Immunologic and inflammatory responses in mice after intranasal instillation of spores of Aspergillus and Penicillium isolated from outdoor air in South West Nigeria

ABSTRACTIn this study, a mice model was devised to elucidate and compare the adverse effects caused by fungi isolated from outdoor locations in Lagos, Nigeria. The effects caused by Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus penicilloides, Penicillium chrysogenum and Penicillium citrinum were investigated. Both the doseresponse and time-course of the inflammatory and toxic responses were investigated and histopathological analysis was also performed on the lungs. Biochemical parameters and histopathology revealed that all the microbes studied provoked inflammation after a single dose, but the magnitude and its characteristic features were different. The spores of P. chrysogenum provoked the most intense acute inflammation indicated by a strong and rapid monocytes cells production in the lungs. In summary, the results show that the different fungus have different potential to cause inflammatory and toxic responses after airway exposure in mice and suggest that fungi present in the environments can induce inflammation...