Rhizopus nigricans
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| Rhizopus nigricans | |
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| "400× magnification" | |
| Scientific classification |
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| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Order: | Mucorales |
| Family: | Mucoraceae |
| Genus: | Rhizopus |
| Species: | R. nigricans |
| Binomial name | |
| Rhizopus nigricans Ehrenberg |
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Rhizopus nigricans is a fungus commonly known as bread mold and is the most common species of Rhizopus. It is found on old food and in soils and even in children's sandboxes. The genus contains some 50 species and bread mold is sometimes confused with species of Mucor or other species of Rhizopus like Rhizopus oryzae. The spores, dispersed in hot dry weather, contain allergenic proteins with 31 distinct allergens,[1] which can produce respiratory and nasal symptoms in concentration (chronic cough, dyspnea, chest tightness, chronic phlegm, snuffle, and allergic rhinitis).[2] Food handling workers are particularly at risk if they are mold allergic.
[edit] References
- ^ S. Sridhara, S. V. Gangal & A. P. Joshi (1990). "Immunochemical investigation of allergens from Rhizopus nigricans". Allergy 45 (8): 577–586. doi:10.1111/j.1398-9995.1990.tb00943.x. PMID 2288393.
- ^ Yongxing Zhang, Jie Chen, Ying Chen, Jing Dong, Qingyu Wei & Jiezhi Lou (2005). "Environmental mycological study and allergic respiratory disease among tobacco processing workers" (PDF). Journal of Occupational Health 47 (2): 181–187. PMID 15824484. http://joh.med.uoeh-u.ac.jp/pdf/E47/E47_2_13.pdf.
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