Alternaria Spore

Alternaria is a large genus of moulds that includes both, plant pathogenic and saprophytic species (5). A recent study estimates that Alternaria spp. account for almost 2% of the annual, viable fungal spore load for the Southern Ontario region (9). Indoors, Alternaria sp. have been isolated from foodstuff, textiles (13) and we have observed it as a contaminant of the cellulose layer of water damaged drywall. This genus is not known to produce significant mycotoxins.