Phonetic: Wall-eh-me-uh

Wallemia is a widespread mitosporic (lacks a sexual state) fungus commonly found in house dust, textiles, wood, hay, soils, and foods such as salty meats, dairy products, and fruits. It may also colonize the human skin. There have been rare reports of human abcesses, otherwise this fungus is known as a common type I allergen, causing hay fever, asthma, and allergic alveolitis. This fungus may also produce mycotoxins such as, walleminol, tryptophol, and UCA 1064-beta. Conidia are 2.5 – 3.5 microns in size. Wallemia is known to attack materials with low water activity (A_w). (A_w – 0.69 – 0.85). Culture – Dichloran glycerol agar (DG-18), Potato dextrose agar or Malt extract agar, 20° – 25°C, 7 – 10 days.