Fungus Alternaria alternata - routes of infection, signs, symptoms and treatment methods

What is Alternaria

The genus Alternaria is a species of pathogenic mold fungi with a multicellular structure.

The pathogen reproduces using mycelium fragments.

The enzyme apparatus of a microorganism provides a wide range of its adaptability.

And the ability to exist in a variety of conditions.

Group and appearance

Alternaria fungi are a large group of mold microorganisms that are found everywhere. Today, science knows 80,000 of its species.

Various types of fungus live in many plants:

• A. tenuis is a species that parasitizes young trees and nightshades;
• A. triticina parasitizes grain;
• A. spp attacks plant seeds and causes brown spot.

A. alternata is a segmented filament of brownish color with simple or solitary conidiospores. Conidia are equipped with transverse and longitudinal septa that form disintegrating chains.

Alternaria spores have different shapes. The color of the colonies of the microorganism depends on the nutrient medium: gray, black, dark green.

Development conditions and habitat areas

Alternaria are common in nature. In saprophytic form, these fungi are found on any organic substrate.

An excellent environment for life - dying plants and plant debris, fertilized soil, bird nests, compost pits.

Alternaria tenius attacks plant fruits.

The fungus settles in any damp environment . The favorite place for mold microorganisms is any unventilated room.

A modern, heated living space is the perfect home for Alternaria. Spores appear when the dew point is violated in bathrooms, libraries, storage rooms in any places where there is a lack of air.

The fungus multiplies on walls, carpets, and flower pots. Its presence indoors, even in small quantities, is unsafe.

Type of fungus alternaria alternata m6: is it a harmless microorganism or a powerful allergen?

Numerous microorganisms make up the human environment. In addition to the known fungi that cause mycoses, so-called diseases caused by fungi, there are others that cause a gradual weakening of the immune system. Some of them are a thousandth of a micron in size and go unnoticed, while others cause allergic reactions.

Fungus alternaria alternata m6 - what is it - a harmless microorganism or a powerful allergen? Let's try to figure everything out in order.

Molds

The most familiar representatives of mold fungi are Aspergillus, which causes mycoses of the nail plates, skin and mucous membranes. Fungicidal drugs have been developed to treat diseases caused by these pathogens.

But there is another genus - alternaria alternata, pathogenic, present on organic substrates of the environment:

• fallen leaves;
• in wet ground.

What is the fungus Alternaria alternata? It is a species of the genus Alternaria, characterized by a wide habitat. It’s not easy to imagine, but spores of this kind are carried by dust and form the environment of every room.

Life cycle of Alternaria

In order to understand how pathogen spores enter the house, let’s imagine the life cycle of these fungi.

Without delving into the process of growth of fungal conidia, we note that their growth is provoked by:

• light;
• air;
• moisture;
• warm;
• cool.

Each growth phase requires its own climatic conditions - sun and warmth, coolness and lack of light. A simple change in temperature does not destroy this mold and its consequences.

Developing on cereals or vegetables, the pathogen infects the plant. With the flow of wind or during air conditioning, fungal spores rise to the surface and are carried to nearby plants and trees.

Having settled on the leaves of trees, Alternaria continues its life cycle, which will close in the fall, during leaf fall. Damp and damp autumn leaves may have brown spots - this is the work of a mold whose spores are still alive. In sunny weather, the moisture leaves, the wind blows the leaves away from the mother tree and mold with them.

If you step in a park or forest while walking through autumn leaves, no one will think about the risk that this walk may expose you to. Taking off your shoes at home, dust, air and heat will do their job - Alternaria constitutes the environment of 95% of the premises.

The types of this mushroom are A. thin, A. nightshade, about 800 species of mushrooms in total!

Alternaria tenuis what is it?

Thin Alternaria is the name of this species, which is capable of parasitizing young trees as a secondary infection. As the pathogen grows, infection spreads to the entire tree.

The finest altenaria is a saprophytic species of this genus, present on the leaves in small quantities due to the lack of the required amount of nutrition. When another pathogen appears that threatens to infect its habitat, it destroys it, showing its positive sides.

