Fungal Glossary

Acremonium is naturally found in soils, decaying organic matter, and plant debris. It is also an agricultural contaminant. This genus can be parasitic or saprophytic to plants and other living fungi, and some species cause vascular wilts in trees.
 

Potential Health Effects: Acremonium is a common type I & III allergen. Acremonium has been known to produce a toxin from the trichothecene group and may also give off an unpleasant odor due to the production of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This fungus is associated with occupant complaints such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Acremonium has been isolated from cases of mycetoma, onychomycosis, mycotic keratitis, infection of the cornea, and infections of artificial implants. The trichothecenes are potent inhibitors of DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis, and have been well studied in animal models. They are a known carcinogen.

Common saprobe and pathogen of plants. Typically found on plant tissue, decaying wood, foods, soil, and air outdoors. Commonly found indoors near condensation (window frames, showers), house dust (in carpets and air), also colonizes building supplies, cosmetics, and leather.

The species Alternaria alternata can produce tenuazonic acid and other toxic metabolites, which may be associated with disease in humans or animals. Alternaria produces large spores having sizes between 20 - 200 microns in length and 7 - 18 microns in width, suggesting cases that the spores from these fungi are deposited in the nose, mouth, and upper respiratory tract. 

Potential Health Effects: It may be related to baker’s asthma. It has been associated with hypersensitivity pneumonitis, sinusitis, dermatomycosis, onychomycosis, subcutaneous phaeohyphomycosis, and invasive infection. A common cause of extrinsic asthma (immediate-type hypersensitivity: type I). Acute symptoms include edema and bronchospasms; chronic may develop pulmonary emphysema. 

Arthrinium is a widespread saprobe. Commonly found on dead plants, especially grasses and sedges, and often isolated from air near grassy places in the autumn.
 

Potential Health Effects: Only one species of Arthrinium spp. is considered to be allergenic. There have been no reported cases of infections or toxin related diseases in humans or animals.

Ascospores are a type of mold that typically develops during the winter on fallen, dead leaves that were previously infested. When it rains, it triggers the release of spores in the air. You can find this type of mold practically anywhere, but indoors it will start growing on moist materials. 

Potential Health Effects: Considered an allergen, ascospores produce toxins, which can pose a series of health issues for humans if exposed to for long periods.

 Two exceptionally large genera, and some species are quite common contaminants and important indoor fungi. They are easy to identify, but difficult to identify to species. It is exceedingly difficult to differentiate the conidia of Penicillium from the conidia of Aspergillus or other similar genera. For this reason, the conidia of these two genera are grouped together as Aspergillus/Penicillium for spore count. It is not practical to identify them to species without culturing them on required growth media and conditions. 

Potential Health Effects: Some of the most found allergenic fungi in problem buildings. Some species are clinically significant to human health because of their pathogenic, mycotoxigenic, and allergenic nature. Sixteen species of Aspergillus spp. have been documented as etiological agents of human disease but rarely occur in individuals with normally functioning immune systems. Aspergillosis is now the second most common fungal infection requiring hospitalization in the United States. Many Aspergillus species produce mycotoxins that may be associated with diseases in humans and other animals. Toxin production is dependent on the species or strain within the species and on the food source for the fungus. Some of these toxins are carcinogenic-including aflatoxins and ochratoxin. Aspergillus spp. is a common cause of extrinsic asthma with symptoms including edema and bronchiospasms, and chronic cases may develop pulmonary emphysema.

Found on soils, forest soils, fresh water, aerial portions of plants, fruit, marine estuary sediments, and wood. It is a wet spore that is transferred by wind when dried out, or water droplets if wet. As a result, this mold is widespread where moisture accumulates indoors, especially in bathrooms and kitchens, on shower curtains, tile grout, windowsills, textiles, and liquid waste materials.
 

Potential Health Effects: Aureobasidium is a common allergen, causing Type I allergies and Type III hypersensitivity pneumonitis (Humidifier fever, Sauna taker’s lung.) There have been rare reports of isolates from skin lesions, keratitis, spleen abscess and blood isolate from immunocompromised individuals.

Common group of fungi. They are saprophytes and plant pathogens. Basidiospores are mainly found in gardens, forests, and woodlands. Spores disseminate during rain or in times of high humidity.

