Šunić, Iva; Havaš Auguštin, Dubravka; Šarac, Jelena; Michl, Kristina; Cernava, Tomislav; Jakobsen, Rasmus Riemer; Mešić, Armin; Novokmet, Natalija; Lovrić, Mario (2025) Associations Between Indoor Fungal Community Structures and Environmental Factors: Insights from the Evidence-Driven Indoor Air-Quality Improvement Study. Journal of Fungi, 11 (4). ISSN 2309-608X
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Abstract
Indoor fungal communities, found in household dust, significantly influence indoor air quality and health. These communities are shaped by environmental, socioeconomic, and household factors. However, studies on indoor mycobiomes, particularly in Croatia, remain limited. This study investigates the relationship between environmental and household factors and indoor fungal communities, focusing on their diversity, composition, and potential health impacts in Croatian households. Dust samples from 66 Croatian households were analyzed using fungal ITS sequencing. Statistical analyses, including alpha diversity measures, were conducted to evaluate the influence of variables such as pet ownership, number of siblings, and cleaning habits on fungal diversity and abundance. Dominant genera included Malassezia, Cladosporium, and the family Didymosphaeriaceae. Pet ownership and sibling presence were linked to higher fungal diversity, with outdoor-associated genera such as Aureobasidium being more abundant in these households. Cleaning practices selectively altered fungal communities, with frequent cleaning reducing diversity, but not eliminating resilient taxa like Malassezia. This study highlights the interplay between environmental, household, and socioeconomic factors in shaping indoor fungal communities. The findings underscore the importance of addressing indoor fungal diversity to improve air quality and health, particularly in households with vulnerable populations.
| Item Type: | Article | ||||||||
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| Uncontrolled Keywords: | bed dust microbiome; Illumina sequencing; fungal ITS; environmental factors; Evidence-Driven Indoor Air-Quality Improvement project | ||||||||
| Subjects: | NATURAL SCIENCES > Biology NATURAL SCIENCES > Biology > Genetics, Evolution and Phylogenetics BIOMEDICINE AND HEALTHCARE > Public Health and Health Care BIOMEDICINE AND HEALTHCARE > Public Health and Health Care > Health Ecology |
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| Divisions: | Division for Marine and Enviromental Research | ||||||||
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| Depositing User: | Ivana Kušan | ||||||||
| Date Deposited: | 09 Dec 2025 12:03 | ||||||||
| URI: | http://fulir.irb.hr/id/eprint/10280 | ||||||||
| DOI: | 10.3390/jof11040261 |
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