List of ALL Toxic Mold Strains- Diagnostic Guide
When you first start to investigate mold illness, it can be rather confusing. The reason is, there are so many different strains and mycotoxins to learn about. I remember thinking to myself, how do I know which mold is toxic and which isn’t? Well, for this very reason, I created a list of ALL the mold strains that produce health issues. This will help you identify which molds may be causing your symptoms so you can make the necessary changes and regain control of your health.
In this brief article, I will list the most toxic mold strains, the mycotoxins they emit, and the symptoms they produce. In addition, I will also specify which strains have been known to colonize humans. Take a look below to get started!
Most Toxic Mold Strains
Aspergillus flavus
Mycotoxins: Aflatoxins (highly carcinogenic, affect the liver).
Symptoms: Liver damage, cancer risk, respiratory issues, and allergic reactions. Can lead to immune suppression.
Colonizes Humans?: Yes, particularly in immunocompromised individuals (invasive aspergillosis).
Aspergillus fumigatus
Mycotoxins: Gliotoxin (immunosuppressive).
Symptoms: Respiratory problems, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA), and invasive aspergillosis in immunocompromised individuals.
Colonizes Humans?: Yes, it is a common cause of aspergillosis, which affects the lungs and sometimes the brain in severe cases.
Aspergillus niger
Mycotoxins: Ochratoxins, fumonisins.
Symptoms: Respiratory infections, ear infections (otomycosis), allergic reactions, kidney damage from ochratoxins.
Colonizes Humans?: Yes, it frequently causes ear infections and sometimes lung infections in immunocompromised individuals.
Aspergillus ochraceus
Mycotoxins: Ochratoxin A (nephrotoxic, carcinogenic).
Symptoms: Kidney damage, liver toxicity, respiratory issues, immune suppression.
Colonizes Humans?: Rarely, mainly poses risks due to mycotoxin exposure.
Aspergillus penicillioides
Mycotoxins: Low toxicity; primarily allergenic.
Symptoms: Respiratory problems, allergic reactions (wheezing, sneezing, runny nose).
Colonizes Humans?: No, primarily an environmental allergen.
Chaetomium globosum
Mycotoxins: Chaetoglobosins (cytotoxic), sterigmatocystin (carcinogenic).
Symptoms: Skin infections, respiratory problems, immune suppression, neurological effects, potential carcinogenesis.
Colonizes Humans?: Rarely, but associated with skin and nail infections in immunocompromised individuals.
Eurotium amstelodami (Aspergillus glaucus)
Mycotoxins: Generally less toxic; produces secondary metabolites.
Symptoms: Respiratory irritation, allergic reactions.
Colonizes Humans?: No, it primarily causes allergic reactions.
Penicillium brevicompactum
Mycotoxins: Mycophenolic acid (immunosuppressive), patulin (toxic).
Symptoms: Respiratory issues, allergic reactions, immune suppression.
Colonizes Humans?: Rarely, more of an environmental contaminant.
Penicillium chrysogenum (Penicillium notatum)
Mycotoxins: Penicillin (allergic reactions in sensitive individuals).
Symptoms: Respiratory problems, sinus infections, skin irritation, allergic reactions.
Colonizes Humans?: No, but it can cause allergic reactions in people sensitive to penicillin.
Penicillium variabile
Mycotoxins: Citrinin (nephrotoxic).
Symptoms: Respiratory issues, kidney damage, and allergic reactions.
Colonizes Humans?: No, it mainly affects humans through its mycotoxins.
Scopulariopsis brevicaulis
Mycotoxins: Patulin (immunosuppressive, potentially toxic).
Symptoms: Respiratory issues, skin infections, nail infections (onychomycosis), and immune suppression. Prolonged exposure can lead to respiratory infections and allergic reactions.
Colonizes Humans?: Yes, it can colonize the nails (onychomycosis), skin, and, in rare cases, respiratory tract infections in immunocompromised individuals.
Scopulariopsis chartarum
Mycotoxins: Patulin (immunosuppressive, potentially toxic).
Symptoms: Respiratory issues, skin infections, and potentially immune system suppression. Inhalation can cause allergic reactions and chronic respiratory problems.
Colonizes Humans?: Yes, it can colonize the nails, skin, and respiratory tract. It is particularly known for causing onychomycosis (nail infections) and can cause deeper systemic infections in immunocompromised individuals.
Stachybotrys chartarum (Black Mold)
Mycotoxins: Trichothecenes (cytotoxic), satratoxins (highly toxic).