Alternaria - the cause of allergies

What are the dangers of the presence of mold in the house, even in small quantities?

Alternaria tenuis, like A. alternate, attracts:

• heat and moisture in the premises;
• soil in which house plants are planted;
• wooden window frames;
• damp walls and floors in bathrooms.

This means that the source of infection can be any surface in the house that is more or less adapted for these purposes. Mold thrives especially well in basements without an air ventilation system. But even hoods with fans do not guarantee the absence of mold.

All you can do to rid yourself of excessive mold growth is:

1. Fix water leaks in the house.
2. Repair sewer pipes.
3. Treat the affected areas with antifungal agents.
4. Install exhaust vents in the bathroom.
5. Make a heated floor in the bathroom.
6. Do not use floor mats in shower areas.
7. Do not grow plants in the house.

This is not a guarantee of getting rid of mold infection, but a clear countermeasure aimed at reducing these pathogenic sources.

Human reaction to mold

Alternaria mold causes allergies in humans. An allergic reaction is the body’s reaction to this pathogen, characteristic of people with weakened immune defenses.

Allergies to fungus can be varied:

• respiratory tract congestion;
• diseases of the ENT organs;
• allergic rashes;
• asthmatic reactions.

There are cases of cross-reaction, when an allergy to one pathogen provokes the development of an allergic reaction to a mold fungus. Treatment is complicated by the fact that getting rid of allergies is impossible in practice. If it is possible to remove allergens in the house - make major repairs, treat surfaces, then this cannot be done on the street or in the workplace.

Professions that are associated with a risk of infection:

• granary workers;
• bakers;
• storekeepers at vegetable or grain warehouses;
• garbage collectors.

This is by no means a complete list of professions that can become a lever that triggers an allergic reaction. It is not safe for people suffering from allergies to be in places with an increased risk of infection. There is a direct threat in the form of anaphylactic shock and Quincke's edema.

Preventive measures

To prevent disease caused by mold, you need to strengthen your immune system. In children, it may be reduced or in the process of formation, so you need to start strengthening the immune system in childhood.

For children this is:

1. A balanced diet with the required amount of vitamins.
2. Additional support for the body during illness - taking vitamin and mineral complexes, restoring the gastrointestinal tract environment after illness.
3. Active lifestyle, playing sports.

Familiar rules to prevent a child from allergic reactions to surrounding fungal spores that are in the environment throughout his life.

Conclusion

m6 A. alternata is a pathogenic mold that can cause serious illness that affects the quality of life. If a reaction to this mold occurs, red wines and brown bread are removed from the diet.

People who are allergic to this fungus need especially careful treatment at home and can work in places with a reduced likelihood of an allergic attack.

The most important thing is to support the immune system for relatively normal functioning.

Author of the article. Practicing doctor

Source: https://GribokBolezn.ru/gribok/alternaria-alternata-m6-chto-eto.html

Routes of spread and methods of infection

Fungal spores are scattered through the air by the wind. Fallen leaves in the fall raise their concentration in the air, and after a walk a person brings spores on his own shoes and clothes into the house.

Indoors, the amount of fungus increases with high humidity.

Spores grow quickly on rotten foods: bread, fruits, vegetables . A favorite place for fungal colonies to grow is damp bathroom walls.

Photos of various surfaces covered with fungus can often be seen on the Internet.

The pathogen enters the human body in two ways: through the oral cavity or the respiratory system.

Risk groups for infection with m6 Alternaria Alternata include:

• children and adults with weakened immune systems;
• patients prone to allergies;
• inhabitants of wet rooms;
• winemakers and workers in vegetable stores and kitchens;
• farmers in contact with manure, feed.

Impact on the body

Alternaria alternata has an extremely negative effect on humans:

• poisoning by toxins . The microorganism causes especially severe intoxication in children;
• rejection of foreign substance;
• development of atopic dermatitis.

