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GLOSSARY OF COMMON MOLDS IN CANADA


ALTERNARIA
Common Location:
  • One of the most common molds is abundant worldwide.
  • This genus contains about 40 to 50 different species, only a few of which are commonly found indoors.
  • It is common outdoors in soil, dead organic debris, foodstuffs, and textiles. 
  • Plant pathogen, found most commonly on weakened plants.
  • Indoors, they can be found on a variety of substrates including house dust, in carpets, on damp spots around showers and around window frames and any area where condensation occurs.
  • Alternaria conidia are very distinct in characteristic, being ovoid to pear-shaped and forming chains.

Health Risk:
  • Commonly recognized.
  • Type | Allergies (Hay Fever, Asthma).
  • Type ||| Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis.
  • Because of its abundance and ubiquity, Alternaria is one of the most important fungal allergens.
  • Nasal lesions, subcutaneous lesions, nail infections; the majority of infections reported from persons with underlying disease or in those taking immunosuppressive drugs.

Mode of Dissemination:
  • Dry spore
  • Wind

ASPERGILLUS

Common Location:
  • Aspergillus is so visually similar to Penicillium they are commonly discussed as a group.
  • There are approximately 600 different species of Aspergillus.
  • These fungi are found in soil, compost piles, plant debris and stored grain, as well as on water-damaged building materials.
  • Indoors they are found throughout the home in dust, growing on wallpaper, decaying fabrics, and behind paint.
  • They have also been isolated from foods such as nuts, apples, oranges and onions.

Health Risk:
  • Type | Allergies (Hay Fever, Asthma).
  • Type ||| Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis: Humidifier lung, Malt worker's lung, Compost lung, Wood trimmer's disease, Straw hypersensitivity, Farmer's lung, Oat grain hypersensitivity, others.
  • Respiratory, invasive, cutaneous, ear and corneal disease.
  • Severe, invasive disease is usually associated with immuno-suppressed hosts.
  • Fumigatus: Fungus ball and invasive disease.
  • Flavus: Nasal sinus lesions, invasive disease.
  • Niger: "Swimmer's ear", invasive disease.
  • The diseases caused by these species rarely occur in individuals with normally functioning immune systems. Toxin production is dependent on the species or the strain within a species and on the food source.

Mode of Dissemination:
  • Dry spore
  • Wind

BOTRYTIS

Common Location:
  • Soil stored and transported fruit and vegetables.
  • Plant pathogen and saprophyte on flowers, leaves, stems, fruit, leaf rot on grapes, strawberries, lettuce, cabbage, onions.
  • May be found in conjunction with indoor plants.
  • Mostly parasitic on higher plants.
  • "Gray-mold" called "Noble rot" on wine grapes.
  • Botrytis is used in some types of wine production.

Health Risk:
  • Botrytis is known to cause allergies and induce asthma attacks.
  • Type | Allergies (Hay Fever, Asthma).
  • Type ||| Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis: Winegrower's lung.
  • Very rare agent of Keratomycosis.
  • No recorded human case of infection.

Mode of Dissemination:
  • Wet Spore.
  • Wind (When dried out), Water Droplet.

CHAETOMIUM

Common Location:
  • Chaetomium is a common mold worldwide.
  • This genus contains about 80-90 different species.
  • Soil, seeds, cellulose substrates, dung, woody and straw materials.
  • It readily digests cellulose substrates and is frequently isolated from decomposing plant materials, especially woody or straw-like materials.
  • In water-damaged buildings, it is frequently found on sheet rock and paper products that have been wet.

Health Risk:
  • It is allergenic and occasionally causes systemic or cutaneous phaeohyphomycosis (Infections caused from fungi or yeasts).
  • Type | Allergies (Hay Fever, Asthma).
  • Uncommon agent of Onychomycosis (Nail Infection).

Mode of Dissemination:
  • Spores are formed inside fruiting bodies.
  • Spores are forced out an opening and spread by wind, insects and water splash.

CLADOSPORIUM

Common Location:
  • An abundant mold worldwide and normally one of the most abundant spore types present in both indoor and outdoor samples.
  • The genus contains around 20-30 different species.
  • Soil of many different types, plant litter, plant pathogen, leaf surfaces, old and decayed plants.
  • Widespread on many substrates, including textiles, wood, most window sills.
  • The enzymes of Cladosporium are especially suited for breaking down Cellulose, Pectin and Lignin, which are major components of plant litter.
  • Cladosporium can rapidly invade many different ecological niches, and is therefore considered ubiquitous and sometimes problematic.
  • Indoors, this fungus may be encountered in dirty refrigerators, especially in reservoirs where condensation is collected, and on moist window frames.
  • Cladosporium often discolors interior paint, paper and textiles stored under humid conditions.

Health Risk:
  • Common and important allergen.
  • Type | Allergies (Hay Fever, Asthma).
  • Type ||| Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis: Hot tub lung, Moldy wall hypersensitivity genereally non-pathogenic.
  • Heavy sporulation, easy dispersal, and buoyant spores make it an important fungal airway allergen.
  • Togeather with Alternaria, it commonly causes Asthma and Hay Fever in the Western Hemisphere.

Mode of Dissemination:
  • Dry Spore (formed in very fragile chains, easily dispersed).
  • Wind.

MUCOR

Common Location:
  • Mucor is one of the quicker invading organisms able to contaminate many kinds of stored food products.
  • Mucor has worldwide distribution and is often found in hay, stored seeds, horse manure, and house dust, regardless of geographical location.
  • It is also frequently found in air samples from indoor environments.
  • Accumulated dust in HVAC systems and poorly maintained carpeting may contain high concentrations of Mucor spores.

Health Risk:
  • Minor.
  • Type | Allergies (Hay Fever, Asthma).
  • Type ||| Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis.
  • Rare infections in severely debilitated patients.
  • Mucor is a rare opportunistic pathogen.

Mode of Dissemination:
  • Rain Splash except for M. Plumbeus, which is commonly dry and disseminated by wind.

STACHYBOTRYS

Common Location:
  • This mold is ubiquitous in nature and contains about 15 species.
  • It produces wet sticky slimy spores and is found in soil, decaying plant substrates, decomposing cellulose (hay, straw), leaf litter. and seeds.
  • Stachybotrys, a dark colored fungi, thrives on water-damaged, cellulose-rich materials such as sheet rock. paper, ceiling tiles, cellulose-containing insulation backing and wallpaper.
  • Stachybotrys is slow-growing compared to Penicillium and other common mold genera, and may not compete well in the presence of other fungi.
  • However, when water availability is high for long periods on environmental material, Stachybotrys may gradually become the predominating mold, especially on cellulose-containing materials.

Health Risk:
  • Not well studied.
  • Type | Allergies reported.
  • The presence of this fungus in buildings is significant because of the mold's ability to produce extremely toxic (potent) mycotoxins.
  • Exposure to these toxins can occur through inhalation, ingestion, or dermal exposure and can include the following symptoms: dermatitis, cough, rhinitis, nose bleeds, a burning sensation in the mouth and nasal passage, cold and flu symptoms, headache, general malaise and fever.

Mode of Dissemination:
  • Wet Spore.
  • Insects.
  • Water Splash.
  • Wind when dried out.

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    • Indoor Air Quality Testing
    • Common Molds Glossary
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