What is Aspergillus?
Aspergillus is a fungus which occurs everywhere in the world and normally lives on dead animal or plant material, in this role it is vitally important to the environment and for the recycling of organic material necessary for life. It produces microscopically small spores that are extremely light and float easily in the air and by this mechanism it is spread and propagated. More details – with a multi-lingual translation. Normally, when aspergillus spores are inhaled by people, their immune system recognises the spores as foreign and they are destroyed and no infection arises. Occasionally, in an individual with a weakened immune system or who has a pre-existing medical condition the aspergillus spores can grow inside a lung or a wound. This type of infection caused by aspergillus is termed aspergillosis.
Aspergillus is a fungal genus which contains a known 20 species. These fungi manifest as molds, and they are very common in the natural environment. In fact, Aspergillus is so common that it is highly probable that you are breathing some spores in at this very moment. These fungi are of medical interest because several species are pathogenic, causing diseases in humans and animals. Disease caused by an infection with Aspergillus is known as aspergillosis. These fungi have been described since the 1700s. These fungi form colonies in a wide range of colors, depending on the individual species. Some species grow very rapidly, while others are designed to conserve energy, and they may grow slowly, but steadily. Aspergillus species are aerobic, meaning that they need oxygen to survive, and they tend to prefer oxygen-rich environments. They grow on a variety of substrates, from the walls of homes to the leaves of plants. Some Aspergillus species colonize food, causing spoilage. Others are re
