Stachybotrys is a genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 of mold

Mold

Molds are fungi that grow in the form of multicellular filaments called hyphae. Molds are not considered to be microbes but microscopic fungi that grow as single cells called yeasts...

s, or asexually-reproducing, filamentous fungi

Fungus

A fungus is a member of a large group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds , as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, Fungi, which is separate from plants, animals, and bacteria...

. Closely related to the genus Memnoniella, most Stachybotrys species inhabit materials rich in cellulose

Cellulose

Cellulose is an organic compound with the formula , a polysaccharide consisting of a linear chain of several hundred to over ten thousand β linked D-glucose units....

. The genus has a widespread distribution, and contains about 50 species.

The most infamous species, S. chartarum

Stachybotrys chartarum

Stachybotrys chartarum, also called Stachybotrys atra, Stachybotrys alternans or Stilbospora chartarum, is a black mold that produces its conidia in slime heads. It is sometimes found in soil and grain, but mostly isolated from cellulose-rich building materials in damp or water-damaged buildings. S...

(also known as S. atra) and S. chlorohalonata are known as "black mold" or "toxic black mold" in the USA and are frequently associated with poor indoor air quality

Indoor air quality

Indoor air quality is a term referring to the air quality within and around buildings and structures, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants....

 that arises after fungal growth on water-damaged building materials.

Symptoms of Stachybotrys exposure in humans

Exposure to the mycotoxin

Mycotoxin

A mycotoxin is a toxic secondary metabolite produced by organisms of the fungus kingdom, commonly known as molds. The term ‘mycotoxin’ is usually reserved for the toxic chemical products produced by fungi that readily colonize crops...

s present in Stachybotrys chartarum

Stachybotrys chartarum

Stachybotrys chartarum, also called Stachybotrys atra, Stachybotrys alternans or Stilbospora chartarum, is a black mold that produces its conidia in slime heads. It is sometimes found in soil and grain, but mostly isolated from cellulose-rich building materials in damp or water-damaged buildings. S...

or Stachybotrys atra can have a wide range of effects. Depending on the length of exposure and volume of spores inhaled or ingested, symptoms can manifest as chronic fatigue or headaches, fever, irritation to the eyes, mucous membranes of the mouth, nose and throat, sneezing, rashes, and chronic coughing. In severe cases of exposure or cases exacerbated by allergic reaction, symptoms can be extreme including nausea, vomiting, and bleeding in the lungs and nose.

Species

• Stachybotrys albipes (Berk. & Broome) S.C. Jong & Davis (1976)
• Stachybotrys alternans Bonord. (1851)
• Stachybotrys breviuscula McKenzie (1991)
• Stachybotrys chartarum
  Stachybotrys chartarum
  Stachybotrys chartarum, also called Stachybotrys atra, Stachybotrys alternans or Stilbospora chartarum, is a black mold that produces its conidia in slime heads. It is sometimes found in soil and grain, but mostly isolated from cellulose-rich building materials in damp or water-damaged buildings. S...
  
  (Ehrenb.) S. Hughes (1958)
• Stachybotrys chlorohalonata B. Andersen & Thrane (2003)
• Stachybotrys cylindrospora C.N. Jensen (1912)
• Stachybotrys dichroa Grove (1886)
• Stachybotrys elegans (Pidopl.) W. Gams (1980)
• Stachybotrys eucylindrospora D.W. Li (2007)
• Stachybotrys freycinetiae McKenzie (1991)
• Stachybotrys kampalensis Hansf. (1943)
• Stachybotrys kapiti Whitton, McKenzie & K.D. Hyde (2001)
• Stachybotrys longispora Matsush. (1975)
• Stachybotrys mangiferae P.C. Misra & S.K. Srivast. (1982)
• Stachybotrys microspora (B.L. Mathur & Sankhla) S.C. Jong & E.E. Davis (1976)
• Stachybotrys nephrodes McKenzie (1991)
• Stachybotrys nephrospora Hansf. (1943)
• Stachybotrys nilagirica Subram. (1957)
• Stachybotrys oenanthes M.B. Ellis (1971)
• Stachybotrys parvispora S. Hughes (1952)
• Stachybotrys ruwenzoriensis Matsush. (1985)
• Stachybotrys sansevieriae G.P. Agarwal & N.D. Sharma (1974)
• Stachybotrys sinuatophora Matsush. (1971)
• Stachybotrys suthepensis Photita, P. Lumyong, K.D. Hyde & McKenzie (2003)
• Stachybotrys theobromae Hansf. (1943)
• Stachybotrys waitakere Whitton, McKenzie & K.D. Hyde (2001)

See also

• Bioaerosol
  Bioaerosol
  A bioaerosol is a suspension of airborne particles that contain living organisms or were released from living organisms. These particles are very small and range in size from less than one micrometer to one hundred micrometers . Bioaerosols react to air currents and move quickly or slowly...
  
  
• Mold growth, assessment, and remediation
  Mold growth, assessment, and remediation
  Mold assessment and mold remediation are techniques used in occupational health: mold assessment is the process of identifying the location and extent of the mold hazard in a structure, and mold remediation is the process of removal and/or cleanup of mold from an indoor environment.-Health...
  
  
• Mold health issues
• Sick Building Syndrome
  Sick building syndrome
  Sick building syndrome is a combination of ailments associated with an individual's place of work or residence. A 1984 World Health Organization report into the syndrome suggested up to 30% of new and remodeled buildings worldwide may be linked to symptoms of SBS...