Aspergillus fumigatus
Indoor & Outdoor
Common Exposure:
Damp building materials, compost, and decaying organic matter.
Clinical Risk: High risk for ABPA and respiratory infections in immunocompromised patients.
Cladosporium
Indoor & Outdoor
Common Exposure:
Bathrooms, kitchens, leaf litter, and tree leaves.
Clinical Risk: Most common trigger for hay fever and asthma-like symptoms.
Epicoccum
Mostly Outdoor
Common Exposure:
Leaf litter and agricultural plant debris.
Clinical Risk: Significant allergen linked to upper respiratory distress.
Alternaria
Indoor & Outdoor
Common Exposure:
Plants, grasses, and damp indoor areas like showers.
Clinical Risk: Strongly associated with severe, persistent asthma flares.
Penicillium
Indoor & Outdoor
Common Exposure:
Water-damaged buildings, wallpaper, and spoiled food.
Clinical Risk: Potential for mycotoxin exposure and chronic sinusitis.
Aureobasidium
Indoor & Outdoor
Common Exposure:
Wood window frames, caulking, and painted surfaces.
Clinical Risk: Linked to Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis ("Sauna Taker's Lung").
Botrytis
Mostly Outdoor
Common Exposure:
Garden plants, fruits, and greenhouses.
Clinical Risk: Common cause of "Winegrower's Lung" and garden allergies.
Gibberella
Mostly Outdoor
Common Exposure:
Cereals, crops, and agricultural soil.
Clinical Risk: Primarily affects agricultural workers; allergen in crop dust.
Mucor
Indoor & Outdoor
Common Exposure:
Damp soil, HVAC vents, and decaying organic matter.
Clinical Risk: Potential for serious infection (Mucormycosis) in vulnerable patients.
Bipolaris
Mostly Outdoor
Common Exposure:
Grasses and agricultural debris.
Clinical Risk: Frequent cause of Allergic Fungal Rhinosinusitis (AFRS).
Trichophyton
Mostly Indoor
Common Exposure:
Gym floors, showers, and shared moist environments.
Clinical Risk: Causes skin infections (Athlete's Foot, Ringworm).
Corn Smut (Ustilago)
Outdoor
Common Exposure:
Cornfields and agricultural harvest dust.
Clinical Risk: Generally low toxicity; rare digestive or respiratory irritation.