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Fungi are significant as one of the causative agents of allergenic respiratory diseases in the tropics.The mycologists/plant pathologists, to know the diversity, long and short distance travel and dispersal mechanism in relation to the diseases appearing on economically important crop plants, have studied fungi of the outdoors. Similarly, from indoors fungi are known as the result of academic exercises undertaken by different researchers in our country (Rajan et al., 1952; Thirumalikolundusubramanian et al., 1980; Singh, 1981; Tilak et al., 1981; Jayaprakash and Ramalingam, 1981; D'silva and Freitas, 1982).

Now a days, when the number of causes of air pollution is increasing every day, allergy by bio-pollutants is also on the increase. Fungal entities of the air are also becoming a great concern for the individuals having sensitivity to these ubiquituos microbes. Fungi cause allergenic disease among the sensitive individuals and also pave way for serious secondary ailments. Now, when there is always a danger for any one to become immunologically weak individual due to various known or unknown reasons, the role of fungi as an opportunistic pathogen becomes all the more significant. Hence, any measure to arrest the undesired fungal population of any environ would be a welcome. With this in a view, a few plant materials were used for fumigation in a room to test their efficacy in arresting the fungal spores suspended in the air.

These diseases are known to occur due to allergenic reactions and fungi are reported to play a very significant role in being the causative agents of these diseases (Lawlor and Fischer, 1981; Al-doory and Domson, 1984). The survey also pointed out that the uneducated workers and their families, mostly belonging to one community, besides other public of the areas, where these Ginneries were located, might have sufferings of allergenic nature and the fungi of Ginneries may be one of the sources of allergenic diseases among such people. Unfortunately none of the workers or residents of the areas of Ginneries neither volunteered nor accepted the investigator’s request to undergo allergenic test for the fungal antigens whose role in causing diseases among them can not be overlooked.Regarding the presence of airborne fungi, the residing place of individuals is of great importance. It was established that Aspergillus fumigatus is frequently found in compost waste, and allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis is more common in people who live around composts .

The micro-fungi from the indoor air of 22 Ginneries situated in all the four directions [North (5), South (5), East (5), West (5)] and also (2) in the center of Lucknow were studied for a year. The fungi were isolated periodically using different natural and synthetic media such as, Czapek dox agar, Potato dextrose agar, Malt agar, Sabouraud agar and Rose-bengal agar. Petri-plates containing aforesaid media supplemented with suitable antibiotics (0.5 g/L) were exposed for 2-5 minutes in the Ginneries at all their four corners and also in the center so as to get, as far as possible, complete picture of their indoor micro fungal flora. The Petri-plates were incubated at 28+1 C and colonies were counted from 3rd to 7th day. Fungi were isolated on suitable slants and identified using standard keys and monographs. Meteorological and other ecologically significant data were recorded. The data so obtained were subjected to correlation coefficient analysis.

