Aspergillus Pictures: Environmental Mold

Aspergillus is a genus, or family, of mold that contains several hundred species. The name comes from the observation of the Italian priest-biologist who first documented the genus: He thought the fungi looked like an aspergillum, the instrument that sprinkles holy water. Molds belonging to the Aspergillus family are quite common; they love to grow on starchy food, for example, and are more than likely the type of mold you might encounter growing on bread. Aspergillus can cause various infections in humans, including external ear infections, ulcers, and skin lesions. Byproducts of Aspergillus can be toxic or carcinogenic, and this mold is also notorious for causing allergic disease.

To help clean your environment of Aspergillus, use the environmental protocol.

Below are photos of this ubiquitous and sometimes dangerous mold, courtesy of toxicologist, immunotoxicologist, and fetal toxicologist Dr. Jack D. Thrasher, PhD. and trauma specialist Sandra L. Crawley, M.ED., LADC.

Some of the Common Indoor Aspergillus Species:

Fig. 1 (above) - Aspergillus niger colonies on growth medium

Fig. 2 - Aspergillus niger conidia.

 

Additional Mold Samples