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

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.