Microfungi in Beds and their Relation to House-Dust Mites

Abstract

Two beds were examined monthly over a year for the occurrence of viable microfungi. One had a well-established house-dust mite population. The most frequently found microfungi in both beds were: Penicillium, Rhizopus, Cladosporium, Alternaria, yeast (white and red), Aspergillus and Chaetomium, Penicillium occurred almost constantly during the year while Cladosporium and Alternaria showed significant seasonal variation. The hypothesis of the importance of the genus Aspergillus to house-dust mites is supported. The bed with the large population of mites showed by far the highest occurrence of Aspergillus. There was a peak in Aug.-Sept., when the mite population was large.