Ascomycota, Pezizomycotina, Hypocreales, Stachybotryaceae. Genus: STACHYBOTRYS
Stachybotrys chartarum (Ehrenb.) S. Hughes
member of S. chartarum complex
Latest update: 21 January 2025
Colony characteristics
Colonies (CMA, 7 d, 25°C) immersed, greyish brown to pale yellowish, with conidiophores forming on the surface of the medium, carrying drops of mouse grey to black conidial slime. Colonies (PDA) with vinaceous to salmon reverse.
Differential diagnostics
One of the prevalent Stachybotrys species; S. chlorohalonatus is distinguished on phylogenetic grounds.
Microscopy
Conidiophores erect, single or in groups, thin-walled, mostly unbranched, subhyaline to olivaceous brown, 1-3(-4)-septate, smooth-walled, 40-110 × 3-6 µm, bearing 3-6 conidiogenous cells. Conidiogenous cells phialidic, clavate to subclavate, subhyaline to olivaceous brown, smooth-walled, 9-14 × 3-6 µm, with conspicuous collarettes. Conidia one-celled, ellipsoidal to subcylindrical, thick-walled, olivaceous to dark brown, verrucose, (8.0-)8.5-9.5(-11.0) × (3.0-)3.5-4.5(-5.0) µm. Perithecia subspherical to obpyriform, thin-walled, black with thick-walled, septate, erect setae on the smooth surface. Ostiolum papillar, without periphyses. Ascospores cylindrical, one-septate, verrucose.
Pathogenicity
RG-1, BSL-1. Ayoubi (2019) reported on a scalp infection in an elderly patient.
One Health
The fungus colonizes damp indoor and building materials (Hossain et al., 2004) such as wallpaper but also grows well on gypseum. It emerges often in houses after leaks and flooding (Andersen & Nissen, 2000). It produced trichothecenes which are detrimental to human health (Vesper & Vesper, 2002; Pestka et al., 2008), causing pulmonary hemorrhages, with particularly children at risk (Etzel et al., 1998; Dearborn et al., 1999). Antibiotically active compounds are also produced (Yang et al., 2019).
Species complex
Clinically relevant members of the S. chartarum complex are: S. chartarum and S. chlorohalonatus.
References
Nomenclature
Stilbospora chartarum Ehrenberg – Sylv. Mycol. Berol. p. 21, 1818 ≡ Stachybotrys chartarum (Ehrenberg) S. Hughes – Can. J. Bot. 36: 812, 1958; type strain: CBS 182.80.
Growth characteristics
| Growth at 37°C | – |
