Full Answer
What is Alternaria alternata and why is it dangerous?
Alternaria alternata is a fungus which has been recorded causing leaf spot and other diseases on over 380 host species of plant. It is an opportunistic pathogen on numerous hosts causing leaf spots, rots and blights on many plant parts. It can also cause upper respiratory tract infections [1] and asthma in humans with compromised immunity.
What is Alternaria alternata leaf spot?
Alternaria alternata. Jump to navigation Jump to search. Alternaria alternata is a fungus which has been recorded causing leaf spot and other diseases on over 380 host species of plant. It is an opportunistic pathogen on numerous hosts causing leaf spots, rots and blights on many plant parts.
Is Alternaria an Indoor Allergen?
Although exposure to Alternaria is an important risk factor for asthma, few studies have assessed exposure to this fungus in indoor environments. A alternata, a cosmopolitan saprophyte commonly found in soil and plants, is usually considered an outdoor allergen.
What are Alternaria species known as major plant pathogens?
Alternaria species are known as major plant pathogens. They are also common allergens in humans, growing indoors and causing hay fever or hypersensitivity reactions that sometimes lead to asthma. They are present in the human mycobiome and readily cause opportunistic infections in immunocompromised people such as AIDS patients.
What is Alternaria alternata allergy?
Alternaria alternata is mainly an outdoor fungus that typically grows on vegetation. 4. However, the species can also be found indoors, where it prefers humid locations such as bathrooms and often produces large brown spores that are a well-known cause of allergy and asthma.
What is Alternaria alternata in a blood test?
This IgE antibody allergy test uses a blood sample to determine if you are allergic to Alternaria alternata mold spores. A. alternata, growing commonly on vegetation, is a member of the imperfect fungi and is one of the most important among the allergenic fungi.
Is Alternaria a toxic mold?
Most Alternaria species don't cause serious infections in healthy people, but those with compromised immune systems are at serious risk if exposed.
What disease does Alternaria alternata cause?
Alternaria mycotoxins such as alternariol are contaminants of cereals, fruit, and fermented foods (3). A. alternata can cause human infections such as cutaneous and subcutaneous infections, oculomycosis, sinusitis, onychomycosis, and invasive diseases (36).
How do I get rid of Alternaria alternata?
Treatment for Alternaria requires fungicide to be sprayed directly on infected plants, as well as improvements in sanitation and crop rotation to prevent future outbreaks. Organic gardeners are limited to sprays of captan or copper fungicides, making control much more challenging.
How is Alternaria alternata treated?
The optimal treatment should consist of broad surgical debridement of involved tissues with prolonged systemic antifungal medication. Alternaria is sensitive to amphotericin B and miconazole [7].
Can Alternaria make you sick?
The mildest of symptoms are similar to the common cold, which includes a runny nose, cough, and sore throat. Some people also get itchy and irritated eyes or experience wheezing, difficulty breathing, and shortness of breath. Hives and skin rashes are also possible.
Where is Alternaria alternata mold found?
Alternaria alternata is a ubiquitous saprophyte that is found in the soil and on plants, especially on decaying vegetation.
Is Alternaria mold black mold?
Physical Characteristics: Alternaria mold is dark (grey, brown, black) with a velvety texture. Health Symptoms: Development and/or agitation of Asthma. Sneezing, itchy and watery eyes, runny nose, congestion, coughing and dry skin.
What is the main symptom of Alternaria?
Leaf symptoms include round, brown spots with concentric rings. Spots often have a yellow halo, and can crack through the middle. Spots often occur first on older leaves. As the disease spreads, leaves can develop enough spots that they begin to meld together to create large necrotic areas on leaves.
What causes Alternaria?
Under the right environmental conditions, the fungus can thrive and cause severe infection. Alternaria brassicicola produces spores after exposure to high relative humidity (~87%) and temperatures between 68-86 °F. The spores are then released during warm dry periods shortly after a rain.
What kind of mold is Alternaria?
Alternaria is an allergenic mold with a velvety texture. You might see it in the bathroom or near a sink as it is typically a sign of water damage. Aspergillus is another allergenic mold that can be toxic for people with weak immune systems. There are over a hundred species in various colors.
What does it mean if your Alternaria alternata result is too high?
Exposure to A alternata in US homes is associated with active asthma symptoms.
Is alternata a fungus?
Alternaria alternata. Alternaria alternata is one of the most common fungi associated with asthma. Not only the presence of asthma but also persistence and severity of asthma have been strongly associated with sensitization and exposure to A alternata. Although exposure to Alternaria is an important risk factor for asthma, ...
Is alternata a risk factor for asthma?
Although exposure to Alternaria is an important risk factor for asthma, few studies have assessed exposure to this fungus in indoor environments.
Is Alternaria alternata an allergen?
Although most intense exposure is likely to occur outdoors , Alternaria and other allergenic fungi are also found in indoor environments. References: - Exposure to Alternaria alternata in US homes is associated with asthma symptoms ( link)
Is alternata an indoor or outdoor allergen?
A alternata, a cosmopolitan saprophyte commonly found in soil and plants, is usually considered an outdoor allergen. Although most intense exposure is likely to occur outdoors, Alternaria and other allergenic fungi are also found in indoor environments. Yet fungal allergen exposures in indoor environments have not been characterized as well as other indoor allergens (eg, house dust mite, cockroach, and pet allergens). [ L]
What is Alternaria alternata capable of producing?
Alternaria alternata is capable of producing secondary metabolites such as phytotoxins and mycotoxins which cause spoilage in plants.
What is Alternaria spp?
