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 ...  
                                                                                                                                               
 

	Cladosporium is a slow growing fungus that produces a velvety, dark greenish-brown to blackish colony with an olivaceous-black reverse, when incubated at 25°C (77°F) in 5-10 days. The hyphae, conidiophores, and conidia are pigmented olivaceous-brown (dematiaceous).  Cladosporium species are found worldwide and are among the most common fungi found in the air, soil, foodstuffs, bird feathers, and on plants.    Rarely, it can be an opportunist human pathogen causing chromoblastomycosis. It can cause a hypersensitivity pneumonitis known as "hot tub lung disease" and an immediate-type hypersensitivity-type 1 (IgE-mediated) extrinsic asthma.