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Terms visitors have used to find this page:
American Air Improvement Resources, mold, asbestos,
mold testing, remediation specialists, fungal growth, mold removal, black mold,
black mold spores, mold remediation, mold containment, removal of mold, removal
of spores, mold types, Certified Mold Remediator, mold problem, air quality,
health effects, asbestos, imported materials, asbestos fibers, lung cancer,
mesothelioma cancer of the esophagus, free mold estimate, Absidia, Acremonium,
Alternaria, Aspergillus, Aureobasidium pullulan, Basidiomycetes, Bipolaris,
Candida, Chaetomium, Chrysosporium, Cladosporium, Curvularia, Dreschlera,
Epicoccum, Fusarium
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Absidia
sp -
A zygomycete fungus which is considered common to the
indoor environment. Reported to be allergenic. May cause mucorosis
in immune compromised individuals. The sites of infection are the
lung, nasal sinus, brain, eye, and skin. Infection may have multiple
sites. Absidia cormbifera has been an invasive infection agent in
AIDS and neutropenic patients, as well as, agents of bovine mycotic
abortions, and feline subcutaneous abscesses. Acremonium species may
be confused with Fusarium species that primarily produce
microconidia in culture. Fusarium genera are generally much more
rapid growers and produce more aerial mycelium. |
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Acremonium sp (Cephalosporium sp.) - Reported to be allergenic. Can
produce a trichothecene toxin which is toxic if ingested. It was the
primary fungus identified in at least two houses where the occupant
complaints were nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Asexual state of
Emericellopsis sp., Chaetomium sp., and Nectripsis sp. It can
produce mycetomas, infections of the nails, onychomycosis, corneal
ulcers, eumycotic mycetoma, endophthalmitis, meningitis, and
endocarditis.
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Alternaria sp -
Extremely widespread and ubiquitous. Outdoors it may
be isolated from samples of soil, seeds, and plants. It is commonly
found in outdoor samples. It is often found in carpets, textiles,
and on horizontal surfaces in building interiors. Often found on
window frames. The species Alternaria alternata is capable of
producing 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, suggesing that the spores from this fungi are
deposited in the nose, mouth, and upper respiratory tract. It may be
related to bakers asthma. It has been associated with
hypersensitivity pneumoniti, sinusitis, deratomycosis, onychomycosis,
subcutaneous phaeohyphomycosis, and invasive infection. Common cause
of extrinsic asthma (immediate-type hypersensitivity: type I). Acute
symptoms include edema and bronchiospasms, chronic cases may develop
pulmonary emphysema. |
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Arthrinium phaeospermum- Widespread saprophyte on dead plant
material, particularly swampy grasses. Should be considered an
allergen. This fungus has also been documented in various
subcutaneous infections. No toxic related diseases are of record to
date.
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Ascomycete
-
One of the major classes of fungal organisms. This
class contains the the"sac fungi" and yeasts. Some ascomycete spores
can be identified by spore morphology, however; some care should be
excersised with regard to specific identification. Many ascomycete
spores are reported to be allergenic.
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Aspergillus sp -
A genus of fungi containing approximately 150
recognized species. Members of this genus have been recovered from a
variety of habitats, but are especially common as saprophytes on
decaying vegetation, soils, stored food, feed products in tropical
and subtropical regions. Some species are parasitic on insects,
plants and animals, including man. Species within this genus have
reported Aw's (water activities) between 0.75 - 0.82. All of the
species contained in this genus should be considered allergenic.
Various Aspergillus species are a common cause of extrinsic asthma
(immediate-type hypersensitivity: type I). Acute symptoms include
edema and bronchiospasms. Chronic cases may develop pulmonary
emphysema. Members of this genus are reported to cause a variety of
opportunistic infections of the ears and eyes. Sever pulmonary
infections may also occur. Many species produce mycotoxins which may
be associated with disease in humans and other animals. Toxin
production is dependent on the species or a strain within a species
and on the food source for the fungus. Some of these toxins have
been found to be carcinogenic in animal species. Several toxins are
considered potential human carcinogens.
