Absidia
 

Natural Habitat

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Soil

Decaying vegetation

Suitable Substrates in the

Indoor Environment

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Often found in stored grains

Other foods

Water Activity

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Unknown

Mode of Dissemination

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Air / wind

Allergenic Potential

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Recognized as an allergen

Potential Opportunist

or Pathogen

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In immunocompromised patients pulmonary invasions, the meninges (brain orspinal chord), and kidney infections can result from Absidiaexposure

Absidiamay also cause zygomycosis in immunocompromised patients (AIDS)

Industrial Uses

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Unknown

Potential Toxins Produced

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Unknown

Other Comments

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Absidia often causes food spoilage

References

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Mohammed S, Sahoo TP, Jayshree RS, Bapsy PP, Hema S. Sino-oral zygomycosis due to Absidiacorymbifera in a patient with acute leukemia. 2004. Med. Mycol. 42(5): 475-478.

Acremonium

Natural Habitat

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Found in decaying or dead plant materials

Soils

Suitable Substrates in the

Indoor Environment

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Food

Commonly encountered in wet, cellulose-based building materials

Water Activity

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Grows well indoors when there is high water content (>0.90 Aw).

Mode of Dissemination

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Insect/water droplet

Older spores can be dislodged by wind

Allergenic Potential

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Type I (hay fever, asthma)Type III (hypersensitivity pneumonitis)

Potential Opportunist

or Pathogen

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Known to cause hyalohyphomycosis, keratitis, mycetoma, and onychomycosis

Also known to cause infections in immunodeficient patients

Causes infections in persons with wound injuries

Industrial Uses

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Cephalosporins

Potential Toxins Produced

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Trichothecene mycotoxins

Other Comments

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There are 100 known species

Agrocybe

Natural Habitat

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Bark mulch

Wood chips

Iceplant

Grass

Suitable Substrates in the

Indoor Environment

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Unknown

Water Activity

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Unknown

Mode of Dissemination

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Wind

Allergenic Potential

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Unknown

Potential Opportunist

or Pathogen

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Unknown

Industrial Uses

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Agrocybe aegeritais a delicious edible mushroom cultivated commercially as“Louisiana Roman Mushroom”

Potential Toxins Produced

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Unknown

Other Comments

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Thought to cause white rot

No Agrocybespecies should be considered edible since they are hard to identify, and could be confused with several poisonous mushrooms

Alternaria

Natural Habitat

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Common saprobe and pathogen of plants. Typically found on plant tissue, decaying wood, and foods.

Soil

Air outdoors

Suitable Substrates in the Indoor Environment

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Indoors near condensation (window frames, showers)

House dust (in carpets, and air)

Also colonizes building supplies, computer disks, cosmetics, leather, optical instruments, paper, sewage, stone monuments, textiles, wood pulp, and jet fuel

Water Activity

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Aw =0.85-0.88

Mode of Dissemination

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Wind

Allergenic Potential

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Type I allergies (hay fever, asthma)

Type III (hypersensitivity pneumonitis)

Potential Opportunist

or Pathogen

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Phaeohyphomycosis {causing cystic granulomas in the skin and subcutaneous tissue}

In immunocompetent patients, Alternaria colonizes the paranasal sinuses, leading to chronic hypertrophic sinusitis

Industrial Uses

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Biocontrol of weed plants Biocontrol fungal plant pathogens

Biocontrol fungal plant pathogens

Potential Toxins Produced

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Alternariol (AOH)

Alternariol monomethylether (AME)

Tenuazonic acid (TeA)

Altenuene (ALT)

Altertoxins (ATX)

Other Comments

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Alternaria spores are one of the most common and potent indoor and outdoor airborne allergens. Additionally, Alternaria sensitization has been determined to be one of the most important factors in the onset of childhood asthma. Synergy with Cladosporium or Ulocladium may increase the severity of symptoms

Amphobotrys

Natural Habitat

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Causal agent of flower blight and stem rot on Poinsettia plants.

Suitable Substrates in the

Indoor Environment

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Poinsettia

Allergenic Potential

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Unknown

Potential Opportunist

or Pathogen

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Unknown

Industrial Uses

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Unknown

Potential Toxins Produced

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Unknown

Aphanocladium

Natural Habitat

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A. album parasitizes Puccinia graminis (Wheat Rust)

Cereal based poultry feed

Soils

Suitable Substrates in the

Indoor Environment

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Edible mushrooms

Mode of Dissemination

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Wind

Allergenic Potential

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Unknown

Potential Opportunist

or Pathogen

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Unknown

Industrial Uses

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Unknown

Potential Toxins Produced

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Unknown

Other Comments

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Can cause crop loss in mushroom growing crop houses with high humidity

Arthrinium

Natural Habitat

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Decaying plant material

Soil

Suitable Substrates in the

Indoor Environment

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Cellulose containing materials

Water Activity

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Unknown

Mode of Dissemination

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Wind

Allergenic Potential

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Arthrinium sphaerospermum is recognized as an allergen

Potential Opportunist

or Pathogen

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Not known as a pathogen

Industrial Uses

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Unknown

Potential Toxins Produced

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3-nitropropionic acid (NPA)

Terpestacin

References

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Xingjie L, Xueyun L, Wenjuan H. 1992. Studies on the epidemiology and etiology of moldy sugarcane poisoning in China. Biomed Environ Sci. 5 (2): 161-177.