Respiratory diseases

Penetration of the fungus into the respiratory system causes an immediate reaction in the form of a respiratory disease. Allergies are especially pronounced in children.

The symptoms of the disease are similar to a cold. Clinical manifestations of respiratory infection:

• profuse lacrimation and burning;
• nasal congestion and swelling of the mucous membranes;
• wheezing in the lungs, cough;
• nasal congestion and difficulty breathing;
• frequent sneezing and runny nose;
• skin redness, itching.

Allergic reactions

Most often, the fungus causes an allergic reaction in the form of rhinitis .

Symptoms of the disease:

• runny nose, sneezing;
• inability to breathe through the nose due to swelling of the mucous membrane;
• redness of the eyes, excessive lacrimation;
• swelling of the oval of the face.

Bronchial asthma

Alternaria is such a powerful allergen that the result of its exposure is such a serious disease as bronchial asthma.

Symptoms of the disease are severe coughing and asthma attacks. Predisposed to the disease:

• children;
• agricultural workers;
• specialists working in areas with high concentrations of fungus;
• foresters;
• livestock breeders;
• gardeners, summer residents.

Atopic dermatitis

The fungus often causes allergic skin reactions.

The most serious disease is atopic dermatitis with the following manifestations:

• red spots, swelling, rashes on the skin in acute form;
• thickening of the skin, cracks on the palms, scratching, pigmentation of the eyelids, puffiness of the oval of the face when the disease passes into the chronic stage.

Exogenous allergic alveolitis

Penetration of the fungus into the respiratory system causes pneumonia . The spores are localized in the alveoli, contributing to the development of the inflammatory process in them.

Signs of alveolitis:

• disruption of the cardiovascular system;
• general malaise;
• oxygen starvation;
• fever;
• paroxysmal cough;
• dyspnea;
• muscle and joint soreness;
• severe headaches.

REFERENCE. In rare cases, the pathogenic microorganism Altenaria alternata can settle on the nails and cause onychomycosis. Treatment of the disease is carried out with traditional antimycotic drugs.

Treatment of allergic manifestations

Treatment of allergies caused by Alternaria alternata is carried out by qualified specialists - mycologists or allergists. After receiving the diagnostic results, the doctor develops an individual treatment regimen, including:

• antihistamines;
• antibacterial, anti-inflammatory ointments, creams, gels;
• inhalers and nasal sprays;
• homeopathic medicines;
• folk remedies.

Effective therapeutic therapy includes the use of medications outlined in the table:

Allergies caused by the mold Alternaria alternata are effectively treated with autolymphocytotherapy (ALT). This method restores the protective properties of the human body and reduces its sensitivity to allergens using the person’s own cells of the immune system.

How to identify a fungus

Detection of fungal spores in various substances is carried out using a variety of methods, depending on the specific conditions.

Air sample

Air sampling in contaminated premises is carried out using special devices:

1. Andersen sampler . It is based on collecting spores in a special filter, which is then added to a Petri dish to grow the fungus.
2. Bullard's trap . Air is passed through this device, and spore particles settle in its drum. The results are interpreted based on the number of spores per cubic centimeter.
3. Krotov's apparatus . The air passed through it immediately enters the nutrient medium. After growth, the colonies are counted.

Analysis of house dust samples

The newest method for identifying spores in residential premises is an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, which consists of the following steps:

• immune reaction to detect the binding of biomolecules of mold cells from dust;
• fermentation, allowing you to see and measure the results of the analysis.

Polymerase chain reaction for agriculture

Preserving grain, vegetable and livestock products from contamination by Alternaria mold is an important economic task of agriculture.

Pathogen spores are detected by PCR . It is based on the creation of a DNA fragment with an increased concentration of fungal spores from the material being examined.

This method allows you to quickly and accurately identify bacteria in agricultural products.

Diagnosis of allergies

An important stage in the fight against fungus is identifying the reaction to the allergen Alternaria alternata (tenuissima) m6 before the onset of a crisis.

