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Fungal contamination in schools: key insights and assessment strategies

2025-06Conference paper Open access
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datacite.subject.sdg03:Saúde de Qualidade
dc.contributor.authorCervantes, Renata
dc.contributor.authorPena, Pedro
dc.contributor.authorViegas, Carla
dc.date.accessioned2025-09-04T10:44:00Z
dc.date.available2025-09-04T10:44:00Z
dc.date.issued2025-06
dc.descriptionThis project was supported by FCT/MCTES UIDP/05608/2020 and UIDB/05608/2020, by national funds through FCT/MCTES/FSE/UE, 2023.01366.BD and Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, national support through IPL/2022/InChildhealth/BI/12M; projects IPL/IDI&CA2024/WWTPSValor_ESTeSL and IPL/IDI&CA2024/MycoSOS_ESTeSL. This work was also supported by the Academy of Medical Sciences Springboard award Round 7 (SBF007\100130). This project was partly funded by EU Horizon 2021 grant no. 101056883 and co-funding from the author’s organizations and/or Ministries. Funding from Swiss SERI grant 22.00324, UKRI grant 10040524, and NHMRC grant APP2017786 and APP2008813. Views expressed are of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of EU, Swiss SERI, UKRI, or NHMRC.
dc.description.abstractFungal contamination in schools poses significant risks to indoor air quality and student health, particularly from species like Aspergillus fumigatus and Fusarium sp., which are linked to respiratory illnesses. This systematic review examines the impact of geographical location and seasonality on fungal presence in schools, while evaluating sampling methodologies, analytical approaches, and contextual factors that influence exposure. This systematic review identified 47 studies selected for analysis, based on inclusion criteria such as “Indoor school environments” and “Fungi OR Mold”. Data extraction focused on sampling practices (environmental samples), sampling techniques (active/passive), analytical methods (culture-based/molecular), climatic conditions, and clinically relevant fungi. Sampling occurred predominantly in classrooms (38/47 studies), with additional sites including canteens, corridors, and surfaces. Active sampling (32 studies) used impactors, filters, and pumps, while passive methods (15 studies) relied on settled dust and electrostatic cloths. Only 7 studies combined both approaches, limiting comprehensive exposure assessment. Culture-based methods (32 studies) dominated but risk underestimation, as only 11 studies used molecular assays (e.g., qPCR), and just 3 integrated both. Contextual data (building structure, ventilation, and cleaning practices) were reported in only 7% of studies, hindering meta-analysis. Moisture damage and carpeting correlated with elevated fungal levels and respiratory symptoms. A comprehensive sampling approach, combining active and passive sampling with molecular and culture-based techniques, is critical for accurate fungal identification and resistance profiling [6]. Contextual factors (humidity, ventilation, seasonal changes) must be systematically reported to inform interventions. Regulatory frameworks should prioritize species-specific monitoring (e.g., Mucorales order, Aspergillus fumigatus) and school-specific guidelines for air quality. Future research must adopt interdisciplinary collaboration and centralized data repositories to advance risk mitigation. Addressing these gaps will safeguard student health and support evidence-based policies for healthier educational environments.eng
dc.identifier.citationCervantes R, Pena P, Viegas C. Fungal contamination in schools: key insights and assessment strategies. In: AIRMON 2025 – 11th International Symposium on Modern Principles for Air Monitoring and Biomonitoring, Loen (Norway), June 15-19, 2025.
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10400.21/22109
dc.language.isoeng
dc.peerreviewedyes
dc.relation.hasversionhttps://stami.no/en/airmon-2025/
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
dc.subjectOccupational health
dc.subjectFungal contamination
dc.subjectExposure contamination
dc.subjectSchool
dc.subjectFCT_UIDP/05608/2020
dc.subjectFCT_UIDB/05608/2020
dc.subjectIPL/2022/InChildhealth/BI/12M
dc.subjectIPL/IDI&CA2024/WWTPSValor_ESTeSL
dc.subjectIPL/IDI&CA2024/MycoSOS_ESTeSL
dc.titleFungal contamination in schools: key insights and assessment strategieseng
dc.typeconference paper
dspace.entity.typePublication
oaire.citation.conferenceDate2025-06
oaire.citation.conferencePlaceLoen, Noruega
oaire.versionhttp://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85
person.familyNameWellenkamp de Carvalho Freire de Cervantes
person.familyNamePena
person.familyNameViegas
person.givenNameRenata
person.givenNamePedro
person.givenNameCarla
person.identifier2041141
person.identifier.ciencia-id6018-3CC9-B640
person.identifier.ciencia-idD71B-656F-BB9D
person.identifier.ciencia-idEE1E-C639-D70F
person.identifier.orcid0000-0001-5990-4168
person.identifier.orcid0000-0002-2188-9318
person.identifier.orcid0000-0002-1545-6479
person.identifier.ridB-7217-2013
person.identifier.scopus-author-id57222077827
person.identifier.scopus-author-id55443609700
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relation.isAuthorOfPublication.latestForDiscovery28678633-1f6a-4b79-8150-12a857f4a531

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