SEASONAL FUNGUS PREVALENCE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF DOMESTIC ENVIRONMENTS IN THE SUBTROPICAL CLIMATE

Airborne fungi were collected using the N6 Andersen sampler at 1-month intervals for 1 yr inside and outside of six apartments in Taipei. It was shown that seasonal variations of indoor and outdoor fungus numbe r concentrations were remarkable and indoor and outdoor air spore coun ts varied considerably from residence to residence. The geometric mean concentrations of indoor and outdoor fungi were found to be higher th an 1000 CFU m-3 during the summer months and abruptly decreased to bel ow 100 CFU m-3 in the winter. A high correlation coefficient was found between fungus concentrations in living rooms and outdoors. Moreover, the ratios of indoor to outdoor fungus concentrations (0.21-3.81) wer e too low to indicate the presence of any indoor fungus sources. A lar ge variety of mold genera was isolated, and Aspergillus, Penicillium, Cladosporium, and yeast were observed to be predominant. Indoors, Peni cillium showed the highest concentrations in the summer and autumn mon ths, while Aspergillus and Cladosporium were also observed frequently. The outside air was dominated by Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Clados porium in spring, summer, and autumn, but by Penicillium and yeast dur ing winter months. In addition, Cladosporium was found to be absent in doors and outdoors in the winter.