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Aureobasidium
pullulans -
A cosmopolitan fungus with the main
habitat apparently on the aerial parts of plants. Frequently found
in moist environments. This fungus should be considered allergenic.
This species has been associated with deratitis, peritonitis,
pulmaonary infection, and invasive disease in AIDS patients.
Probably aquired by traumatic implantation. May be recovered as a
contaminant from human cutaneous sites. No toxic diseases have been
documented to date. |
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Basidiomycetes -
One of the major classes of fungal organisms. This
class contains the mushrooms, shelf fungi, puffballs, and a variety
of other macrofungi. It is extremely difficult to identify a
specific genera of mushrooms by using standard culture plate
techniques. Some basidiomycete spores can be identified by spore
morphology, however; some care should be exercised with regard to
specific identification. Many basidiomycete spores are reported to
be allergenic.
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Bipolaris sp -
A widespread fungus that is most frequently
associated with grasses, plant material, decaying food, and soil. It
is common to both indoor and outdoor environments. Older obsolete
names include Drechslera and Helminthosporium. This fungus produces
large spores which would be expected to be deposited in the upper
respiratory tract. Various species of this fungus can produce the
mycotoxin - sterigmatocystin which has been shown to produce liver
and kidney damage when ingested by laboratory animals. |
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Candida sp -
This genus contains a variety of organisms that have
been isolated from the environment, as well as human skin and mucous
membranes. |
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Chaetomium sp. - Large ascomycetous fungus producing perithecia. It
is found on a variety of substrates containing cellulose including
paper and plant compost. It can be readily found on the damp or
water damaged paper in sheetrock. |
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Chrysosporium spp - Widespread, common in the soil and on plants.
Rare agents of onychomycosis, skin lesions, endocarditis, and
uncommon agents of the pulmonary mycosis adiaspiromycosis. No toxic
diseases have been documented to date. |
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Cladosporium sp. (Hormodendrum sp.) - Aw (water activity) in the
range of 0.84 to 0.88. Most commonly identified outdoor fungus. The
outdoor numbers are reduced in the winter. The numbers are often
high in the summer. Often found indoors in numbers less than outdoor
numbers. It is a common allergen. Indoor Cladosporium sp. may be
different than the species identified outdoors. It is commonly found
on the surface of fiberglass duct liner in the interior of supply
ducts. A wide variety of plants are food sources for this fungus. It
is found on dead plants, woody plants, food, straw, soil, paint and
textiles. It can cause mycosis. Produces greater than 10 antigens.
Antigens in commercial extracts are of variable quality and may
degrade within weeks of preparation. Common cause of extrinsic
asthma (immediate-type hypersensitivity: type I). Acute symptoms
include edema and bronchiospasms, chronic cases may develop
pulmonary emphysema. |
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Curvularia sp. - Reported to be allergenic. It may cause corneal
infections, mycetoma and infections in immune compromised hosts. |
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Dreschlera sp - Conidia (spores) dimensions 40-120 x 17-28 microns.
Found on grasses, grains and decaying food. It can occasionally
cause a corneal infection of the eye. |
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Epicoccum sp. - Conidia (spores) dimensions 15-25 microns. A common
allergen. It is found in plants, soil, grains, textiles, and paper
products. |
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Fusarium sp - Aw (water activity) 0.90. A common soil fungus. It is
found on a wide range of plants. It is often found in humidifiers.
Several species in this genus can produce potent trichothecene
toxins (5, 27). The trichothecene (scirpene) toxin targets the
following systems: circulatory, alimentary, skin, and nervous.
Produces vomitoxin on grains during unusually damp growing
conditions. Symptoms may occur either through ingestion of
contaminated grains or possibly inhalation of spores. The genera can
produce hemorrhagic syndrome in humans (alimentary toxic aleukia).
This is characterized by nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dermatitis, and
extensive internal bleeding. Reported to be allergenic. Frequently
involved in eye, skin and nail infections. |
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