Mold Glossary
Absidia
Natural Habitat
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Found in decaying or dead plant materials
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Soils
Suitable Substrates in the Indoor Environment
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Often found in stored grains
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Other Foods
Water Activity
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Unknown
Mode of Dissemination
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Air/wind
Allergenic Potential
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Recognized as an allergen
Potential Opportunist or Pathogen
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In immunocompromised patients pulmonary invasions, the meninges (brain or spinal chord), and kidney infections can result from Absidia exposure.
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Absidia may also cause zygomycosis in immunocompromised patients (AIDS)
Industrial Uses
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Unknown
Potential Toxins Produced
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Unknown
Comments
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Absidia can cause food spoilage
Acremonium
Natural Habitat
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Food
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Commonly encountered in wet, cellulose-based building materials
Suitable Substrates in the Indoor Environment
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Often found in stored grains
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Other Foods
Water Activity
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Grows well indoors when there is high water content (>0.90 Aw)
Mode of Dissemination
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Insect/water droplet
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Older spores can be dislodged by wind
Allergenic Potential
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Type I (hay fever, asthma)
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Type III (hypersensitivity pneumonitis)
Potential Opportunist or Pathogen
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Known to cause hyalohyphomycosis, keratitis, mycetoma, and
onychomycosis -
Also known to cause infections in immunodeficient patients
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Causes infections in persons with wound injuries
Industrial Uses
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Cephalosporins
Potential Toxins Produced
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Trichothecene mycotoxins
Comments
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There are 100 known species
Agrocybe
Natural Habitat
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Bark Mulch
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Wood Chips
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Iceplant
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Grass
Suitable Substrates in the Indoor Environment
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Unknown
Water Activity
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Unknown
Mode of Dissemination
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wind
Allergenic Potential
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Unknown
Potential Opportunist or Pathogen
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Unknown
Industrial Uses
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Agrocybe aegerita is a delicious edible mushroom cultivated commercially as "Louisiana Roman Mushroom"
Potential Toxins Produced
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Unknown
Comments
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Thought to cause white rot
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No Agrocybe species should be considered edible since they are hard to identify, and could be confused with several poisonous mushrooms