Trichothecene mycotoxins in aerosolized conidia of Stachybotrys atra

Abstract

Vol. 53, No. 6 APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, June 1987, p. 1370-1375 0099-2240/87/061370-06$02.00/0 Copyright © 1987, American Society for Microbiology Trichothecene Mycotoxins in Aerosolized Conidia of Stachybotrys atra W. G. SORENSON," DAVID G. FRAZER,",3 BRUCE B. JARVIS,4 JANET SIMPSON,' AND VICTOR A. ROBINSON' Division of Respiratory Disease Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Morgantown, West Virginia 265051; Departments of Microbiology2 and Physiology,3 West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506; and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 207824 Received 4 December 1986/Accepted 24 March 1987 Stachybotrys atra is the etiologic agent of stachybotryotoxicosis, and this fungus and its trichothecene mycotoxins were recently implicated in an outbreak of unexplained illness in homes. S. atra was grown on sterile rice, autoclaved, dried, and then aerosolized by acoustic vibration. The distribution of particles (mass and number) was monitored on an aerodynamic particle sizer interfaced with a computer. Dust was collected on preweighed glass-fiber filters and extracted with 90% aqueous methanol. Extracts were tested for the ability to inhibit protein synthesis in rat alveolar macrophages, the ability to inhibit the proliferation of mouse thymocytes, and the presence of specific trichothecene mycotoxins. Virtually all of the particles were 90% of the particles were of fungal origin. The extracts strongly inhibited protein synthesis and thymocyte proliferation. Purified satratoxin H was also highly toxic in the same systems. Each of the individu