Ming L. 1995. Moldy sugarcane poisoning--a case report with a brief review. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol. 33(4): 363-367.

Oka M, Iimura S, Tenmyo O, Sawada Y, Sugawara M, Ohkusa N, Yamamoto H, Kawano K, Hu SL, Fukagawa Y. 1993. Terpestacin, a new syncytium formation inhibitor from Arthrinium sp. J Antibiot (Tokyo). 46(3):367-373.

Arthrospore formers

Natural Habitat

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Many Basidiomycetes form arthrospores during their mycelial stage. Geotrichum and Oidiodendron are typical ascomycete arthrospore formers. Arthrospores are formed by microfungi, and yeast-like fungi. Please refer to individual descriptions of these fungi for more information.

Suitable Substrates in the

Indoor Environment

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Paper

Soil

Textiles

Potential Opportunist

or Pathogen

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Depends on genera and species

Potential Toxins Produced

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Depends on genera and species

Additional Comments

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Arthrospores are disarticulated cells of a formerly vegetative filament that function as spores.

Arthrobotrys

Natural Habitat

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Decaying plant debris

Dung

Moss

Soils

Suitable Substrates in the

Indoor Environment

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Unknown

Allergenic Potential

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Unknown

Potential Opportunist

or Pathogen

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Unknown

Industrial Uses

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Biological control agent against plant pathogenic nematodes

Potential Toxins Produced

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Unknown

Additional Comments

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Predacious fungi: Captures nematodes in a network of sticky and

constricting rings.

Ascospores

Natural Habitat

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Everywhere in nature

Suitable Substrates in the

Indoor Environment

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Depends on genus and species

Water Activity

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Depends on genus and species

Mode of Dissemination

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Forcible ejection or passive release and dissemination by wind or insects

Allergenic Potential

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Depends on genus and species

Potential Opportunist

or Pathogen

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Depends on genus and species

Industrial Uses

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Depends on genus and species

Potential Toxins Produced

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Depends on genus and species

Other Comments

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Ascospores are the result of sexual reproduction and produced in a saclike structure called an ascus. All ascospores belong to members of the Phylum Ascomycota, which encompasses a plethora of genera worldwide.

Ascotricha

Natural Habitat

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Decaying timber

Soil

Suitable Substrates in the

Indoor Environment

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Wet sheetrock

Straw

Wood

Allergenic Potential

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Unknown

Potential Opportunist

or Pathogen

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Unknown

Industrial Uses

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A. amphitricha produces the antifungal ascosteroside

Potential Toxins Produced

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Anamorphic/asexual state of Dicyma (see Dicyma)

Aspergillus

Natural Habitat

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Soil

Plant debris

Suitable Substrates in the Indoor Environment

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Grows on a wide range of substrates indoors

Prevalent in water damaged buildings

Water Activity

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Aw=0.75-0.94

Mode of Dissemination

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Wind

Allergenic Potential

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Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) which is common in asthmatic and cystic fibrosis patients

Aspergillus sinusitis

Invasive aspergillosis in immunocompromised patients

Potential Opportunist

or Pathogen

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Aspergilloma and chronic pulmonary aspergillosis in people with lung disease

Industrial Uses

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A. sojae is used for fermented food and beverages in Asia

A. oryzae is used in soy sauce production

A. terreus produces mevinolin which is able reduce blood cholesterol

A. niger produces enzymes used to make some breads and beers and is also used in plastic decomposition

A. niger and A. ochraceus are used in cortisone production

Potential Toxins Produced

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3-Nitropropionic acid, 5-metoxystermatocystin, Aflatoxin B1, B2, Aflatoxin G1, G2, Aflatoxin M1, M2, Aflatoxin P1, Aflatoxin Q1, Aflatoxins, Aflatrem (alkaloid), Aflatrem (indole alkaloid), Aflavinin, Ascalidol, Aspergillic acid, Aspergillomarasmin, Aspertoxin, Asteltoxin, Austamid, Austdiol, Austins, Austocystins, Avenaciolide, Brevianamide A, Candidulin, Citreoviridin,, Citrinin, Clavatol, Cyclopiazonic acid, Cyclopiazonic acid, Cytochalasin E, Emodin, Fumagillin, Fumigaclavine A, Fumigatin, Fumitremorgens, Fumitremorgin A, Gliotoxin, Griseofulvin, Helvolic acid, Kojic acid, Kotanin, Malformins, Naphtopyrones, Neoaspergillic acid, Nidulin, Nidulotoxin, Nigragillin, Ochratoxin A, Ochratoxin B, Ochratoxin C, Ochratoxins ß, Ochratoxins a, Ochratoxins (A,B,C.a, ß.), Orlandin, Oryzacidin, Paspaline, Patulin, Penicillic acid, Phthioic acid, Secalonic acid A, B, D and F, Sphingofungins, Spinulosin, Sterigmatocystin, Terphenyllin, Terredional, Terreic acid, Terrein, Terretonin, Terretonin, Territrem A, Tryptoquivalines, Verruculogen, Versicolorin A, Viomellein, Viriditoxin, Xanthocillin, Xanthomegnin, ß-nitropropionic acid

Other Comments

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It is the second most common opportunistic pathogen following Candida

Aureobasidium

Natural Habitat

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