Investigation of airborne fungi and their ability to grow on formalin-fixed human cadavers

Abstract

The problem of fungi growing on formalin-fixed human cadavers kept in the Gross Anatomy Laboratory at the Faculty of Health Science, Srinakharinwirot University (SWU) is reported after the flood subsided in 2011. This laboratory is located on the ground floor, with an entrance that is subject to the flow of outside air. It is suspected that airborne fungi may be the cause of those microbes growing on aforementioned cadavers. This study is to test the assumption that airborne fungi are the source of the contamination. Seventeen fungal species were identified with two unidentified aerial fungi. Two types of fungi were found growing on the formalin-fixed human cadavers and are different from those previously reported. In a previous study, it was reported that there were three types of fungi that could grow on formalin-fixed human cadavers within different types of environments and conditions. Certain environments can foster the growth of specific fungi on formalin-fixed human cadavers. © 2015.