%0 Journal Article
%T Fungi Associated with Sand and Plants from Marine Coastlines: Potential Relevance for Human Health
%A Marina Carrasco-Acosta
%A Pilar Garcia-Jimenez
%J Advances in Microbiology
%P 303-316
%@ 2165-3410
%D 2024
%I Scientific Research Publishing
%R 10.4236/aim.2024.146022
%X The fungal community associated with beach sand and plants located along marine coasts are an under-studied area of research despite its potential relevance to human health. In this study, we isolated and identified the cultivable mycobiota associated with sand and plants collected along the coast of Gran Canaria (Spain) using culture-dependent and -independent methods. Clinically relevant species belonging to <i>Cryptococcus</i> spp. and related genera such as <i>Naganishia</i> and <i>Papilotrema </i>were isolated and identified from shoreline plants. Moreover, <i>Candida</i> <i>tropicalis</i> was isolated from beach sand, and <i>A</i><i>s</i><i>pergillus fumigatus</i> and <i>Aspergillus terreus</i> strains were associated with both types of samples (<i>i.e.</i>, plants and beach sand). We conclude that beach sand and shoreline plants are potential reservoirs of fungi of high clinical interest. We recommend including beach sand and plants from the environment when assessing the quality of marine coastal systems. Our results open a framework for studying the natural marine environment and its role in the epidemiology of infectious diseases in order to more accurately manage public health.
%K Sand Beach
%K Shoreline Plants
%K Reservoir of Pathogenic Fungi
%K &lt
%K i&gt
%K Cryptococcus&lt
%K /i&gt
%K &lt
%K i&gt
%K &lt
%K /i&gt
%K spp.
%K &lt
%K i&gt
%K Aspergillus&lt
%K /i&gt
%K &lt
%K i&gt
%K &lt
%K /i&gt
%K spp.
%U http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=133768