Potential Health Effects: If inhaled in significant amounts, Basidiospores can lead to serious health issues. Most issues are associated with the respiratory tract. Basidiospores have been reported in cases of allergic bronchopulmonary mycosis, allergic fungal rhinosinusitis, and fungus-associated chronic cough. Most likely to be affected by fungal pulmonary infections are individuals who already suffer from lung diseases such as asthma or cystic fibrosis. 

Bipolaris mold is a common outdoor mold that frequently grows on grasses, plants, and soil. In the home, it may grow on houseplants, decaying food, or on water-damaged materials such as sheetrock, carpeting, or hardwood flooring. Spores are brown, mostly smooth, ellipsoidal, straight, or slightly curved, multicellular, with a flat dark scar at the base. Nearly all species are pathogens of grasses. Some species are saprobes. It is difficult to differentiate the conidia of this genus from that of Drechslera, based solely on the morphology of conidia. Often the spores of these two genera are lumped together for spore count.

Potential Health Effects: It has been reported to produce the mycotoxin sterigmatocystin, which has been shown to cause liver and kidney damage when ingested by laboratory animals. This fungus is associated with phaeohyphomycosis, a disease consisting of a group of mycotic infections including keratitis, sinusitis, and osteomyelitis. These infections most often occur in immune-compromised persons, although infections also occur in normal hosts. This fungus causes allergic fungal sinusitis, characterized by the presence of Bipolaris in the sinuses. In certain people with severe allergies, the large spores of this fungus can travel to the sinuses or upper respiratory tract, where they attach to the mucus and grow, producing an unrelenting allergic reaction that progressively and permanently damages the sinuses. 

Botrytis spp. are common fungi outdoors and not common indoors. The most common species is B. cinerea, which is a plant pathogen causing gray mold on a broad range of hosts including some common ornamental plants. This fungus is mainly of outdoor origin, although it may be from growth on fruits or flowers brought in from outdoors. Some house plants can be infected by this fungus. 

Potential Health Effects: It is a well-known allergen, producing asthma-type symptoms in greenhouse workers and "wine-growers lung".

Common outdoors in agricultural areas, especially during harvest.   Commonly found as parasites on higher plants causing leaf spot. 

Potential Health Effects: This fungus produces no known potential toxins.

Chaetomium grows rapidly. It typically looks white and cottony when it first begins to grow but later turns olive green or gray. It is often found on wood, especially old or damaged or deteriorating wood. It is commonly found on water-damaged drywall. It can also be found growing on paper, including wallpaper.

Potential Health Effects: Reported to be allergenic, as it may cause hay fever or asthma. Chaetomium are among the fungi causing infections wholly referred to as phaeohyphomycosis. Fatal deep mycoses due to Chaetomium atrobrunneum have been documented. Brain abscess, peritonitis, cutaneous lesions, and onychomycosis may also develop due to Chaetomium. Unlike most other mold pathogens, there is medical evidence to suggest that people who are exposed to Chaetomium may have permanent neurological damage of the myelin sheath. Therefore, a noticeably high incidence of autoimmune diseases has been linked to exposure of this mold such as Multiple Sclerosis, Lupus, etc. It has also been linked to certain forms of Cancer. As with other fungal exposure, it also causes permanent DNA damage. This has been documented in several cases being researched during studies. Chaetomium is the only mold that inhibits cell replication.

Spores of Cladosporium are the most common airborne spores on the earth. Outdoor numbers are reduced in the winter months. Indoors, this fungus is often encountered in dirty refrigerators, on moist window frames, interior paint, paper, and textiles stored under humid conditions, and on the surface of fiberglass duct liners in the interior of supply ducts.

Potential Health Effects: A common cause of extrinsic asthma (immediate-type hypersensitivity: type I). Acute symptoms include edema and bronchospasms; chronic cases may develop pulmonary emphysema.

Curvularia, Drechslera, and Bipolaris are closely related. Species of Curvularia are pathogens on a wide variety of plants and saprophytic. Curvularia is an extremely fast-growing mold. Their spores can be found outdoors and indoors. 

Potential Health Effects: Curvularia is reported to be allergenic. It may cause corneal infections, mycetoma and infections in immune compromised hosts. This fugus is also reported as an ocassional cause of onychomycosis, ocular keratitis, sinusitis, mycetoma, pneumonia, endocarditis, cerebral abscess, and disseminated infection. Most cases are from immunocompromised patients.   

