m2 Cladosporium herbarum

Allergens within Molds and other Microorganisms

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  • Latin name: Cladosporium herbarum
Mold
Cladosporium is the most frequently encountered mold in the air (1).

Allergen Exposure

Cladosporium is one of the most common colonizers of dying and dead plants and also occurs in various soil types, and on food. This mold is frequently found in uncleaned refrigerators, foodstuffs, on moist window frames, in houses with poor ventilation, with straw roofs, and situated in low, damp areas. It has been isolated from fuel tanks, face creams, paints and textiles.

Clinical Experience

Cladosporium is one of the molds most widely studied which most often produces positive skin test reactions in allergic individuals. In a study of 1300 asthmatic children from Finland, 7.1% had positive (3+) SPT reactions to Cladosporium, being the most common mold allergen causing symptoms in that study (Foucard et al. in 2). Phadebas RAST(G) confirmed allergy specialists' diagnosis in 78.8 % of the cases studied by Virchow et al. (3).
 
Review
Recordings from all parts of the world show that with a few exceptions, Cladosporium is the most frequently encountered mold in the air (1). The dry conidia are carried easily though the air and transported even over oceans. The conidia of Cladosporium can be detected in extremely large numbers e.g. more than 35 000 conidia/m3 were detected over Leiden (Germany). The indoor counts to a large extent reflect the outdoor concentration. Depending on climatic conditions the conidia may begin to appear in the atmosphere in the spring and rise to a peak in either late summer or early fall.
 
Cladosporium is one of the most common colonizers of dying and dead plants and also occurs in various soil types, and on food. This mold is frequently found in uncleaned refrigerators, foodstuffs, on moist window frames, in houses with poor ventilation, with straw roofs, and situated in low, damp areas. It has been isolated from fuel tanks, face creams, paints and textiles.
 
Cladosporium is one of the molds most widely studied which most often produces positive skin test reactions in allergic individuals. In a study of 1300 asthmatic children from Finland, 7.1% had positive (3+) SPT reactions to Cladosporium, being the most common mold allergen causing symptoms in that study (Foucard et al. in 2). Phadebas RAST(G) confirmed allergy specialists' diagnosis in 78.8 % of the cases studied by Virchow et al. (3).
 
The allergen composition of Cladosporium has been studied by the use of CIE/ CRIE and other techniques, demonstrating around 60 precipitable antigens. Aukrust describes the major and minor allergens in his review of Cladosporium (Aukrust in 2). The major allergen, Cla h I (Ag 32), was isolated and its molecular weight was estimated to be approximately 13 kD. An intermediate allergen, Ag 54, with a molecular weight of approximately 25 kD, was also isolated and found to be of glycoprotein nature. Swärd-Nordmo et al. (4) found the molecule to consist of 80.2% carbohydrate and 19.5% protein. The carbohydrate moiety is not allergenic (5).

References:

    1. Gravesen S. Fungi as a cause of allergic disease. Allergy 1979;34:135-154.
    2. Foucard T, Dreborg S, Eds. Mould Allergy Workshop. Uppsala, Sweden: Ord & Form; Pharmacia Diagnostics AB I984; cl984.
    3. Virchow C, Roth A, Debeli´c M, Möller E. Radio-allergo-sorbent-test (RAST) bei Schimmelpilzsporensensibilisierung. Praxder Pneum 1975;29:555-67.
    4. Swärd-Nordmo M, Wold JK, Paulsen BS, Aukrust L. Purification and partial characterization of the allergen Ag-54 from Cladosporium herbarum. Int Archs Allergy Appl Immun 1985;78:249-55.
    5. Swärd-Nordmo M, Smestad Paulsen B, Wold JK. Immunological studies of the glycoprotein allergen Ag-54 (Cla H 11) in Cladosporium herbarum with special attention to the carbohydrate and protein moieties. Int Arch Allergy Appl Immunol 1989; 90:155-61.

1992