Compositions of fungal species within the genus Aspergillus in visible molds in residential buildings in Seoul, South Korea

摘要

Building dampness and indoor mold growths are associated with allergy and respiratory illnesses in residents. However, knowledges are limited about their compositions and diversities. This study used the Illumina MiSeq to quantify relative abundances of Aspergillus species on surfaces with visible mold growths in apartments in South Korea. Our analyses showed A. fumigatus was the most abundant within the genus Aspergillus. The species of the sections Nigri, Aspergillus, and Restricti were also detected with high abundances. The high-throughput sequencing was found to be useful to characterize compositions and diversities of indoor visible molds. The method was also useful to identify species within the genus Aspergillus. Aspergillus is an important group of fungi associated with clinical symptoms in human. For better understanding fungal allergy, future studies are warranted to examine their relationships with allergies and respiratory illnesses in residential buildings.