A fast-growing mold can be found on a variety of household materials, including wood, drywall, fabric, carpet, mattresses, and painted surfaces. Epicoccum is considered to be a dry weather spore and is very resistant to changes in water activity; the fungus has been known to resume growth after extended periods of drying.

Potential Health Effects: Epicoccum is reported to be a type I allergen but not in a high frequency. Some allergenic symptoms are associated with the respiratory tract and include allergic rhinitis, asthma, and hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Due to the ability of this fungus to grow at 37°C, it can cause infection of skin in humans. It is most likely to cause health problems in immunocompromised patients if they inhale tiny particles.

Several species of the genus may occur indoors under chronically wet or damp conditions (such as drain pans, around water faucets, humidifiers). However, spores of Fusarium are often considered of outdoor origin.

Potential Health Effects: problems due to this strain of mold are most common in people with weakened immune systems. This type of mold often causes skin infections and readily infects burn victims. It can also cause allergic reactions, symptoms of which may include sneezing, runny nose, sore throat, itchy eyes, and a rash or hives. It can cause other, more serious infections and conditions, as well. Some are life-threatening (Cystitis, Endophthalmitis, Osteomyelitis, Septic arthritis, Brain abscess)

Occasionally found indoors, but most associated with decaying logs, stumps, and dead leaves, particularly in forested regions. These organisms have both dry and wet spores.

Wind disperses the dry fruiting body spores, whereas the wet amoebic phase is motile. 

Potential Health Effects: Can cause Type I allergies (hay fever, asthma). These spores are placed in our group "smuts, myxomycetes, Periconia," due to their similar "round, brown" morphology.

Memnoniella is a common form of mold found all around the world and is an excellent indicator of water-damaged environments. Once called Stachybotrys echinata, it is like Stachybotrys chartarum. Stachybotrys chartarum is sometimes referred to as black mold since it is black, or toxic mold because it produces mycotoxins. Found on plant litter, soil, trees, and on a variety of other cellulose substrates.

Potential Health Effects: Symptoms of health problems related to this type of mold are usually like those caused by Stachybotrys chartarum and may include shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, coughing, sore throat, migraines, sinus infections, pneumonia, and/or asthma attacks. This variety is frequently found growing in conjunction with Stachybotrys species. 

Species of Nigrospora grow on a variety of plants and may occasionally grow on water-damaged materials. 

Potential Health Effects: Are associated with Type I allergies (hay fever, asthma).

Oidium, the asexual phase of Erysiphe species are plant pathogens, one of the genera causing powdery mildews. It quite common and is an obligate parasite on leaves, stems, flowers, and fruits of living higher plants. 

Potential Health Effects: Allergenicity has not been studied. 

Pithomyces are a common mold in the outdoors. It thrives in dark, damp environments. This mold type primarily grows in soil and leaf litter. Indoors, it can grow on damp paper and has been found in ceiling tiles, carpeting, and mattress dust. Typically, a slow grower, it has a higher rate of growth during the warm, damp months of August, September, and October.

Potential Health Effects: This fungus has demonstrated allergenic activity; it is also considered an etiologic agent in immunocompromised patients. It produces a mycotoxin called sporidesmin known to be pathogenic in animals, causing liver damage and facial eczema.

Polythrincium’s natural habitat is on leaves. Also, spores may be seen in dust as part of the normal influx of outdoor microbial particles. It is not known to grow indoors.
 

Potential Health Effects: No information is available regarding health effects, or toxicity. Allergenicity has not been studied.

This group is a parasitic plant pathogen that requires a living host for the completion of their life cycle and therefore growth and will not develop on laboratory media.

Potential Health Effects: These molds are associated with Type I allergies (hay fever, asthma). 

Spegazzinia is most commonly found in warm-temperate to tropical areas in soil and on dead leaves, stems, trees, and other various kinds of plant debris.
 

Potential Health Effects: No mycotoxin production or pathogenicity in humans is reported. Allergenicity effects have not been studied.

Stachybotrys species grow on wet materials containing cellulose, such as wallboard, jute, wicker, straw baskets, and other paper materials. It is not known to compete well with other molds, but, if there is a high level and constant availability to water for an extended period, it may become the dominant mold. It is not common outdoors. 