Symptoms: Respiratory issues, neurological symptoms, chronic fatigue, memory issues, mental health conditions, food sensitivities, immune suppression, gut issues, and skin irritation.
Colonizes Humans?: Rarely, typically causes illness through exposure to spores and toxins.
Trichoderma viride
Mycotoxins: Trichothecenes (cytotoxic).
Symptoms: Respiratory issues, immune suppression, skin irritation.
Colonizes Humans?: No, but exposure to toxins can cause health issues.
Wallemia sebi
Mycotoxins: Walleminol, walleminone (cytotoxic).
Symptoms: Respiratory issues, allergic reactions, skin irritation.
Colonizes Humans?: No, primarily an environmental mold that triggers allergies.
List of Less Toxic Molds
Alternaria alternata
Mycotoxins: Alternariol, tenuazonic acid (cytotoxic, immunosuppressive).
Symptoms: Asthma, allergic rhinitis, skin rashes, respiratory infections.
Colonizes Humans?: Rarely, can cause infections in immunocompromised individuals.
Aureobasidium pullulans
Mycotoxins: Primarily allergenic.
Symptoms: Respiratory issues, skin irritation, and allergic reactions.
Colonizes Humans?: Rarely, but has been linked to skin and nail infections.
Cladosporium cladosporioides (Type 1)
Mycotoxins: Cladosporin (mild cytotoxicity).
Symptoms: Respiratory problems, asthma, allergic reactions, skin irritation.
Colonizes Humans?: Rarely, primarily triggers allergic responses.
Cladosporium sphaerospermum
Mycotoxins: Cladosporin (less toxic, allergenic).
Symptoms: Asthma, allergic reactions, respiratory problems.
Colonizes Humans?: Rarely, typically causes allergic responses.
Epicoccum nigrum
Mycotoxins: Primarily allergenic.
Symptoms: Respiratory problems, skin irritation, allergic reactions.
Colonizes Humans?: No, primarily an environmental mold causing allergies.
Myxomycetes (Slime Molds)
Mycotoxins: None identified.
Symptoms: Respiratory irritation, allergic reactions.
Colonizes Humans?: No, it primarily causes allergic reactions.
Aspergillus sydowii
Mycotoxins: Sterigmatocystin (carcinogenic, hepatotoxic).
Symptoms: Respiratory issues, allergic reactions, liver damage.
Colonizes Humans?: No, primarily allergenic.
Aspergillus versicolor
Mycotoxins: Sterigmatocystin (carcinogenic).
Symptoms: Respiratory problems, skin irritation, allergic reactions, potential liver damage.
Colonizes Humans?: Rarely, primarily a health risk through mycotoxin exposure.
Cladosporium cladosporioides (Type 2)
Mycotoxins: Cladosporin (mild cytotoxicity).
Symptoms: Respiratory problems, allergic reactions, asthma, skin irritation.
Colonizes Humans?: Rarely, primarily causes allergic reactions.
Penicillium corylophilum
Mycotoxins: Less commonly associated with significant toxins.
Symptoms: Respiratory issues, allergic reactions.
Colonizes Humans?: No, primarily an allergen.
Cladosporium herbarum
Mycotoxins: Cladosporin (mild cytotoxicity).
Symptoms: Respiratory problems, asthma, allergic rhinitis, skin irritation.
Colonizes Humans?: Rarely, primarily an allergen.
Ulocladium chartarum
Mycotoxins: None identified as significant.
Symptoms: Respiratory issues, allergic reactions, asthma.
Colonizes Humans?: No, it primarily causes allergic responses.
Mucor amphibiorum
Mycotoxins: None significant.
Symptoms: Respiratory infections, allergic reactions.
Colonizes Humans?: Yes, it can cause infections in immunocompromised individuals (mucormycosis).
Mucor plumbeus
Mycotoxins: None significant.
Symptoms: Respiratory problems, sinus infections, skin irritation, allergic reactions.
Colonizes Humans?: Yes, it can cause mucormycosis, a severe fungal infection in immunocompromised individuals, particularly affecting the sinuses and lungs.
Rhizopus stolonifer
Mycotoxins: None significant.
Symptoms: Respiratory infections, sinus issues, allergic reactions, potential skin infections.
Colonizes Humans?: Yes, it can cause mucormycosis, particularly in immunocompromised individuals, leading to serious infections in the lungs, sinuses, and other organs.
Paecilomyces variotii
Mycotoxins: Patulin (potentially toxic, immunosuppressive).
Symptoms: Respiratory infections, allergic reactions, potential immune suppression.