The highest temperature was recorded in the month of May (40.800C) followed by April (37.28) and September (35.20), whereas the lowest was in the month of January, 2002 (22.400C). Unexpectedly, temperature higher than in June was recorded in September (35.300C), though in India, higher temperatures are normally experienced during the summer months April to June. However, average maximum and minimum temperatures throughout the year range between 31.70 to 14.930C. The rainfall was highest in the month of July (395.5 mm) and the lowest was recorded in the month of March (1.40 mm). There was no rainfall in December, April and May. The relative humidity was recorded lowest in February (67.03%), but the highest was in March (94.00%). The wind velocity was recorded lowest in October (1.34 km/hr) and the highest in March (5.36 km/hr). The average wind velocity for the period of study was 2.85 km/hr. Correlation coefficient (r) among the meteorological factors and fungi is presented in table- 5. These factors were correlated among themselves and also with the fungal component of the atmosphere. Temperature had negative and significant correlation with the total number of fungi, total number of colonies indoors and highly significant with the total number of colonies outdoors. Fungi and fungal colonies, both outdoors and indoors had significant relationships among themselves. Total number of colonies indoors had very significant relationship with colonies occurring outdoors. The highest number of fungi (35) was recovered from ginnery number 1 followed by 33 and 32 forms from ginneries numbering 22 and 19, respectively. In Ginnery number 7, the lowest number of fungal forms (23) was found. In other Ginneries, forms ranging from 24-29 were found. As regards the percent occurrence of different forms, it could be noted that Aspergilli like Aspergillus niger (91%), A. flavus (85%), A. terreus (79%) and A. fumigatus (73%) showed higher percentage of occurrences than other Aspergilli namely, A. candidus (27%), A. carbonarius (17%), A. japonicus (45%), A. melleus (27%), A. nidulans (31%), A. niveus (26%), A. ochraceus (12%), A. tamarii (47%), and A. versicolor (48%) whose percentages of occurrence are indicated in parentheses against them. Other genera like Alternaria, Cladosporium, Curvularia, Drechslera, Fusarium, Monilia, Paecilomyces, Penicillium, Trichoderma, Trichothecium and mucorales showed varying percentages of their occurrences. Chaetomium, an Ascomycota genus had low occurrence (17%). The lowest occurrence was of Pestalotia pezizoides (9%). Rhizoctonia solani and Periconia byssoides showed 38% and 30% of occurrences, respectively while Pithomyces sp. and Rhizopus nigricans and Stachybotrys atra had their percentage of occurrences as 18, 25 and 13, respectively. As regards the fungal load in different Ginneries investigated for one complete year, it was observed that they had varying load of fungi as expressed in terms of colonies/m3 . It ranged from 573248 to 1006369 colonies/m3 . Furthermore, the Ginneries that were without cross ventilation and/ or poorly maintained and dirty had higher fungal load. The ginneries which were with or without cross ventilation but comparatively good in condition i.e., they were cleaner than others and less crowded or where work[1]load was lesser had shown less fungal loadHowever, in general, it was observed that Ginneries that were unsatisfactory, maintenance-wise and had heavy workload, harboured sufficiently greater number of fungi than the cemented and cleaner ones. Regarding the average number of colonies, both in indoor and outdoor as shown in it could be inferred that there did not exist much variation between the two, but as seen in table-, there was a highly significant relationship. 

The highest temperature was recorded in the month of May (40.800C) followed by April (37.28) and September (35.20), whereas the lowest was in the month of January, 2002 (22.400C). Unexpectedly, temperature higher than in June was recorded in September (35.300C), though in India, higher temperatures are normally experienced during the summer months April to June. However, average maximum and minimum temperatures throughout the year range between 31.70 to 14.930C. The rainfall was highest in the month of July (395.5 mm) and the lowest was recorded in the month of March (1.40 mm). There was no rainfall in December, April and May. The relative humidity was recorded lowest in February (67.03%), but the highest was in March (94.00%). The wind velocity was recorded lowest in October (1.34 km/hr) and the highest in March (5.36 km/hr). The average wind velocity for the period of study was 2.85 km/hr. Correlation coefficient (r) among the meteorological factors and fungi is presented in table- 5. These factors were correlated among themselves and also with the fungal component of the atmosphere. Temperature had negative and significant correlation with the total number of fungi, total number of colonies indoors and highly significant with the total number of colonies outdoors. Fungi and fungal colonies, both outdoors and indoors had significant relationships among themselves. Total number of colonies indoors had very significant relationship with colonies occurring outdoors. The highest number of fungi (35) was recovered from ginnery number 1 followed by 33 and 32 forms from ginneries numbering 22 and 19, respectively. In Ginnery number 7, the lowest number of fungal forms (23) was found. In other Ginneries, forms ranging from 24-29 were found. As regards the percent occurrence of different forms, it could be noted that Aspergilli like Aspergillus niger (91%), A. flavus (85%), A. terreus (79%) and A. fumigatus (73%) showed higher percentage of occurrences than other Aspergilli namely, A. candidus (27%), A. carbonarius (17%), A. japonicus (45%), A. melleus (27%), A. nidulans (31%), A. niveus (26%), A. ochraceus (12%), A. tamarii (47%), and A. versicolor (48%) whose percentages of occurrence are indicated in parentheses against them. Other genera like Alternaria, Cladosporium, Curvularia, Drechslera, Fusarium, Monilia, Paecilomyces, Penicillium, Trichoderma, Trichothecium and mucorales showed varying percentages of their occurrences. Chaetomium, an Ascomycota genus had low occurrence (17%). The lowest occurrence was of Pestalotia pezizoides (9%). Rhizoctonia solani and Periconia byssoides showed 38% and 30% of occurrences, respectively while Pithomyces sp. and Rhizopus nigricans and Stachybotrys atra had their percentage of occurrences as 18, 25 and 13, respectively. As regards the fungal load in different Ginneries investigated for one complete year, it was observed that they had varying load of fungi as expressed in terms of colonies/m3 . It ranged from 573248 to 1006369 colonies/m3 . Furthermore, the Ginneries that were without cross ventilation and/ or poorly maintained and dirty had higher fungal load. The ginneries which were with or without cross ventilation but comparatively good in condition i.e., they were cleaner than others and less crowded or where work[1]load was lesser had shown less fungal loadHowever, in general, it was observed that Ginneries that were unsatisfactory, maintenance-wise and had heavy workload, harboured sufficiently greater number of fungi than the cemented and cleaner ones. Regarding the average number of colonies, both in indoor and outdoor as shown in it could be inferred that there did not exist much variation between the two, but as seen in table-, there was a highly significant relationship. 

