M. racemosus was one of the first soil fungi ever to have been discovered and was isolated as early as 1886.

Allergen Exposure

The species is primarily a soil fungus but has been found elsewhere such as in horse manure, plant remains, grains, vegetables and nuts. It is often seen on soft fruit, fruit juice and marmalade. Mucor is also the dominating mold found in floor dust in houses and is considered an indoor mold.

Clinical Experience

In different clinical studies, Mucor has been found to be an important mold allergen with patients showing hypersensitivity in both SPT and provocation tests (Kolvikko in 1, p35). Specific IgE antibodies using Phadebas RAST® were detected in 77.8 % of the patients tested compared to 33.3% in SPT (2).

 

Review
M. racemosus was one of the first soil fungi ever to have been discovered and was isolated as early as 1886. It has a worldwide distribution, reported frequently all over Europe and in the Americas from Alaska to Brazil. The species is primarily a soil fungus but has been found elsewhere such as in horse manure, plant remains, grains, vegetables and nuts. In the tropics it is found in the higher altitudes. It is often seen on soft fruit, fruit juice and marmalade. Mucor is also the dominating mold found in floor dust in houses and is considered an indoor mold.

 

In different clinical studies, Mucor has been found to be an important mold allergen with patients showing hypersensitivity in both SPT and provocation tests (Kolvikko in 1, p35). Specific IgE antibodies using Phadebas RAST® were detected in 77.8 % of the patients tested compared to 33.3% in SPT (2).