The basis for prescribing a fungal examination is the presence of allergic diseases in the patient, as well as the following conditions:

• early childhood;
• skin hypersensitivity: if it is impossible to conduct skin tests due to the risk of anaphylactic shock;
• recurrent allergies without periods of remission (if it is impossible to cancel antihistamines);
• the patient has exfoliative dermographism - a type of urticaria with the formation of blisters.

The main method for identifying an allergen is immunoblotting . During the study, stripes with different proteins are applied to nitrocellulose membranes.

Dark bands appear at the corresponding locus indicating the presence of antibodies to certain allergens.

The biomaterial is blood serum, which is taken from a vein on an empty stomach.

Three days before the analysis, the patient is recommended to completely eliminate emotional and physical stress.

The results are interpreted by a highly qualified doctor based on the patient’s clinical data.

Normally, the content of IgE antibodies in a healthy person is less than 0.35 kU/L. In patients sensitive to the fungus, the level rises to 0.35 kU/L and higher.

High positivity of the analysis - from 3.51 to 99.98 kuA/L. A spore content of more than 100.02 kuA/L is considered a positive reaction with pronounced clinical signs .

In severe cases with signs of bronchial asthma or alveolar pneumonia, additional examinations are prescribed:

• lung tissue biopsy;
• bronchoalveolar lavages.

Problems of a patient with allergies to mold and yeast fungi

Table of contents:

• Mold and mildew allergies are curable in 2020. Get rid of it with ALT!
• Fungal allergy season in the Moscow region: outside - summer and autumn, at home - autumn and winter.
• Manifestations of allergies to fungi and mold:
• How to stop treating the symptoms of fungal allergies and start treating the cause?
• Problems of a patient with allergies to mold and yeast fungi
• It is possible to cure allergies to mold and yeast in 2020 with the help of ALT!
• Video about treating allergies to fungus and mold using ALT
• Ask your question
• Allergy to mold fungi
• Alternaria alternata: description and clinical significance
• Definition, toxiconomic affiliation of the fungus
• Habitats, distribution conditions
• Description of appearance
• Clinical significance
• Main mushroom allergens
• Methods for identifying the fungus
• Methods to combat the fungus
• Literature
• Possibility of mold allergies
• Reasons for the development of the disease
• Symptoms
• Development of an allergic reaction in children
• Therapeutic measures
• Prevention
• No. 602 Mixture of mold allergens: Penicillum notatum, Cladosporium herbarum, Aspergillus fumigatus, Candida albicans, Alternaria tenuis, IgE
• How to get rid of mold in your home
• This dangerous alternaria

The effect will fully appear 6 months after the course of treatment. long-term remission in 89% of cases!

Favorite habitats for mold are bathrooms, libraries, and poorly ventilated living spaces.

The optimal temperature for mushroom growth is from 18 to 32 degrees, but there are also those that are capable of growing at temperatures below 0. Mushrooms cannot be “frozen out”.

• Alternaria Alternata (Alternaria Alternata);
• Candida (Candida);
• Aspergillus (Aspergillus) - so-called. black mold;
• Cladosporium (Cladosporium);
• Penicillium notatum (Penicillium Notatum).

Don't wait for spring when the trees and grasses bloom!

Treat allergies in winter and enjoy summer!

Only now you can save 3,700 rubles on a course of allergy treatment with ALT

Molds grow not only in houses and apartments, but also in open spaces. For example, sporulation of Cladosporium in the Moscow region begins in the summer - in June, and with the appearance of withered grass Alternaria joins it (from July to September-October). Therefore, the season for cross-allergy to fungus and mold usually begins in the summer and ends only in the fall.

The inhalation form of mold allergy worsens closer to autumn - in August-September-October, when fallen leaves appear and wilted grass begins to rot - at this time the concentration of mold spores in the air is maximum. An exacerbation of allergic rhinitis during this period is even called “autumn allergies” or “autumn hay fever,” although in the latter case this is not entirely correct.

