RAPID IDENTIFICATION OF CLINICALLY SIGNIFICANT AIRBORNE FUNGAL SPORES

该项目的长期目标涉及使用粒度 分析，扫描电子显微镜，光学显微镜和真菌 培养技术，以发展一种非常快速和可靠的 确定和量化某些 空气中的真菌孢子是人类健康问题的罪魁祸首 例如过敏性疾病、感染和霉菌毒素。 具体 目标是：（1）发展适当的考试技术 孢子的粒度分析仪（PSA），（2）引入定量 空气中真菌孢子的鉴定标准， (3)建立临床上重要的空气传播的详细参考清单 真菌孢子在近端大气中。 为了验证PSA方法的可靠性，并建立一定的 用于鉴别参数的基线参考样本，PSA， 与IBM PC集成，将用于首先检查以前 鉴定了产孢子培养物。 这些既定参数将 用来鉴定从当地空气中收集的孢子。 PSA也将 用于生成有关大小、密度和分布的累积数据 孢子。 由于这些方法将允许更频繁地 采样，从更大的环境中获取空气样本， 快速和准确的检测/鉴定程序，以及增强的数据 处理和图形表示，可以同时获得 有用的和全面的目录，临床上重要的空气传播 真菌孢子，并提供了丰度之间的既定关系 大气孢子和孢子相关疾病的症状。

The long term objectives of the project involve the use of particle size analysis, scanning electron microscopy, light microscopy and fungal cultural techniques to develop both an extremely rapid and reliable procedure for both the identification and quantification of certain airborne fungal spores that are responsible for human health problems such as allergic disorders, infections and mycotoxins. The specific objectives are to: (1) develop appropriate techniques for the examination of spores with a particle size analyzer (PSA), (2) introduce quantitative parameters into the identification criteria of airborne fungal spores and (3) establish a detailed reference list of clinically important airborne fungal spores within the proximal atmosphere. To both verify the reliability of the PSA method and to establish certain baseline reference samples for identification parameters, a PSA, integrated with the IBM PC, will be utilized to first examine previously identified sporulating cultures. These established parameters will be used to identify spores collected from local air. The PSA will also be used to generate cumulative data about the size, density and distribution of spores. Since these methodologies will permit more frequent samplings, obtaining of air samples from a larger environment, a more rapid and accurate detection/identification procedure, and enhanced data processing and graphic representations, it is possible to both obtain a useful and comprehensive catalog of clinically significant airborne fungal spores and provide an established relationship between abundance of atmospheric spores and spore-related disease symptoms.