Fusarium species
Fusarium sp. is rapidly growing fungus that produces a pale or bright colored colony within four days, when incubated at 25°C (77°F) under laboratory conditions. Fusarium is a soil fungus and found worldwide. It is commonly isolated from plants, soil, caves, salt marshes, mangrove mud, insects, gerbils, bird feathers, water, wooden furniture, wood pulp, damp walls, raw cotton, cereals, matters dust etc.. In indoor environment it can grow in poorly maintained humidifier and other area where stagnant water occurs in HAVC system.
© EDLab at Pure Air Controls 2008 Photo by Dr. Rajiv Sahay
Some isolates produce the Mycotoxin trichothecenes, which can cause disease in humans and animals. Trichothecenes targets the circulatory, alimentary, skin, and nervous systems. Also some species of Fusarium produces mycotoxin vomitoxin on grains, which produce disease by either ingestion or inhalation of the contaminated grains. It can be an opportunistic human pathogen causing allergic disease, eye, skin, and nail infections.
July 2008
