Rhizopus is a type of fungus that can cause zygomycosis and is found in plants, fruits, vegetables, feces, and soil. It reproduces through a unique method of creating a zygospore. It grows rapidly in warm, moist environments and can be prevented by refrigerating or freezing food. It can infect people through contaminated food, inhalation of spores, or puncture wounds, causing health problems that can be treated with antifungal medication.
Rhizopus is a genus of fungi within the class Zygomycetes, a large group of fungi that are notable for their method of sexual reproduction. Rhizopus fungi are often responsible for zygomycosis, an infection caused by colonization with fungi of the Zygomycetes class. These fungi also have some practical functions and can appear as plant pathogens in some regions of the world. This makes them a rather diverse group.
Classically, Rhizopus mushrooms look like cotton candy, with a yellow to green color that darkens as the fungus begins producing spores. These fungi can reproduce asexually or sexually by creating a zygospore, a fusion of two spores. This ability is unique to mushrooms of the Zygomycete class. Spores often burrow into the surface of the substrate, making mold removal difficult, as it cannot simply be brushed off.
One of the most common forms of Rhizopus is the bread mold, R. nigricans. These fungi also appear in fruits, particularly stone fruits, and can be found in vegetables, feces, and soil. The fungus grows very rapidly, maturing within four days, as anyone who has seen a perfectly good peach rot almost before their eyes knows. This rapid growth is one reason why Rhizopus can be a real problem, as the fungus grows and produces spores so rapidly that it is very difficult to control.
The fungus needs a warm, moist environment to thrive. People can prevent or prevent Rhizopus infection by keeping food in the refrigerator or freezer so the spores never have a chance to grow. In the case of crops, it can be difficult to prevent the fungus from spreading once the spores begin to land. These mushrooms also have a few uses; several species are used in the controlled fermentation of foods, especially in Asia, for example.
People can become infected with Rhizopus by eating contaminated food or by inhaling the spores. In rare cases, people can also become infected from puncture wounds. Once the spores enter the body, they mature and begin to grow, spreading the hyphae through the vascular system and causing a variety of health problems. Zygomycosis usually appears near the area where the fungus was introduced to the body, but it can spread to regions such as the brain. Antifungal medications can be used to treat the infection, although it can become problematic in someone with a compromised immune system.
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