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…
Memnoniella echinata
M. echinata is a cosmopolitan fungus and can be
isolated from air, soil, dead plants, paper and textiles Under the laboratory
conditions, this fungus grows rapidly and produces a blackish colony with a
yellowish-brown to brownish-gray reverse, within five days, when incubated at
25
oC (77
oF) on Malt Extract Agar or some other
microbiological semi-solid culture media.
It is morphologically and physiologically closely related to
Stachybotrys chartarum and has cytotoxicity similar to
S. chartarum. It is unknown if
M. echinata produces
macrocyclic trichothecenes, however, it does produce simple trichothecenes
(trichodermol and trichodermin) and phenylspirodrimanes. There have not been any reports of human
infections.