Table-1. Seasonal variations in the occurrence of fungi

The survey data collected during the present investigation indicated that the rural and economically weak and those unaware of their health used to come to cities to earn their livelihood. Even the so-called urban workers also belonged to rural areas because they had their roots in the rural areas. Other members of the worker’s family also get involved in the profession. The males dominated the occupation—ginning. The females worked as fillers and stitchers. The age of the workers ranged from 17-65 years indicating the entire family's involvement in the occupation. Data also indicated that the family history for allergenic diseases among the 74 workers played important role, although most of the interviewed ones had negative family history. The health problems noted were variable and most of the symptoms recorded are suggestive of the occurrence of allergenic diseases among the workers. The common respiratory diseases that afflicted the workers of the Ginneries are: Allergenic Rhinitis, Asthma, Urticaria and Contact Eczema. These diseases are known to occur due to allergenic reactions and fungi are reported to play a very significant role in being the causative agents of these diseases (Lawlor and Fischer, 1981; Al-doory and Domson, 1984). The survey also pointed out that the uneducated workers and their families, mostly belonging to one community, besides other public of the areas, where these Ginneries were located, might have sufferings of allergenic nature and the fungi of Ginneries may be one of the sources of allergenic diseases among such people. Unfortunately none of the workers or residents of the areas of Ginneries neither volunteered nor accepted the investigator’s request to undergo allergenic test for the fungal antigens whose role in causing diseases among them can not be overlooked.Regarding the presence of airborne fungi, the residing place of individuals is of great importance. It was established that Aspergillus fumigatus is frequently found in compost waste, and allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis is more common in people who live around composts .

The survey data collected during the present investigation indicated that the rural and economically weak and those unaware of their health used to come to cities to earn their livelihood. Even the so-called urban workers also belonged to rural areas because they had their roots in the rural areas. Other members of the worker’s family also get involved in the profession. The males dominated the occupation—ginning. The females worked as fillers and stitchers. The age of the workers ranged from 17-65 years indicating the entire family's involvement in the occupation. Data also indicated that the family history for allergenic diseases among the 74 workers played important role, although most of the interviewed ones had negative family history. The health problems noted were variable and most of the symptoms recorded are suggestive of the occurrence of allergenic diseases among the workers. The common respiratory diseases that afflicted the workers of the Ginneries are: Allergenic Rhinitis, Asthma, Urticaria and Contact Eczema. These diseases are known to occur due to allergenic reactions and fungi are reported to play a very significant role in being the causative agents of these diseases (Lawlor and Fischer, 1981; Al-doory and Domson, 1984). The survey also pointed out that the uneducated workers and their families, mostly belonging to one community, besides other public of the areas, where these Ginneries were located, might have sufferings of allergenic nature and the fungi of Ginneries may be one of the sources of allergenic diseases among such people. Unfortunately none of the workers or residents of the areas of Ginneries neither volunteered nor accepted the investigator’s request to undergo allergenic test for the fungal antigens whose role in causing diseases among them can not be overlooked.Regarding the presence of airborne fungi, the residing place of individuals is of great importance. It was established that Aspergillus fumigatus is frequently found in compost waste, and allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis is more common in people who live around composts .

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