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Stachylysin may be a cause of hemorrhaging in humans exposed to Stachybotrys chartarum

Stephen J Vesper1, Mary Jo Vesper

  • 1National Exposure Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio 45268, USA. Vesper.Stephen@EPA.gov

Infection and Immunity
|March 16, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Stachybotrys chartarum fungus produces stachylysin, a toxin linked to infant pulmonary hemosiderosis (PH). This toxin caused lethal effects in earthworms, suggesting its role in human hemorrhaging.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Toxicology
  • Environmental Health

Background:

  • Stachybotrys chartarum is a toxigenic mold linked to adverse health effects, including pulmonary hemosiderosis (PH) in infants.
  • Identifying specific toxins produced by S. chartarum is crucial for understanding its pathogenicity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the production of stachylysin by S. chartarum strains isolated from environments associated with infant PH.
  • To assess the potential role of stachylysin in causing hemorrhaging.

Main Methods:

  • Culturing S. chartarum strains in tryptic soy broth (TSB) and TSB with sheep's blood.
  • Detecting stachylysin production.
  • Injecting stachylysin into Lumbricus terrestis to observe effects on erythrocruorin hemoglobin.

Main Results:

  • Most S. chartarum strains from PH-associated homes produced stachylysin in TSB, unlike strains from control homes.
  • All strains produced stachylysin when grown on TSB with sheep's blood.
  • Stachylysin injection caused erythrocruorin release and lethality in Lumbricus terrestis.

Conclusions:

  • Stachylysin is produced by S. chartarum strains linked to infant PH.
  • The observed effects in Lumbricus terrestis support stachylysin's potential role as a hemorrhaging agent in humans.

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