Grows on dead grass in pastures. Causes facial eczema
in ruminants.
This is a type of molds that grows in colonies that
multiply very fast. The colony has a woolly and
cottony feel, with its surface color looking somewhat
pale, to dark Grey. Pithomyces exists in 15 unique
species which are all commonly found in soils. It
is also found in decaying wood and other plant materials,
and basically, it grows outdoors. Cases of pithomyces
growing indoors are quite rare, but it can grow on
paper products if the conditions permit. The allergenic
effects of this spore remain scant, although it is
commonly regarded as a contaminant. It has however
never been implicated in any human infection so far.
Research done has found out that pithomyces sp can
produce toxins in very specific circumstances, although
their effects are not fully comprehended.
Pithomyces sp is disseminated by wind
carrying the dry spores. These spores are produced at
the apex of short branches at the side of the vegetative
filaments. One of the few and well studied mycotoxin
of pithomyces sp is called sporidesmin. This mycotoxin
is an animal pathogen which causes facial eczema and
liver damage.
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Unlike most molds which are known
to have some industrial uses, pithomyces sp has no known
industrial use, and the growth of spores in it less
when you compare it to other molds. Experts use air
sampling to identify it, unlike where they use direct
sampling in other types of molds. Scientific research
has been done to find out whether pithomyces sp causes
any diseases. Much as the mold was found to have mycotoxins
that affect animals, there are two complications in
humans that have been associated with it. First, it
was found to be an etiological agent, which is to say
that it was found to be the origin of disease or disorder,
as determined by a medical diagnosis. Secondly, it was
found to be immune compromised, which means that it
has the ability to alter the proper functioning of the
immune system.
Studies with pithomyces sp are underway
to establish its actual effects on humans, and to shed
more light on it. But it is worth noting that all molds
are usually categorized into 3 classes, according to
how they respond to humans. We have the allergenic molds
which do not usually produce life threatening health
effects, and will affect those with allergies or are
asthmatic. Then there are the pathogenic molds. These
types of molds may have serious health effects to
persons with suppressed immune systems. Finally, there
are the toxigenic molds. These have serious health effects
in almost everyone, and their effects may range from
mild irritation, to life threatening conditions like
cancer.
The fact that pithomyces sp has been
proven to cause any serious health effect to humans
means that the mold may be an allergenic mold. But for
animals, and indeed most ruminants, this mold is a
pathogen that causes serious health effects. It has
a multi celled conidia, which is produced at the tip
of the short conidiophores. The good news about pithomyces
sp is that studies are in top gear to fin out whether
it can have any industrial use.
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