Pure Air Control Services and the Environmental Diagnostics Laboratory are pleased to introduce "Under the Scope", a new section of the IEQ REVIEW. There are over 100,000 species of fungi. Many fungi are good and useful (edible mushrooms would be an example of these) while some cause problems (some fungi can injure plants and humans). Every week the IEQ Review will describe a specific microorganism, its morphological origin and potential health effects.  If you would like to know about a specific organism and/or would like it published in The IEQ Review please email Dr. Rajiv Sahay with the Environmental Diagnostics Laboratory (EDL) at Pure Air Control Services laboratory@pureaircontrols.com

This week we will cover ...

Penicillium sp.:  slow to rapidly growing fungus that produces green, blue-green, yellow-green, gray-green, orange to red colony with an uncolored or yellow, orange, yellowish- brownish, deep red to reddish-purple reverse, within fourteen days, when incubated at 25C (77F).  Some species may produce a fruity odor.  It is a common fungus isolated worldwide and can be isolated from air, soil, plants, sand dunes, sewage, swamps, mangrove swamps, salt marshes, caves, fresh and salt water, compost, cotton, textiles, caterpillars, bird feathers, animal dung, leather, wooden furniture, bees and beehives, flour-based foodstuffs, optical lenses,  fruits, and fruit juices. 

 

 

P. brevicompactum                                                        Penicillium sp.

Health Affects: Some species produce a mycotoxin.  Rarely an opportunistic human pathogen in corneal infections and systemic infections.  It may hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) in cheese workers, humidifier lung disease, woodman's lung disease, and cork worker's (suberosis) disease. May cause HP, allergic alveolitis in susceptible individuals. Common cause of extrinsic asthma (immeadiate-type hypersensitivity: type I). Acute symptoms include edema and bronchiospasms, chronic cases may develop pulmonary emphysema.

For more information on microorganisms or IEQ investigations please contact:

Vik Ahuja, CIAQP at 1-800-422-7873 ext. 804