Alternaria spp. Alternaria spp are a group of Ascomycete fungi that are known for their saprophytic nature in decomposing soil and plants. They are ubiquitous, found in soil, air, and plants. They have a clinical impact as well as, it is a plant pathogen. There are over 299 species of Alternaria spp with the most commonly known species including: ...
Where do Alternaria live?
Alternaria species are saprophytic meaning that they thrive in decomposing materials and environments. They are also commonly found in organic materials and water or moisture areas. Some are endophytic, therefore they live in various plant parts such as seeds, and fruits. Alternaria alternata specifically lives in the soil as a saprophyte ...
What temperature did Alternaria grow?
All the Alternaria isolated were grown on PDA culture media and incubated at 28 °C for 12 h light/dark photoperiod. The pictures of the colonies were taken on the 6 th day after the incubation of the pathogen. Image Source: Scientific Reports (Mukesh Meena et al.)
What is the color of alternata?
In culture, Alternaria alternata grows as long chains with dark brown conidiophores.
Which antibiotic is most effective for a bacterial infection caused by Alternaria species?
Amphotericin B and flucytosine are very effective in treating all infections caused by Alternaria species.
Does Alternaria alternata cause opportunistic infections?
Alternaria alternata has been associated with causing cutaneous and subcutaneous infections, in individuals with an immunocompromised system, therefore it causes opportunistic infections
What are the pathotypes of Alternaria alternata?
5-15C ), the AAL toxin causing stem canker on tomato, the AF toxin on strawberry, the AM toxin on apple, the ACT toxin on tangerine, the ACL toxin on rough lemon, and the HS toxin on sugar cane.
Why is alternata used instead of tenuis?
The epithet alternata should be used instead of tenuis, because the last name is invalid. Colonies filamentous, grey, dark brown or black, growing fast in potato dextrose agar (PDA) or malt extract agar (MEA). Conidiophores single or in small groups, straight or curved, sometime geniculate, 3–6 nm × 20–50 nm, with scars.
What are the mycotoxins produced by Alternaria alternata?
species are capable of producing dibenzo-α-pyrone types of mycotoxins (alternariol, alternariol monomethyl ether (AME), altenuene, isoaltenuene and altenuisol), tetramic acid metabolites, tenuazonic acid (TzA) and related compounds, ...
What fruits and vegetables have Alternaria mycotoxins?
The production of Alternaria mycotoxins has been recorded in a variety of naturally infected fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes, apples, grapes, blueberries, oranges, lemons, mandarins, and olives ( Barkai-Golan, 2008c ).
Why is alternaria more common in fruits and vegetables?
Postharvest occurrence of Alternaria in fruits and vegetables is more common because the moisture content of these products remains high after harvest. Alternaria infection of fruits and vegetables has been observed in apples, oranges, tomatoes, and bell peppers.
Is Alternaria toxic to mice?
These compounds are toxic to Bacillus mycoides and HeLa cells. The toxins, however, are only weakly toxic to mice and do not appear to be toxic to rats or chicks when administered as single purified compounds.
Is Alternaria alternata a pathogen?
Alternaria alternata. Alternaria alternata is generally considered as a weak and opportunistic pathogen that follows different routes for penetrating plant tissue, like wounds (Pearson and Hall, 1975), natural openings such as lenticels, stem ends, and pedicels (Prusky, 1996), and by direct breaching of the host cuticle (Mersha et al., 2012), ...
What is alternariatoxicosis?
The terms alternariosis and alternariatoxicosis are used for disorders in humans and animals caused by a fungus in this genus. Not all Alternaria species are pests and pathogens; some have shown promise as biocontrol agents against invasive plant species.
What causes alternariosis in tibia?
A 28-year-old man with alternariosis in his tibia caused by Alternaria arborescens and electron micrograph of his skin. Some species include: Alternaria alternata – Causes early blight of potato, Leaf spot disease in Withania somnifera and can infest many other plants.
Is Alternaria a fungus?
Alternaria is a genus of Deuteromycetes fungi. Alternaria species are known as major plant pathogens. They are also common allergens in humans, growing indoors and causing hay fever or hypersensitivity reactions that sometimes lead to asthma. They are present in the human mycobiome and readily cause opportunistic infections in immunocompromised people such as AIDS patients.
Alternaria
The most prevalent mold in dry, warm climates, Alternaria alternata has air spores that peak in the afternoon and typically disseminate in warm, dry air. 1,2 Therefore, in temperate climates, Alternaria alternata spore counts are usually highest in the summer. 2 Those allergic to this mold may experience symptoms after inhaling its spores.
Where is Alternaria found?
Alternaria is often found in soil and on mediums such as plants, cereal grains, grass, corn silage, rotten wood, bricks, canvas, iron, compost, and bird nests.
How do I manage my allergy?
If you are allergic to molds, your healthcare provider may recommend a plan that includes the following. 3,8,16,17,18
What is Alternaria?
It’s most often referred to as “leaf spot” or “leaf blight,” as it almost always affects plants’ leaves rather than stems or roots.
How Does Alternaria Manifest?
The first symptoms you’ll see will be on the leaves closest to the plant’s crown. Alternaria first presents as tiny little brown spots with yellow halos. These appear on both the tops and bottoms of the leaves rather than just beneath them like some other fungal infections like Anthracnose.
How to Treat Alternaria
Like many other fungal issues, prevention is the better part of valor. Remember how Alternaria thrives in cool, damp conditions? You can pretty much kill it off by deep tilling your soil during a hot, dry period. Let the sun obliterate and dissipate the spores over the course of a few days.
Maintain Good Gardening Hygiene
Practice good gardening hygiene and inspect your plants on a daily basis. If you’re able to catch an issue like Alternaria early, you might only lose a few leaves here and there rather than an entire crop.