Chaetomium is a genus of molds that can cause health problems in humans. They live on cellulose and produce spores that spread via wind. C. globosum is the most commonly found species indoors and produces mycotoxins that are harmful to human health. Short-term exposure can cause allergy symptoms, while long-term exposure can lead to serious infections and mutagenic effects. Testing and removal of contaminated material is recommended.
Chaetomium is a fungal genus that contains about 80 known species of molds. These molds are part of the group of molds that can cause health problems in humans from prolonged exposure, making them of interest to people facing mold problems in their homes or in potential real estate acquisitions. More studies on Chaetomium mushrooms are needed to determine how dangerous they are to human health, but the evidence would seem to strongly suggest they are harmful.
These fungi like to live on cellulose and are found on wood, compost, slabs of rock, straw, and similar materials. The fungal colony can take up to three weeks to mature in a cold environment, producing spores that spread the fungus via wind. The colony starts out white, turning dark gray to olive when mature, with a cottony texture. Chaetomium mushroom spores have a very distinctive lemon shape which makes them easy to identify, and the mushroom has a distinctive musty smell.
C. globosum is the species most commonly found indoors. This species is of particular interest because it appears to produce mycotoxins, compounds harmful to human health. These fungi have been conclusively linked to allergies in mold-sensitive people and appear to produce mutagenic mycotoxins that interfere with DNA replication in organisms such as humans and other animals.
Mutagens can cause long-term damage, especially if they end up in the reproductive tract, where they can cause serious problems for future generations, if not infertility. Short-term exposure to Chaetomium can lead to classic allergy symptoms such as wheezing, watery eyes, and coughing, and the mushrooms have also been implicated in several cases of serious infections. Chaetomium can cause onychomycosis or toenail fungal infection, and mycotoxic varieties pose a serious threat to human health if they enter the body of immunocompromised individuals.
People who think they have Chaetomium in their home can request a test with an air-sampling device that will identify the fungus. Ideally, contaminated material should be removed and burned so the fungus cannot spread, although cleaning with soap and rinsing with bleach is also possible in an attempt to kill fungal spores. Keeping rooms dry and warm can also help eliminate fungal infestation, and it’s especially important to pay attention to non-visible spaces, such as the area between the walls of a house.
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