Y. Avasn Maruthi, D. Apta Chaitanya, Kaizar Hossain, A Sravani and S Jagadish
Keratiophilic fungi display potentially pathogenic properties to animals, including human beings. Studies of these fungi in the environment are therefore of hygienic and epidemiological importance. The sewage water and sewage sludge, which are rich in organic matter, are habitat for many groups of microorganisms, such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, algae, protozoa and worms. Out of them some are frequently distributed in waste contaminated soils. Total 24 species of 9 genera were identified in total of 50 soil samples of 5 different Polluted Beach Sands. 14 dermatophytic species of 6 genera and 10 non-dermatophytic species of 3 genera were among them. Sampling site wise study of all the 5 sites reveal the order of dominance of each site as follows, based on their RIVs. Polluted Beach Sands 1 (Near Fishing Harbour): T. rubrum (61.64) > Aphanoascus fulvescens and Aspergillus nidulans (56.16) > M.gypseum (54.10) > C.tropicum (53.01) > M. canis (45.57); Polluted Beach Sands 2: Myceliophthora vellera (65.98) > Aspergillus flavus (57.69) > Fusarium oxysporium (56.83) > F. solani (55.98) > Aphanoascus keratinophilus and A.versicolor (54.27); Polluted Beach Sands 3: C.tropicum (71.25) > C. pannicola (68.60) > A.nidulans and F.oxysporium (63.97) > Aphanoascus fulvescens (55.29) > Arthroderma quadrifidum (53.97); Polluted Beach Sands 4: C.keratinophilum (78.09) > C.pannicola (70.9) > A.flavus (57.51) > T.mentagrophytes (5.78) > C.indicum, M. canis, A.fumigatus and A.versicolor (54.62); Polluted Beach Sands 5: Aphanoascus keratinophilus (68.51) > C.indicum (67.09) > M.gypseum, A.niger and Fusarium oxysporium (64.25) > Arthroderma quadrifidum (57.09) > Aphanoascus fulvescens (55.67). It can be expected, therefore, that the sludge on a wastewater treatment plant area or applied to land poses an elevated health risk to immunocompromised individuals