Colonizes Humans?: Yes, particularly in immunocompromised individuals, causing respiratory infections, allergic reactions, and sometimes systemic infections.
Cercospora beticola
Mycotoxins: Cercosporin (cytotoxic).
Symptoms: Respiratory irritation, allergic reactions, skin irritation.
Colonizes Humans?: No, primarily an environmental mold that can trigger allergic responses.
Nigrospora oryzae
Mycotoxins: None significant.
Symptoms: Respiratory problems, allergic reactions, skin irritation.
Colonizes Humans?: Rarely, but it can act as an allergen in sensitive individuals.
Phoma herbarum
Mycotoxins: Some strains produce secondary metabolites; generally less toxic.
Symptoms: Skin infections, respiratory issues, allergic reactions, and occasionally eye infections (keratitis).
Colonizes Humans?: Yes, it can cause skin and nail infections, particularly in individuals with compromised immune systems.
Pithomyces chartarum
Mycotoxins: Sporidesmin (hepatotoxic and cytotoxic).
Symptoms: Respiratory issues, allergic reactions, and potential liver damage in chronic exposure cases.
Colonizes Humans?: No, it primarily acts as an environmental allergen.
Spegazzinia
Mycotoxins: Not well-documented, but some species may produce secondary metabolites.
Symptoms: Respiratory irritation, allergic reactions, skin irritation.
Colonizes Humans?: No, it is primarily an environmental mold that causes allergic reactions.
Torula herbarum
Mycotoxins: Not well-documented; primarily allergenic
Symptoms: Respiratory issues, asthma, allergic reactions, skin irritation.
Colonizes Humans?: No, it primarily causes allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.
Match ERMI Results with Symptoms
If you have any of the symptoms listed next to these mold strains, then I would consider getting an ERMI mold test. When you perform the mold test, the goal is to see if your symptoms match the mold that comes back elevated. If they do, BINGO, we have a winner! For example, if it shows that your house is high in stachybotrys and you have been experiencing neurological issues, it’s likely to be the cause.
FAQ- Understanding Mold Illness
How common is mold illness in the USA?
Unfortunately, 85% of the commercial buildings and 47% of the homes in the United States have unhealthy mold levels. This is why mycotoxin illness has become a silent epidemic. Until recently, people did not understand the concept of mycotoxins and their impact on human health. For this reason, you must be ultra-selective when you move into a new place. I recommend doing an ERMI or EMMA test before moving in. Otherwise, you could get stuck somewhere that is making you sick. Trust me, I have done that more than once.
Which mold strains are the most dangerous?
Stabybotrys chartarum, aspergillus flavus, scopulariopsis chartarum, trichoderma viride are probably the worst. The reality is, whatever mycotoxin the person has been exposed to most is the worst. The level of exposure dictates the severity of the immune sensitivity, so it’s all based on the person and their history with that mycotoxin.
Are people triggered more by mycotoxins or spores?
Spores and DNA fragments of mold can trigger people, as can exposure to the mycotoxin itself. The point to remember is that the spores are not the real problem; the mycotoxin is. Mycotoxins are very bad for the body. They disrupt various processes in the body, while spores just cause allergy-like symptoms.
How do I know if mold is making me sick?
I would perform an indoor ERMI and/or EMMA mold test. If the results are elevated, you can then get a mycotoxin urinalysis. This will help you determine how saturated your body is with these mold toxins. If the results are high on the urinalysis, you want to complete the organic acids test (OAT) to determine whether you are colonized. From there, you can start working on the mold illness recovery protocol. Click the link to learn more.
Can I be more sensitive to certain mycotoxins than others?
Absolutely, everyone has a different level of sensitivity to mycotoxins. For example, my daughter was disabled from exposure to trichothecenes, but my mom experienced minimal symptoms. The truth is, the severity of the reaction depends on the person. This can be due to their age, gut health, immune status, etc.
Conclusion- Match Symptoms with ERMI Results
The hardest part about recovering from illness is simply recognizing that it is happening. If you are experiencing health problems of any type, I highly recommend mold testing your home. Trust me, it can make all the difference in the world. My daughter was disabled when in the presence of black mold, and once we recognized it through testing, we were able to get her to a safe environment. From there, she blossomed and became symptom-free within eight months. Without testing for mold and mycotoxins, she may have never gotten healthy.
If you have any questions about mold illness, get in touch. I am willing to help and blessed to have the opportunity.
Happy healing everyone!
Matt Nedin
Certified Holistic Nutritionist
EndSickness, Founder
Phone: (734) 846-8619
WhatsApp/Telegram: +17348468619