Potential Health Effects: The presence of this fungus in buildings is significant because of the mold’s ability to produce mycotoxins, which are extremely toxic. Exposure to these toxins can occur through inhalation, ingestion, or dermal exposure. Persons with chronic exposure to the toxin report dermatitis, cough, rhinitis, nose bleeds, a burning sensation in the mouth and nasal passage, cold and flu symptoms, headache, general malaise, and fever. The toxins may also 

suppress the immune system. Inhalation may also induce pathological changes. Stachybotrys in high doses or chronic low doses it can be lethal.

Stemphylium is found in soil, wood, and decaying vegetation. Some species found on leaves and are plant pathogens. Although Stemphylium is rarely found growing indoors, it may be seen in dust as part of the normal influx of outdoor particles.
 

Potential Health Effects: Stemphylium is a known Type I allergen.

Natural habitat includes leaf bases and stems just above the soil on many kinds of plants and trees.
 

Potential Health Effects: The only reported human infections are two cases of keratitis (1970, 1980) and one case of subcutaneous infection of the knee (1990). No information is available regarding other health effects or toxicity. Allergenicity has not been studied.

A mold that grows on cellulose surfaces such as drywall or sheetrock, ceiling tiles, wicker, jute, straw baskets, wood, and paper. Outside, it is commonly found in soil, in piles of dead stems, grasses, and wood, and on groundnuts and oats. 

Potential Health Effects: Torula is a known allergen. People with a sensitivity or allergy to this type of mold may experience hay fever-like symptoms: itchy eyes, runny or stuffy nose, or sneezing. Mold can also cause asthma symptoms like coughing and wheezing. 

A rare but more serious risk due to torula is an infection called phaeohyphomycotic sinusitis. This infection progresses slowly, affecting primarily the sinuses but occasionally the surrounding facial structures.

T. viride are reportedly found to grow in indoor environments. Trichoderma is a saprobe and is common in soil and on decaying wood. Some Trichoderma species are mycoparasites. These species are fast-growing in media and on building materials when moisture levels are high enough to allow growth.

Potential Health Effects: Highly resistant to anti-fungal drugs and in result, threatening to anyone with a compromised immune system. Lung infections, asthma and allergic reactions are associated with the inhalation of Trichoderma spores and fungal parts. 

A fast-growing variety that is frequently found indoors. Often develops after a home has been flooded or sustained significant water damage. Typically found in bathrooms, basements, and kitchens, and on wallpaper, painted walls, and other painted surfaces. It is often found growing along with other kinds of mold, such as Chaetomium, Fusarium, and Stachybotrys otherwise referred to as black mold. 

Potential Health Effects: Ulocladium is associated with Type I allergies (hay fever, asthma). Ulocladium cross-reacts with Alternaria, adding to the allergenic burden of Alternaria-sensitive patients.

Zygomycetes are mostly terrestrial in habitat, living in soil or on decaying plant or animal material
 

Potential Health Effects: Species of Zygomycetes are known allergens, produce toxins, and cause adverse health effects.

Any of a group of spore-producing organisms feeding on organic matter, including molds, yeast, mushrooms, and toadstools. 

A mold is a fungus that grows in the form of multicellular filaments called hyphae.

There is no single type of mold called “black mold”. Many molds are black. When people use the term, they may be referring to a type called Stachybotrys. However, not all molds that appear black are Stachybotrys.   

A general reference to certain types of mold that produce metabolic byproducts. These products are called mycotoxins. 

A toxic secondary metabolite produced by fungi. The adverse health effects of mycotoxins range from acute poisoning to long-term effects such as immune deficiency and cancer. The term 'mycotoxin' is usually reserved for, but not limited to the toxic chemical products produced by fungi that readily colonize crops. 

Fungal spores are microscopic biological particles that allow fungi to be reproduced, serving a similar purpose to that of seeds in the plant world. 

Conidia are a type of asexual spores (nonmotile) in fungi while a spore is a reproductive structure of fungi and some other organisms, containing one or more cells. 

(pl., hyphae) filamentous thread of fungal mycelium

Body of a fungus, most of which is underground or hidden within wood

An organism that obtains its nutrients from dead organic material.

A variety of compounds formed in the metabolism of fungi and bacteria. They are responsible for the musty odor you smell during the decay off-gassing from biological growth which includes molds, bacteria, and biofilm.