Post Katrina Changes in Post Katrina Changes in the Airborne Fungal Spore the Airborne Fungal Spore
Load in New OrleansLoad in New Orleans
Estelle Levetin, Edward Davis, Estelle Levetin, Edward Davis,
Sam Lehrer, Elliott HornerSam Lehrer, Elliott Horner
Flooded Areas of New Flooded Areas of New OrleansOrleans
MethodsMethods
►Burkard spore trap at Ochsner Clinic in Burkard spore trap at Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans 1 to 2 Km from flooded areasNew Orleans 1 to 2 Km from flooded areas
►Slides analyzed at 1000X using single Slides analyzed at 1000X using single longitudinal traverselongitudinal traverse
►Counts converted to concentrations and Counts converted to concentrations and log transformed for statistical analysislog transformed for statistical analysis
►Short-term outdoor grab samples collected Short-term outdoor grab samples collected with Burkard personal samplerswith Burkard personal samplers
Location of Burkard Spore Location of Burkard Spore TrapTrap
Burkard
Location
Initial AnalysisInitial Analysis
►Comparison of Oct 17-24 from all 3 yearsComparison of Oct 17-24 from all 3 years 7 days 2003 and 20047 days 2003 and 2004 8 days 2005 8 days 2005
►Total of 30 taxa identifiedTotal of 30 taxa identified 2003 - 23 taxa2003 - 23 taxa 2004 - 21 taxa2004 - 21 taxa 2005 - 28 taxa2005 - 28 taxa
►Mean concentration highest in 2005Mean concentration highest in 2005►Composition of air spora different in 2005Composition of air spora different in 2005
Spore Types2003 - Mean
Concen for 7 Days Spores/m3
2004 - Mean Concen for 7 Days
Spores/m3
2005 - Mean Concen for 8 Days
Spores/m3
Alternaria 47 24 76
Ascospores 651 581 349
Basidiospores 1,347 1,322 573
Cercospora 20 21 13
Chaetomium 0 0 13
Cladosporium 2,362 1,886 3,615
Curvularia 39 37 64
Eurotium ascospores 0 0 7
Myxomycete Spores 29 20 41
Nigrospora 16 14 15
Penicillium/Aspergillus type 693 (12%) 468 (10%) 1,891 (26%)
Pithomyces 14 14 15
Smut Spores 258 72 375
Stachybotrys 0 0 3
All Other Spores 287 232 347
MEAN TOTAL SPORES/m3 5,762 4,690 7,396
Concentration of Select Spore Types in Mid-October 2003, 2004, and 2005
Comparison of Oct 2003 and Comparison of Oct 2003 and 20052005
►Burkard data Burkard data 24 days in 2005: Oct 8 – 31 24 days in 2005: Oct 8 – 31 22 days in 2003: Oct 8 – 30 (no slides for Oct 22 days in 2003: Oct 8 – 30 (no slides for Oct
23 and 31)23 and 31)
►30 taxa counted30 taxa counted No significant difference in total spore No significant difference in total spore
concentrations or concentrations or CladosporiumCladosporium concentrationsconcentrations
Several taxa had significantly different spore Several taxa had significantly different spore levelslevels
Mean Concentration of Select Spore Types in New Orleans Atmosphere during October 2003 and
October 2005
Spore Type
Mean Concentration (Spores/m3)
t (df) p
2003 2005
Ascospores 845 548 4.3(44) <0.001
Basidiospores 1324 573 3.0(44) <0.01
Chaetomium 0.44 17 -9.2(44) <0.001
Cladosporium 3009 3232 -0.1(44) >0.05
Penicillum/Aspergillus type 885 (13%) 1562 (23%) -4.4(44) <0.001
Total spores 6935 6828 0.41(44) >0.05
New Orleans PrecipitationNew Orleans Precipitation
October Precipitaion in New Orleans 2003-2005
10.46
21.67
0.1070
5
10
15
20
25
2003 2004 2005
Rai
nfal
l (cm
)
MonthMonthNormal Normal rainfall: rainfall: 30 year 30 year averageaverage
Rainfall Rainfall during during
Fall 2005Fall 2005
SeptembSeptemberer
14.1 cm14.1 cm 10.72 cm10.72 cm
OctoberOctober 7.75 cm7.75 cm 0.11 cm0.11 cm
NovembNovemberer
12.93 cm12.93 cm 1.92 cm1.92 cm
0
3000
6000
9000
12000
15000
18000
Sp
ore
s/m
3
8-Oct 12-Oct 16-Oct 20-Oct 24-Oct 28-Oct
Concentration of Total Spores in New Orleans Atmosphere
Year 2003
Year 2005
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
Spor
es/m
3
8-Oct 12-Oct 16-Oct 20-Oct 24-Oct 28-Oct
Concentration of Cladosporium Spores in New Orleans Atmosphere
Year 2003
Year 2005
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
Spo
res/
m3
8-Oct 12-Oct 16-Oct 20-Oct 24-Oct 28-Oct
Concentration of Penicillium/Aspergillus Conidia in New Orleans Atmosphere
Year 2003
Year 2005
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
Sp
ore
s/m
3
8-Oct 12-Oct 16-Oct 20-Oct 24-Oct 28-Oct
Concentration of Basidiospores in New Orleans Atmosphere
Year 2005
Year 2003
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
Spo
res/
m3
8-Oct 12-Oct 16-Oct 20-Oct 24-Oct 28-Oct
Concentration of Ascospores in New Orleans Atmosphere
Year 2005
Year 2003
0
10
20
30
40
50
Spo
res/
m3
8-Oct 12-Oct 16-Oct 20-Oct 24-Oct 28-Oct
Concentration of Chaetomium Ascospores in New Orleans Atmosphere
Year 2003
Year 2005
Taxa in post-Katrina atmosphereTaxa in post-Katrina atmosphere
Eurotium ascospores
Chaetomium ascospore
Myrothecium conidia Stachybotrys conidium
Grab SamplesGrab Samples
►55 outdoor samples from 23 locations in 55 outdoor samples from 23 locations in flooded areas of the city flooded areas of the city
►Collected from Sept 12 to Nov 22 with Collected from Sept 12 to Nov 22 with Burkard personal samplers Burkard personal samplers
►Roof top and ground level samples Roof top and ground level samples collectedcollected
►Spores identified and categorized by height Spores identified and categorized by height above ground and in ecological groupingabove ground and in ecological grouping
►Change in composition also evident in the Change in composition also evident in the grab samples grab samples
Location of Grab SamplesLocation of Grab Samples
Street
Low Roof
High Roof100
1000
10000
100000
spor
es/m
3
Sample Date
Total Airborne Spore ConcentrationsStreet Low Roof High Roof
Bioaerosol Composition
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Sample Date
Leaf Surface/Outdoor Soil Molds Water Damage Molds Other
ConclusionsConclusions
► Total outdoor spore levels and Total outdoor spore levels and CladosporiumCladosporium levels were not significantly different following levels were not significantly different following Hurricane Katrina when compared to 2003Hurricane Katrina when compared to 2003
► Composition of the air spora changed with Composition of the air spora changed with Penicillium/AspergillusPenicillium/Aspergillus type spores showing type spores showing significant increasessignificant increases
► ChaetomiumChaetomium and and EurotiumEurotium ascospores and ascospores and StachybotrysStachybotrys conidia were registered in Oct conidia were registered in Oct 20052005
► Airborne basidiospores and ascospores were Airborne basidiospores and ascospores were significantly lower in Oct 2005significantly lower in Oct 2005