GUIDE TO THE RECENT LITERATURE ON ASPERGILLOSIS AS CAUSED BY ASPERGILLUS-FUMIGATUS, A FUNGUS FREQUENTLY FOUND IN SELF-HEATING ORGANIC-MATTER

A. fumigatus spores are abundant in the outdoor air at a site where large scale experimental composting of sewage sludge is in progress at Beltsville, Maryland, USA. A list of references is presented on papers on human health effects of A. fumigatus, many published in the past 10 yr, along with a review of the same designed to assist the reader in finding information on particular aspects of the subject in the literature. It is intended primarily as an aid to individuals interested in sludge composting and wishing to attain an insight into the A. fumigatus-composting situation, but it may also interest others concerned with other substrates which become moldy at 40-50.degree. C. The information presented here has relevance to requirements for choice of locations for composting sites and to process and design criteria.