The Fungal Profile of Cotton Lint from Diverse Sources and Implications for Occupational Health

There is mounting evidence that inhalation of fungal spores and their fragments and toxins may cause respiratory illness, particularly in indoor environments and industrial settings. However, analysis of these organisms on cotton has not been carried out in detail and, hence, further examination may prove important in identifying sources of these organisms and assessing the risks posed to cotton workers. This study identified fungi from cotton lint samples originating in 12 world regions and revealed six different fungal genera, with the following rank order of sample isolation incidence: Aspergillus > Cladosporium > Fusarium > Rhizopus > Penicillium > Alternaria. Aspergillus was the most common genus and Aspergillus niger in particular was the pecies most frequently identified. Improved understanding of the variety of organisms that contaminate cotton may help to reduce prevalence of organic dust-related lung diseases.

Keywords:

• Aspergillus
• byssinosis
• cotton fiber
• mycotoxins

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We gratefully acknowledge the funding of the British Cotton Growing Association, Manchester, England, and the Liverpool Cotton Research Corporation, Liverpool, England.