Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38049507›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2023

Evaluation of building washing machines as an extreme environment for potentially pathogenic fungi.

Zahra Zareshahrabadi, Neda Amirzadeh, Keyvan Pakshir, Reza Nasr, Rasoul Mohammadi, Kamiar Zomorodian

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
1.1field-weighted citation impact, top 25% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 7 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Zahra ZareshahrabadiBasic Sciences in Infectious Diseases Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Neda AmirzadehDepartment of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Keyvan PakshirBasic Sciences in Infectious Diseases Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Reza NasrDepartment of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Rasoul MohammadiDepartment of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Kamiar ZomorodianBasic Sciences in Infectious Diseases Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. zomorodian@sums.ac.ir.
Shiraz University of Medical Sciences · IRIsfahan University of Medical Sciences · IR

Funding

Vice-Chancellor for Research, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences 22712
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Washing machines are commonly used in households and are considered indispensable appliances for maintaining cleanliness and hygiene. Environmental conditions within household washing machines are ideal for fungal colonization, which may pose risks to human health and contribute to sick building syndrome. This study aimed to investigate the fungal species contamination in the building washing machines. A total of 50 building washing machines were swab-sampled at three locations: the detergent drawer, the inner and outer parts of the rubber door seal. The housekeeping conditions of these appliances were assessed through a questionnaire. The isolated fungi were identified using standard mycological diagnostic procedures and molecular analysis based on the ITS1/ITS4 and β-tubulin gene regions. The possibility of fungal agents transferring from contaminated washing machines to autoclaved clothes during laundry cycles was investigated. Fungi were detected in 82% of the sampled appliances, with the inner rubber door seal being the most frequently colonized area. Using conventional and molecular techniques, we identified 122 fungal isolates, encompassing 17 diverse genera of molds, yeast-like, and yeast fungi. The mold fungi included 14 genera of hyaline and black genus. Among these, the most frequently identified genera of hyaline and black fungi were Aspergillus (27.7%), and Cladosporium (10.7%), respectively. This study demonstrates that building washing machines may serve as suitable ecological niches for fungal growth and transmission. Therefore, regular cleaning and disinfection of these devices are necessary.

Indexed as

RubberSaccharomyces cerevisiaeEcosystemExtreme EnvironmentsFungiHumansRubber

Identifiers

PMID38049507
PMCPMC10695939
OpenAlexW4389304534

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.