Total of 110 isolates belonging to 8 fungal species collected from intensive care units (ICUs) and operation rooms (ORs) at Assiut University hospitals were examined for their ability to produce some extracellular enzymes and mycotoxins which are considered as important factors involved in for fungal pathogenicity. The results revealed that 73, 92 and 78 out of the 110 tested isolates produced protease, lipase and urease respectively; meanwhile, 77 of the tested isolates exhibited some hemolytic activities. Chromatographic analysis (TLC) of the crude extract of the fungal isolates tested revealed that 79 isolates of them had the ability to produce at least one of these mycotoxic compounds (aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, gliotoxin, fumigillin, T-2, zearalenone, roridin A & E, verrucarin A & J, trichoveroids, satratoxin H & E). These results demonstrate that the opportunistic fungal species isolated from (ICUs) and (ORs) and tested exhibited some enzymatic and mycotoxic ability which are the most effective virulence factors contributing to fungal pathogenicity indicating that the management of infection control unit at Assiut University hospitals must be aware of not only bacterial but also fungal contamination.
Keywords: Airborne fungi; Enzymes; Mycotoxins and pathogenicity.