Fusarium solani

Aw (water activity) 0.90. Macroconidia (spores) dimensions 27-52 x 4.4-6.8; Microconidia dimensions 8-16 x 2-4 microns. Found in plants and soils. Can produce trichothecene toxins which may be associated with disease in humans and animals.

Furasium solani is one of the filamentous funguses that are commonly found in various plants and soils. It is more common in crops like beans, soybeans and rice. It is one of the Furasium species and apart from being found in plants it can also be seen in animals and humans. These species are woolly in appearance and they tend to have white aerial mycelium. They also have some sporochodia that are moist and usually crème in color. In some cases, the sporodochia can be blue or blue-green. Its colonies grow very fast and can measure about 4 ½ cm in just four days. This fungus should not be confused with a black mold and it does not have any industrial uses unlike some types of molds.

It produces trichothecene toxins that are responsible for a variety of diseases in humans and animals as well. These toxins target various systems in the body including the skin, nervous, circulatory and alimentary systems. The toxins are produced on grains or damp areas. For this species to grow, it requires very damp conditions. Humidifiers can also contain this fungus especially in hospitals. When the grains are produced on grains, they can cause allergic reactions in humans and in some cases; they can also be carcinogenic especially after consuming infected grains over a long period of time. These toxins can cause esophageal cancer.

In humans, Furasium solani can be etiologic agents in cutaneous infections, keratitis, onychomycosis, endophthalmitis, burn patients, septic arthritis, mycetoma, catheter infections, sinusitis and pulmonary diseases.

This fungus can also cause disseminated diseases in neutropenic patients who have hematological malignancies. Those who are about to undergo bone marrow transplants are also at high risk. It can also be found in water distribution systems in hospitals and this poses a health risk to the patients and medical staff. The patients who have suppressed immune systems are at a higher risk of getting infected as a result of exposure to this fungus.

Human beings can get in contact with the fungus either through contaminated grains or inhaling Furasium solani spores. When this happens, it can cause hemorrhagic syndrome and which is characterized by a variety of symptoms. These include dermatitis, nausea, internal bleeding and vomiting. Nail, skin and eye infections can also occur as a result of exposure to this fungus. For skin infections caused by this fungus, the symptoms exhibited are similar to the ones caused by Strep which is a flesh eating bacteria. The symptoms of the skin infection can also be compared to leprosy.

This fungus is the most resistant in the Furasium species. This makes it very difficult to treat the infections that are caused by the fungus. If the infection caused is very invasive, the results are often fatal. Treating infections caused by Furasium solani requires prolonged used of various antibiotics and this can weaken the immune system even more. The recovery period is also very long especially for the infections that are on the hands and body.