The most common type of mold encountered by certified mold inspectors are penicillium and aspergillus, These two genera (large groups of closely related types) each has has nearly 200 species.

Because penicillium and aspergillus spores look the same under the microscope both groups are lumped together in lab reports and simply referred to as pen / asp. In healthy persons with allergies these molds often cause allergic reactions, in unhealthy persons these same molds can in rare cases even cause infections especially lung infections.

Aspergillosis Information

According to various scientific studies and this mold investigators personal experience, Aspergillus species are by far the most common molds found in water damaged homes. It is very often green or sometimes brown, or black, and it is not uncommon to find white varieties growing on clothes in humid closets.

If you have cancer and are undergoing chemotherapy, are taking high doses of steroid medications, have lungs damaged by previous TB infections, or have a weakened immune system, you may be more likely to develop Aspergillosis, which is the non invasive growth of aspergillus fungus balls in the lungs. These fungus balls are about 1/8 to 1 inch or so in size and are round or shaped as a half-moon. Sometimes, an infected person will cough one up since they are usually loose or will have allergic reactions to the mold in the lungs. The condition can be very serious and should be diagnosed by a doctor usually via biopsy or X-rays. Treatment may involve various antibiotics. In 2004, I conducted a certified mold inspection on a property in West Palm Beach, Florida where the tenant had aspergillus niger growing in her lungs. In the same year, I did a mold inspection on a doctor's moldy condo unit in Ft Lauderdale Florida. One of the doctor's patients, had a serious and rare case of aspergillosis, where the mold became invasive and thus has started to grow not just loose inside the lungs, but was spreading deep into the lung tissue and other parts of the body.

The three most common causes of this condition are the following species of mold growing in the lungs all three are commonly encountered growing in homes by certified mold inspectors:

1 Aspergillus fumigatus
2 Aspergillus flavus
3 Aspergillus niger

Aspergillus flavus

Aw 0.78.Conidia dimensions 3-6 microns or 3-5 microns. It grows on moldy corn and peanuts. It can be found in warm soil, foods and dairy products. Some strains are capable of producing a group of mycotoxins - in the aflotoxins group. Aflotoxins are known as an animal carcinogen. There is limited evidence to suggest that this toxin is a human carcinogen. The toxin is poisonous to humans by ingestion. It may also result in occupational disease via inhalation. Experiments have indicated that it is teratogenic and mutagenic. It is toxic to the live and reported to be allergenic. Its presence is associated with reports of asthma, and can be found in water-damaged carpets. The production of the fungal toxin is dependent on the growth conditions and on the substrate used as a food source. This fungus is associated with aspergillosis of the lungs and/or disseminated aspergillosis. This fungus is occasionally identified as the cause of corneal, otomycotic and nasal orbital infections.

Aspergillus fumigatus

Aw 0.82; Optimum 0.97. Conidia dimensions 2-3.5 microns. This is the major cause of aspergillosis. Both invasive and allergic aspergillosis are caused by this organism. Aspergillosis affects individuals who are immune-compromised. It is considered a human pathogen. It grows well at 35 degrees C and is commonly found outdoors in compost piles with temperatures higher than 40 degrees C, in mild to warm soils and on cereals.

Aspergillus niger

Aw 0.77; Optimum 0.97. Conidia dimensions 3.5 - 5 microns or 4 to 5 microns. This is a less common cause of aspergillosis. It has a musty odor. It is commonly found in the environment on textiles, in soils, and on grains, fruits and vegetables. It has been reported to cause skin and pulmonary infections. It is a common cause of fungi-related ear infections-otomycosis. This is one of the most common aspergillus species encountered by this certified mold inspector in severely water damaged buildings. For most certified inspectors, it is the only species of aspergillus that can be specifically identified under the microscope by species. The spores look like sea urchin shells without the spines.