Journal of Life Sciences 6 (2012) 1220-1224 Isolation and Identification of Aspergillus spp. During One Year in the Hospitals İskender Karalti 1 and Günay Tülay Çolakoğlu 2 1. Nutrition and Dietetics Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, Yeditepe University, İstanbul 34755, Turkey 2. Biology Department, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Marmara University, İstanbul 34722, Turkey Received: May 22, 2012 / Accepted: May 23, 2012 / Published: November 30, 2012. Abstract: The aim of the present study was monitoring of Aspergillus spp. in six different hospitals in İstanbul. The authors know that disease like aspergillosis illness caused by Aspergillus spp. is very dangerous for people’s health. Therefore, the present work has been performed to evaluate the hospitals’ environment. Petri-plate method has been performed for isolation. Samples were taken at six different hospitals and various locations of each. 13 different Aspergillus species and 141 Aspergillus colonies have been isolated in totally. Maximally isolated species are: Aspergillus niger (29.1%). A. nidulans (21.3%), A. candidus (12.8%), A. ochraceus (9.2%), and A. versicolor (7.8%). A. fumigates, A. flavus are the most pathogen species in human which have been isolated minimally. Key words: Aspergillus, hospital air, Istanbul. 1. Introduction Fungi can be found at the atmosphere and can live in different environmental conditions [1]. A large constructions, humidity, temperature, location of hospital affect density of them [2]. They can cause many illnesses such as respiratory tract sickness, allergic reactions, sinusitis, hospital infections time to time [3-5]. At the same time higher density of fungi in clinical environment are risky in terms of immunocompromised patients (HIV carriers, oncology patients and old patients). Especially, aspergillosis caused by certain types of Aspergillus species is seen in chemotherapy patients rather frequently. Therefore, mould flora determination of hospitals air is very important [6]. There are only a few studies about airborne fungi at hospitals of some cities [7]. Temperature, relative humidity and other climatic conditions affect density of fungal colonies. Indoor conditions are more suitable for fungal Corresponding author: İskender Karalti, Ph.D., Assist. Prof., research fields: microbiology, moleculer microbiology, mycology. E-mail: iskender.karalti@yeditepe.edu.tr. growth than outdoor, because of higher humidity [8]. 2. Materials and Methods The study was done during the period of February 2005 - January 2006. Samples were taken from six hospitals (Table 1) and five different departments (microbiology laboratory, toilets, waiting rooms, hospital gardens and libraries). Isolation in the study has been performed by using Petri-plate method based on gravity. PDA (peptone dextrose agar) was used as the culture medium while collecting the samples. 30 mg/L streptomycin had been added to the culture to prevent bacteria reproduction. Rose-bengal stain was added to the culture in order to prevent faster reproduction of moulds [9]. Plaques containing Peptone Dextrose Agar which was used for isolation were put into 7 days of incubation in laboratories at room temperature (22-26 ºC). Later, every reproduced fungus colony was been put into PDA, SDA (Sabouraud Dextrose Agar) and CZA (Czapek’s Agar) by utilizing passage to the culture mediums. These plaques were