Recovery of melanized yeasts from Eastern Mediterranean beach sand associated with the prevailing geochemical and marine flora patterns

Abstract

The melanized opportunistic pathogens Exophiala dermatitidis (Chaetothyriales) and Aureobasidium pullulans (Dothideales) were sporadically isolated from beach sand. This is the first time they are reported from bathing beach sand, thus providing updates on the conditions influencing the in situ black yeast community structure and raising public health concerns.

Keywords:

• Aureobasidium pullulans
• Exophiala dermatitidis
• beach sand

Acknowledgements

Supported by the University of the Aegean Research Unit fund 1792 and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens SARG 70/4/5905 and 70/3/6915.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Note

1. World Data Centre of Microorganisms: WDCM929.

This paper was first published online on Early Online on 01 February 2010.