Aspergillus versicolor conidiophores, coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM). The conidiophore (fruiting structure) is producing conidia (asexual spores, spheres). A. versicolor is very common in damp places including: gypsum boards, carpets, mattresses, upholstered-furniture and damp walls. It is commonly found in soil, hay, cotton, and dairy products. It can produce a mycotoxin, sterigmatocystin, and cyclopiaxonic acid. Sterigmatocystin is reported to be carcinogenic to the liver and kidneys, and it can cause diarrhea and upset stomach. This genus can also cause skin infections in burn victims and the fungal lung infection aspergillosis (secondary infection to AIDS). Magnification: x340 when shortest axis printed at 25 millimetres. |