Skin killed by handling stachybotrys and chaetmonium contaminated flowerpots

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Mycoses. 1997;40 Suppl 1:110-4.Links

[Mass development of Stachybotrys chartarum on compostable plant

pots made from recycled paper]

[Article in German]

Dill I, Trautmann C, Szewzyk R.

Fachgebiet Okologie der Mikroorganismen, Technische Universität

Berlin, BR Deutschland.

After handling plants grown in decomposable pots made of recycling

paper, three women working in a big horticulture developed very

painful inflammated efflorescences at the finger-tips, followed by

scaling off the skin. The pots appeared to be very mouldy. Black

masses of conidia of Stachybotrys chartarum and perithecia of

Chaetomium globosum were identified on almost every pot. Apart from

various other fungal genera, Trichoderma und Acremonium were

frequently detected. Considering the observed symptoms, special

attention was payed to the mycotoxin producing species St. chartarum.

To evaluate the inhalative spore load, air sampling was performed. The

detection of St. chartarum in the air was only possible with the spore

trap (sampling of particles) but not with the Andersen sampler

(detection of colony forming units). Without moving the pots,

measurements yielded values of 30-100 St. chartarum conidia per m3 of

air. The concentration of air-borne conidia increased drastically by

handling the pots, thus attaining up to 7,500 conidia per m3 of air

for St. chartarum only. The occurrence of St. chartarum in such

amounts is alarming because of possible toxin production. In addition,

the allergenic stress by fungal spores has to be emphasized. The

results are discussed with regard to general medical-mycological

aspects related to the degradation of environmentally-friendly

decomposable materials.

PMID: 9417508 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]