Seasonal variation of outdoor airborne viable microfungi in Copenhagen, Denmark

Registration of viable microfungi in the Copenhagen outdoor air has been done since 1978 as a routine procedure for a service of the allergic patients. Of the thirty-four genera of moulds and yeasts recorded Cladosporium, Alternaria, Penicillium, Aspergillus represent 84.1% of the total viable flora. During the years the registrations have served as an actual information to allergic patients concerning the outdoor load of potential microfungal allergens. However, this long-term recordings may also serve as a database for comparison with actual measurement from the air over potential risk-areas such as open-air compost-plants or open air waste deposits with accumulation of organic debris. In many cases there will be a need for documentation of presence or absence of an additional microbial load.