Untersuchungen zum Vorkommen und zur gesundheitlichen ...

1. Report No.
UBA-FB 001229
4. Report Title
Report Cover Sheet
2. 3.
Untersuchungen zum Vorkommen und zur gesundheitlichen Relevanz von Bakterien in Innenräumen
5. Autor(s), Family Name(s), First Name(s) 8. Report Date
Dr. Gabrio, U. Weidner, T. Miljanic, Prof. Dr. G. Fischer, September 2008
Dr. I. Groth, K. Martin, Prof. Dr. P. Kämpfer, Dr. U. Jäckel
J. Schäfer, Dr. W. Lorenz, Dr. Ch. Trautmann, Dr. I. Dill 9. Publication Date
6. Performing Organisation (Name, Address) February 2009
RP-Stuttgart, Landesgesundheitsamt (Projektkoordination), 10. UFOPLAN-Ref. No.
Universitätsklinikum Aachen, Hans-Knöll-Institut, Jena, 205 62 236
Justus Liebig-Unversität, Gießen, Dr. Lorenz - Institut für
nnenraumdiagnostik, Düsseldorf, Umweltmykologie GbR, Berlin 11. No. of Pages
276
7. Sponsoring Agency (Name, Address)
12. No. of Reference
Umweltbundesamt, Postfach 33 00 22, D-14191 Berlin 105
15. Supplementary Notes
13. No. of Tables, Diagrams
29
14. No. of Figures
55
16. Abstract
Actinomycetes have been shown to occur in damp building materials together with fungi. The knowledge on
actinomycetes as dampness indicators or causes for negative health effects in damp indoor environments is scarce
although their allergenic, toxic or infectious potentials are well documented.
In the present study, actinomycetes have been isolated in high numbers and high diversity from damp building
materials from 16 buildings. The 283 isolates obtained were classified in 35 different genera using molecular
methods. Streptomyces, Amycolatopsis, Nocardiopsis, Nocardia, Pseudonocardia, Saccharopolyspora,
Promicromonospora were the dominating genera. A partly different spectrum of genera was detected in the
building materials using molecular methods (PCR, cloning). A total of 694 actinomycetes from 52 genera
were identified. Cell tests (MTT cytotoxicity test, release of TNF-α from macrophages) revealed a cytotoxic or
inflammatory potential of some building materials and actinomycete isolates.
It was not possible to develop an easy screening method for the detection of actinomycetes due to their high
diversity. Nevertheless, evaluation of the presence of actinomycetes in damp building materials is an important
question when dealing with indoor hygiene and a method suitable for routine analysis is urgently needed. As a more
simple approach it is, therefore, suggested to restrict the detection of actinomycetes to those actinomycetes
growing with clearly visible mycelia on the Gauze mineral agar. The result of this investigation should be recorded
as “cfu mycelium-forming actinomycetes” and it should be noted in the report that this parameter does only
include a certain part of the actinomycetes (mainly the genera Steptomyces, Amycolatopsis, Nocardiopsis, Nocardia
and Pseudonocardia) It should also be made clear that no health risk evaluations can be derived from these data.
From the preliminary results obtained on the toxic and immunomodulating effects of actinomycetes, a comparison
with corresponding effects of fungi is not possible. Further research is warranted including a broad spectrum of
cell lines and synergistic effects between different microorganisms.
17. Keywords
actinomycetes, indoor environment, damp building materials, cultivation, sequencing, PCR,
morphological and molecular characterisation, chemotaxonomy, health risks, MTT cytotoxicity test,
TNF-α, macrophages
18. Price 19. 20.
219 923,27