The Effects of Fungus

Conditions Under Which Fungus Grows

At the bare minimum, fungi require free oxygen for growth. Generally, fungi don’t need as much moisture as yeasts and bacteria to grow. The minimum water activity (aw) for spore germination has been calculated to be as low as 0.62 and as high as 0.93 for different fungi. Most fungi grow over a wide range of pH, generally ranging from 2 to 8.5, but some fungi favor and thrive in an acidic environment. Since most fungi are mesophilic, meaning they thrive in an intermediate environment, they grow where it is not too hot and not too cold: generally somewhere between 25℃ to 31℃.(1)

What Fungus Can do to Humans

If humans are exposed to certain types of fungi, this can cause severe complications. Fungus emits mycotoxins and is a naturally occurring toxin produced by certain types of fungi.(2) These mycotoxins emitted into the air threaten one’s health. Common complications include sinusitis, meningitis, and pneumonia.(1) In a recent meta-analysis study, researchers concluded that indoor dampness and fungus are associated with increased “asthma exacerbations, dyspnea, wheeze and cough and evidence strongly suggested causation of asthma exacerbations in children.” (3) These are very severe and lifelong issues. Therefore, it is essential to detect the fungus before it can reach the point where it will affect humans.

Resources
1 https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/fungus
2 https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mycotoxins
3 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4861659/#R1