HEALTH RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH PATHOGENIC FUNGI IN OPEN DRAINAGE SYSTEMS IN PORT HARCOURT

This study investigates the occurrence and diversity of fungal species in wastewater from an open drainage system along the Ntanwogba Creek in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Open drains pose serious environmental and public health risks due to frequent blockages caused by indiscriminate dumping of solid waste. During rainstorms, runoff from such drains can spread fecal matter and contaminate water resources. Wastewater and sediment samples were collected from five sites and analyzed using standard microbiological techniques. Fungal counts ranged from 4.3 × 10⁵ to 1.7 × 10⁶ cfu/ml in wastewater and from 5.7 × 10⁴ to 2.9 × 10⁶ cfu/g in sediment samples. A total of 77 fungal isolates were identified. The most prevalent genera were Cryptococcus neoformans (36.4%) and Rhizopus spp. (29.9%), followed by Torulopsis glabrata, Penicillium chrysogenum, and Aspergillus species. Less frequent isolates included Mucor, Scopulariopsis, Phoma, and Aspergillus tamarii. Yeast species of Torulopsis and Cryptococcus were also recovered. The presence of potentially pathogenic fungi highlights the public health risks associated with poorly managed drainage systems, while also pointing to their ecological role in nutrient cycling.