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The Specific Mold and where it is found

DESCRIPTION OF MOLDS

ALTERNARIA (Air-borne)Colonies: grey, dark green, brown toblack. This is an outdoor mold, whichfrequently grows in textiles,foodstuffs, and soils. The black spotsseen on tomatoes are usually of thealternaria mold specie. Frequentlyfound on condensed window frames;generally an outdoors mold andappears when the weather is warm.

ASPERGILLUS This mold is foundin damp conditions where the

temperature is approximately 40degrees Celsius, both indoor andoutdoor. Optimum growthrequirements include a high water activity of the substrate, which ismore likely to occur during the winter months. Some diseases associatedwith the aspergillus are farmers lung,bakers asthma, and malt workerslung. Inhalation of conidia andmycelium of aspergillus can lead toseveral diseases, the severity of which depends on the host's immuneresponse. It is found in soils, leaf,and plant litter, decaying vegetableand roots, bird droppings, tobacco,and stored sweet potatoes.

BOTRYTIS This worldwidemold predominantly occurs in humidand sub-tropical regions. Theconidiophores of the mold usuallycover the decayed tissues. It is seenas the grey mold on cabbage, redclover, lettuce, sugar beet, beans,barley, wheat, onion, and tomato. It isespecially seen in connection withsoft fruits, e.g., Strawberries andgrapes. In the wine industry, thegrowth of botrytis on wine grapes hasbeen known to give an added effectto the bouquet of certain wines.

CEPHALOSPORIUM It is amold found in decomposingvegetation, and it is a soil inhabitant.It is also found in dust from textileplants, soil when gardening,bathrooms, and damp old houses. Agrey/green colour, it is alsooccasionally found in patientssensitive to candida albicans.

CLADOSPORIUM Of all themolds encountered in the air, this isthe most frequent. It is found mostcommonly on dying and dead plantsubstrates, especially on leaves andstems of ferns, mosses, and desertand aquatic plants. It is found invarious soil types and on food itemssuch as cereals, cucumbers,tomatoes, and peaches. It is alsobeen found in fuel tanks, facecreams, paints and textiles. A moist,low damp environment is mostsuitable for the cladosporium mold(low dense and olive-green to olive-brown in colour). Found throughoutthe year and indoors.

CURVULARIA This mold is darkbrown in colour with a velvetyappearance. It can be found incastor beans, cotton, rice, barley,wheat, and corn. It seems to strivewell in most tropical countries. Itmay cause leaf spots and seedingblight.

EPICOCCUM NIGRUM

This mold has worldwidedistribution. Found on soil, decayingplants, and fabrics. It has also beenisolated from cereals, fruits, pollutedfresh water, compost beds, insects,human skin, and sputum. Quite a lotof airborne spores. Some Italianallergists rate it quite highly.

FUSARIUM

This mold is common soil

fungus and is widely found onnumerous grasses and other plants.It can cause plant diseases and is amajor parasite of rice, sugar cane,sorghum, and especially maizegrains. Occurs regularly on bananaroots and other fruits and vegetable,e.g., tomato and watermelon.Sporulates in warm, wet weather.Shares some of the same allergenicdeterminants as Penicillium andAspergillus.

HELMINTHOSPORIUM

This mold occursseasonally and spores are releasedon dry, hot days. It is a parasite of

MUCOR RACEMOSUS This moldhas worldwide distribution and isprimarily a soil fungus but has beenfound in horse manure, plantremains, grains, vegetables, andnuts. In the tropics it is found athigher altitudes and often seen onsoft fruit, fruit juice and marmalade.Mucor is also the dominating moldfound in floor dust in houses.

PENICILLIUM This mold also hasa velvety colony, which has blue

green centres with pale to brightyellow, vinaceous reverse and yellowexudate. It has a fruity odour,suggesting apples or pineapples. It isfound in the soil of citrus plantationsand has been isolated from decayingcabbage and barley plants, storedseeds of cereals, grapes, nuts, driedfruits, and fruit juices. It is one of themost dominant and important housemolds; the indoor mold can be readilyseen on stale bread, citrus fruits, andapples. It is frequently found in winecellars.

RHODOTORULA Rubra Amarginally fermentable red yeast (agroup as large as the white yeastsalthough less well known). Verycommon on decaying foods. Mayoccur in the gut. Found in pollencounts

SPOROBOLOMYCES This is ayeast like fungus, which is found onliving or dead leaves. It is a pink to

red colour mold. It is usually anairborne mold released during warm,damp weather, especially in themornings, and can reach extremelyhigh airborne concentrations.

PHOMA HERBARUM This moldis commonly found in different soils,dead plant tissues, and potatoes. Itgrows indoors in association withbio-deterioration of wall paints, andproduces pink or purple colour spots.This mold has also been isolatedfrom moldy shower curtains.

PULLULARIA This mold iscommonly found on dead and

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cereals and grasses. Frequentlyfound on grains, grasses, sugar cane, soil, and textiles.

decaying leaves, wooden frames,saunas, refrigerator doors, and in thekitchen and bathroom. It is grey incolor and has been recorded onwheat seeds, barley, oats, tomatoand pecans.

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