Maja Šegvić

Occurrence of fungi in air and on plants in vegetation of different climatic regions in Croatia

Research was carried out onthe presence and variation in occurrence offungal genera in air and on plant samplescollected from three different climatic regionsin Croatia in relation to temperature andrelative humidity throughout one year (1998).The sampling method employed in this study wasexposure of 150 Sabouraud agar plates withantibiotics to the air for 10 min. and byplacing 10 pieces of each plant sample (N = 150)on same agar. The spores belonging to 15 fungalgenera and sterile mycelim were identified.Cladosporium (65.3–74%),Penicillium (4.43–13.9%), Alternaria(2–4.7%), and sterile mycelium (7.4–15%) werethe most prevalent fungi in the air of all threeclimatic regions, while Fusarium(20.3–36.2%) was the most prevalent fungalgenera on plant samples especially in the modestcontinental climate. Significant differenceswere obtained for comparative fungalcontamination of air and plant samples, and bycomparing monthly occurrence in all three partsincluded. The climate factors and presence ofvegetation that produce essential oils withfungicide activity may be the reason for reducedfungal contamination of outdoor environments inthe Mediterranean climate.

Screening toxicity study in young carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) on feed amended with fumonisin B1

Fumonisin B1 (FB1) is one of several mycotoxins produced by Fusarium moniliforme, a major fungal pathogen of corn and widely spread throughout the world. FB1 produces a wide range of biological effects, some of which are specific for particular organs or species and some are common to all investigated animals. In this study we have evaluated subchronic toxicosis features in young carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) exposed to 0.5 and 5.0 mg FB1 kg−1 body weight for 42 days through nutritionally balanced diet. During the trial we observed loss of body weight in both treated groups, together with higher incidence of infective bacterial dermatological lesions erythrodermatitis cyprini (Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. nova) in the group treated with the higher FB1 dose. Several hematological parameters (erythrocyte count, platelet count) and serum chemical concentrations (creatinin, total bilirubin) and activities (aspartate aminotransferase, AST and alanine aminotransferase, ALT) were greater in the fumonisin treated groups than in the control group. Our results indicate that long-term dietary exposure to 0.5 and 5.0 mg FB1 kg−1 body weight is not lethal to young carp, but can produce adverse physiological effects. These findings also suggest that primary target organs of FB1 in the carp are kidney and liver, as it has already been observed in other animal species tested. Specifically changed red blood cell-parameters reveal that FB1 probably causes erythrocyte membrane defect or interferes with carps respiratory process.

The ability of fungal isolates from human lung aspergilloma to produce mycotoxins.

This study included 11 adult patients (seven men and four women) who had been surgically treated for pulmonary aspergilloma in the Republic of Croatia within two years. Mycological analysis was positive for Aspergillus genus in five samples of surgically removed tissue. A. fumigatus was isolated in three and A. versicolor in two samples. Their mycotoxigenic potency was determined by thin layer chromatography. A. fumigatusstrains were found to produce aflatoxin B1 (AFB), and two of them aflatoxin G1. A. versicolor strains produced AFB1 and sterigmatocystin. Neither isolated Aspergillus strain produced aflatoxin G2 or ochratoxin A. Fungal growth and production of mycotoxins are the consequences of interaction of fungus, host and environment. One has also to take into consideration that the production of mycotoxins in vitro does not reflect what these fungi may produce in human organisms.