augmented in animals repeatedly exposed to A. fumigatus. CONCLUSIONS & CLINICAL RELEVANCE Repeated inhalation of fungal aerosols resulted in significant pulmonary pathology mediated by dynamic shifts in specific immune populations and their cytokines. These studies provide novel insights into the immunological mechanisms and targets that govern the health outcomes that result from repeated inhalation of fungal bioaerosols in contaminated environments.
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