The Prevalence of Fungi in Soil of Qazvin, Iran

Soil is the first habitat for pathogenic fungi and one of the important fungal reservoirs. The soil-borne fungi are major cause for different degrees of allergy or serious diseases in human beings. Objectives: This current study aimed to determine the identities and diversity of the fungi associated with allergy, subcutaneous and even systemic fungal infections in an extensive region of Qazvin district Iran during 2008. Materials and Methods: In this study, 150 soil samples were randomly collected from 25 locations of the city. The soil suspensions were prepared by sterile saline and then antibiotics of streptomycin and penicillin were added and a portion of supernatant was cultured on sabouraud’s dextrose agar culture medium containing chloramphenicol with and without cycloheximide and incubated at 35°C for 2-3 weeks. The fungal isolates were examined macroscopically and microscopically. Results: Plates were tested to be positive for saprophytic fungi. Out of a total of 1563 fungi isolates, 14 genera were diagnosed. Cladosporium species representing (29.69%) of isolates, followed by species of Aspergillus (22.52%), Penicillium (19.90%), Rhizopus (8.38%), Alternaria (6.59%), Mucor (3.77%), Chrysosporium (1.98%), Acremonium (1.60%), Fusarium (1.34%), Mycelia Sterilia (0.90%), Ulocladium (0.83%), Drechslera (0.58%) and Scopulariopsis (0.45%). Conclusions: The wide range of fungi, especially fungi associated with allergy, found in the soil of Qazvin indicated that this area was apt to propagate other medically important fungi and although none of the dimorphic ones were documented, there is always the possibility to find these diseases in the country and it is essential that physicians be aware of diseases produced by these fungi, especially in predisposed people.