Phonetic: Stack-ee-bought-riss

Stachybotrys is commonly found in sub-tropical to tropical areas in soil and decaying plant materials, and is considered a type I & III allergen. Considerable recent media attention has been focused on the fungi Stachybotrys chartarum (atra) due to infant deaths in Cleveland from pulmonary hemosiderosis, which may be associated with contamination of residences with this fungus. Stachybotrys thrives on water damaged cellulose rich materials such as sheet rock, paper, ceiling tiles, cellulose containing insulation backing and wallpaper. The presence of this fungus in buildings is significant because of the mold’s ability to produce mycotoxins, such as Satratoxin H, Trichoverrol, and Cyclosporins that possess cytotoxic, immunological, carcinogenic effects. Exposure to these toxins can occur through inhalation, ingestion or dermal exposure. Symptoms include dermatitis, cough, rhinitis, nose bleeds, a burning sensation in the mouth and nasal passage, cold and flu symptoms, headache, general malaise, and fever. Inhalation of conidia may also induce pathological changes (pneumomycotoxicoses). Satratoxin H has been reported to be abortogenic in animals and in high doses or chronic low doses it can be lethal. S. chartarum (atra) produces other macrocyclic and trichoverroid trichothecenes and, like Memnoniella echinata, produces phenylspirodrimanes, which are immunosuppressive. Stachybotrys typically appears as a sooty black fungus occasionally accompanied by a thick mass of white mycelia. Memnoniella differs from Stachybotrys by producing conidia in chains. As a general rule, air sampling for Stachybotrys yields unpredictable results mainly due to the fact that this fungus is usually accompanied by other fungi such as Aspergillus and Penicillium that normally are better aerosolized than Stachybotrys. Bulk or surface sampling of suspect materials can be analyzed in a laboratory for identification by light microscopy. This fungus is a slow grower on media, therefore does not compete well with other rapidly growing fungi. Colonies are powdery in texture, white, pink, orange or black in color. The species S. chartarum (atra) produces colonies black in color. (A_w-0.91 - >0.98) Culture – ASCM-1 agar, 20° - 25°C, 7 - 10 days.