RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) – Researchers from Duke University are conducting a study on fungal growth following Hurricane Helene in Black Mountain, North Carolina. The research involves collaboration between the Duke University School of Medicine, Pratt School of Engineering, and the Department of Biology. The newly formed research group, Climate and Fungi, is focused on understanding how fungal communities emerge after extreme weather events and their potential health implications.
Dr. Asiya Gusa, one of the leading researchers, is part of the team on site in western North Carolina. The study is centered on analyzing indoor environments that experienced flooding due to the hurricane. Researchers are identifying the types of fungi growing on walls, floors, and other surfaces and are assessing any air-borne compounds or toxins that may be present.
“This is sort of a first-time event for that Western North Carolina area,” said Gusa. “We were really curious to learn which type of species of fungi were growing on the surfaces and what kinds of air-borne compounds or toxins might be present, particularly those that are indoors. We wanted to really know are there any health risks associated with this influx of this fungal bloom that occurs commonly after flooding events.”
The team is also investigating how fungi may be adapting to higher temperatures, which could be relevant in the context of global climate trends. According to Gusa, the team is analyzing whether these changes could increase the potential for fungi to become more harmful.
“We’re looking at the ways in which fungi are beginning to adapt to growth at higher temperatures and studying whether or not it makes them more disease-causing or risky,” said Gusa.
By collecting samples from flood-affected buildings and monitoring airborne compounds, researchers are investigating not only which species are present but also whether warmer temperatures are influencing their ability to grow or cause harm.
“This is sort of a unique thing that tends to always happen after flooding at indoor environments where you see these growths of fungi on the walls and surfaces and floors and requires some sort of remediation or clean-up of these fungi so that folks are not at risk,” said Gusa.
While the study is ongoing, researchers have noted that respiratory symptoms are commonly observed following flooding events.
“A lot of the symptoms that we see are not necessarily fungal infections following flooding events. We see respiratory symptoms, like the coughing and folks that have chronic asthma or other respiratory diseases are most affected by these post-flooding fungi growing in indoor environments,” said Gusa.
The Duke team continues to investigate the intersection of environmental change and public health. For more information about the study or to explore the work of Dr. Gusa’s lab, visit duke.edu/gusa-lab or read Duke’s article Fungal Fallout: Climate Disasters.