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Alternaria
Wed, 08/19/2009 - 10:52 — aemtek
Genus:
Alternaria
Distribution:
About 50 species reported, widespread, common.
Substrate:
Most species are parasites on living plants, host-specific, and mostly seed borne. A few species are saprophytes and ubiquitous, in soil, on plant debris, and various organic materials, such as food, leather, cellulose, paper, textiles, and sewage water.
Dispersal:
Spores are passively released and dispersed by wind.
Indoor Occurance:
Commonly found indoors, considered a moisture indicator with optimum growth rate at high water activity (aw>0.90). Alternaria alternata is found in house dust, damp walls, gypsum board, wallpaper, humidifier water, textiles, cereals, fruits, etc.
Allergenicity:
Commonly reported as allergens, associated with allergic reactions such as allergic rhinitis (hay fever), asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis.
Pathogenicity:
Opportunistic pathogens causing mycotic keratitis, onychomycosis, and phaeohyphomycosis, including cutaneous infection, paranasal sinusitis and peritonitis in immunocompromised people.
Notes On Identification:
Spores are distinguisable on spore trap and surface samples. Conidia are often in chains, ovoid or elipsoidal, often with a beak, conidia dimensions are 18-83 x 7-18 um with several transverse and longitudinal septae, pale to medium brown. Species ident
References:
Flanningan, 2001;
Teleomorph:
Lewia
Spore Types:
Conidia brown, ovoid or obclavate, muriform, with beak-like apical cell, often in chains. Common species: A. alternata.
Spore TrapIdentification:
Conidia large (at least 10 µm in length), typically ovoid or obclavate, with long or short conical or cylindrical peak, olivaceous brown or brown, smooth or verrucose, with transverse and often also longitudinal septa. Refer Ellis (1971+49, 1971+49, 1976) and Smith (
SporeTrap:
Select