Quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis of fungi in dust from homes of infants who developed idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhaging

Fungal concentrations were measured in the dust of 6 homes in Cleveland, Ohio, where an infant developed pulmonary hemorrhage (pulmonary hemorrhage homes [PHH]) and 26 reference homes (RH) with no known fungal contamination. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays for 82 species (or assay groups) were used to identify and quantify fungal concentrations. The ratios of the geometric means of PHH to RH were >1 for 26 species (group I). However, the same ratios were <1 for 10 species (group II). Probit analysis of the sum of the logs of the concentrations of these 2 groups resulted in a 95% probability range for separating PHH from RH homes. The same 82 fungal species were also tested for hemolysin production on sheep's blood agar (incubated at 37 degrees C). Hemolysins were more commonly produced by group I species (42%) compared with group II species (10%).