Topic
Stachybotrys
About: Stachybotrys is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 274 publications have been published within this topic receiving 8426 citations.
Papers published on a yearly basis
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Papers
TL;DR: The evidence regarding indoor mold exposure and mycotoxicosis is reviewed, with an emphasis on S. chartarum, and possible end-organ effects, including pulmonary, immunologic, neurologic, and oncologic disorders are examined.
Abstract: Damp buildings often have a moldy smell or obvious mold growth; some molds are human pathogens. This has caused concern regarding health effects of moldy indoor environments and has resulted in many studies of moisture- and mold-damaged buildings. Recently, there have been reports of severe illness as a result of indoor mold exposure, particularly due to Stachybotrys chartarum. While many authors describe a direct relationship between fungal contamination and illness, close examination of the literature reveals a confusing picture. Here, we review the evidence regarding indoor mold exposure and mycotoxicosis, with an emphasis on S. chartarum. We also examine possible end-organ effects, including pulmonary, immunologic, neurologic, and oncologic disorders. We discuss the Cleveland infant idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage reports in detail, since they provided important impetus for concerns about Stachybotrys. Some valid concerns exist regarding the relationship between indoor mold exposure and human disease. Review of the literature reveals certain fungus-disease associations in humans, including ergotism (Claviceps species), alimentary toxic aleukia (Fusarium), and liver disease (Aspergillys). While many papers suggest a similar relationship between Stachybotrys and human disease, the studies nearly uniformly suffer from significant methodological flaws, making their findings inconclusive. As a result, we have not found well-substantiated supportive evidence of serious illness due to Stachybotrys exposure in the contemporary environment. To address issues of indoor mold-related illness, there is an urgent need for studies using objective markers of illness, relevant animal models, proper epidemiologic techniques, and examination of confounding factors.
396 citations
TL;DR: The worst-case scenario for homeowners is produced by consecutive episodes of water damage that promote fungal growth and mycotoxin synthesis, followed by drier conditions that facilitate the liberation of spores and hyphal fragments.
359 citations
TL;DR: The novel in vitro toxicity test that utilized boar spermatozoa was a useful tool for detecting toxins of microbial origin toward eukaryotic cells not detectable in building materials by the other methods.
Abstract: Microbial toxins and eukaryotic cell toxicity from indoor building materials heavily colonized by fungi and bacteria were analyzed The dominant colonizers at water-damaged sites of the building were Stachybotrys chartarum (10(3) to 10(5) visible conidia cm-2), Penicillium and Aspergillus species (10(4) CFU mg-1), gram-negative bacteria (10(4) CFU mg-1), and mycobacteria (10(3) CFU mg-1) The mycobacterial isolates were most similar to M komossense, with 98% similarity of the complete 16S rDNA sequence Limulus assay of water extracts prepared from a water-damaged gypsum liner revealed high contents of gram-negative endotoxin (17 ng mg-1 of E coli lipopolysaccharide equivalents) and beta-D-glucan (210 ng mg-1 of curdlan equivalents) High-performance liquid chromatography analysis of the methanol extracts showed that the water-damaged gypsum liner also contained satratoxin (17 ng mg-1) This methanol-extracted substance was 200 times more toxic to rabbit skin and fetus feline lung cells than extract of gypsum liner sampled from a non-water-damaged site The same extract contained toxin(s) that paralyzed the motility of boar spermatozoa at extremely low concentrations; the 50% effective concentration was 03 microgram of dry solids per ml This toxicity was not explainable by the amount of bacterial endotoxin, beta-D-glucan, or satratoxin present in the same extract The novel in vitro toxicity test that utilized boar spermatozoa as described in this article is convenient to perform and reproducible and was a useful tool for detecting toxins of microbial origin toward eukaryotic cells not detectable in building materials by the other methods
313 citations
TL;DR: In this article, DNA sequences from four nuclear and one mitochondrial gene were analyzed to determine the ordinal and familial placement of Stachybotrys within the Euascomycota.
272 citations
TL;DR: Because of an interest in the possibility that trichothecene mycotoxins might be involved in this illness, a number of isolates of Stachybotrys chartarum were grown in the laboratory on rice and extracts were analyzed both for cytotoxicity and for specific toxins.
Abstract: A cluster of cases of pulmonary hemosiderosis among infants was reported in Cleveland, Ohio, during 1993 and 1994. These unusual cases appeared only in infants ranging in age from 1 to 8 months and were characterized by pulmonary hemorrhage, which caused the babies to cough up blood. A case-control study identified major home water damage (from plumbing leaks, roof leaks, or flooding) as a risk factor for development of pulmonary hemorrhage in these infants. Because of an interest in the possibility that trichothecene mycotoxins might be involved in this illness, a number of isolates of Stachybotrys chartarum were grown in the laboratory on rice, and extracts were prepared and analyzed both for cytotoxicity and for specific toxins. Two isolates of Memnoniella echinata, a fungus closely related to S. chartarum, were also included in these studies. S. chartarum isolates collected from the homes were shown to produce a number of highly toxic compounds, and the profiles of toxic compounds from M. echinata were similar; the most notable difference was the fact that the principal metabolites produced by M. echinata were griseofulvins.
225 citations
Related Topics (5)
Performance Metrics
| Year | Papers |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 5 |
| 2020 | 4 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2017 | 5 |
| 2016 | 12 |