• Deterioration in quality of life due to severe rhinitis and bronchial asthma
• It is impossible to work in the garden, in summer cottages, since stale leaves and grass serve as a source of fungal spores.
• You should not eat foods that contain molds; you need a hypoallergenic diet.
• Antihistamines are ineffective
• The use of antibiotics and corticosteroids is limited in the presence of fungal infections
• The classic allergy treatment method ASIT is not used for fungal allergies.

ALT is an effective treatment for mold and mildew allergies in adults and children.

For children, treatment with the Autolymphocytotherapy method is carried out after 5 years.

The method of "Autolymphocytotherapy", in addition to the treatment of "allergy to mold and yeast fungi", is widely used for: atopic dermatitis, urticaria, Quincke's edema, food allergies, bronchial asthma, allergic rhinitis, hay fever, food allergies, allergies to household allergens, to pets , allergies to cold and ultraviolet rays (photodermatitis).

The essence of the ALT method is to use one’s own immune cells—lymphocytes—to restore normal immune function and reduce the body’s sensitivity to various allergens.

ALT can be used for hypersensitivity to several allergens at once, for example, dust and mold.

Autolymphocytotherapy is carried out on an outpatient basis, in an allergology office as prescribed and under the supervision of an allergist-immunologist. Lymphocytes are isolated from a small amount of the patient's venous blood under sterile laboratory conditions.

The isolated lymphocytes are injected subcutaneously into the lateral surface of the shoulder. Before each procedure, the patient is examined in order to individually prescribe the dose of the administered autovaccine. Apart from its own lymphocytes and physiological solution, the autovaccine does not contain any drugs. Treatment regimens and the number and frequency of immune cells administered depend on the severity of the disease. Autolymphocytes are administered in gradually increasing doses with an interval between injections of 2 to 6 days. Course of treatment: 6-8 procedures.

• 1. — Taking 5 ml of blood.
• 2. — Isolation of autolymphocytes
• 3. — Examination by an allergist and determination of the dose of autovaccine
• 4. — Subcutaneous injection of one’s own lymphocytes

The presence of fungal infections in the patient (dermatomycosis, mucosal candidiasis) requires mandatory additional treatment.

Normalization of the functions of the immune system and a decrease in the body's sensitivity to fungal allergens occurs gradually. Expansion of the hypoallergenic diet for allergies to products obtained by fermentation or containing yeast is carried out within 1-2 months. Cancellation of supportive symptomatic therapy is also carried out gradually under the supervision of an allergist.

The effectiveness of treatment is determined by the individual characteristics of the immune system. This process to a certain extent depends on the patient’s compliance with the recommendations of the allergist during the period of treatment and rehabilitation.

Possible contraindications can be found here

specialist

Methods to combat Alternaria

To prevent mold from becoming a source of allergies for the inhabitants of the house, it is important to know how to combat the spread of its colonies indoors.

The main task of fighting fungus at home is to eliminate sources of reproduction. Main methods of struggle:

• treating surfaces with fungicides that suppress the development of fungus;
• installation of a ventilation system in the apartment. It is especially important to organize the flow of fresh air into the bathroom. A good option is forced ventilation. In a damp room, you can install an air conditioner with the ability to supply warm air. For bathrooms, the use of dehumidifiers is recommended;
• refusal of carpeting . Carpet is a serious source of fungal spores. If there are allergy sufferers in the house, it is advisable to avoid any carpets, especially the continuous covering of the floor with them. It is almost impossible to extract all allergens from carpet pile, so they will always be a source of infection;
• regular ventilation and cleaning . Household dust that accumulates in textiles, books, and upholstered furniture is the main source of human infection. Dust accumulation should not be allowed. The second condition for improving the atmosphere is ventilation of the room. The fungus does not like fresh air, so the growth of spores slows down. ventilation also helps maintain the humidity level in the room no higher than 55-60%.

Video tip: How to permanently get rid of fungus in the bathroom

The easiest and most effective way to destroy fungus in the bathroom. An experienced housewife shares a proven and working method.