Why I’m Focusing on Fungi

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Viruses, bacteria, and fungi are everywhere—in soil, water, air, on surfaces, in food, and even inside our bodies. Most are harmless or even beneficial, but some can cause serious illness. What’s less widely known is that viruses can sometimes hijack fungi as a surrogate host, using their cells to shelter, replicate, or spread.

For someone with a compromised immune system, this invisible microbial world can be a quiet but potent threat. Fungi thrive in damp environments—beneath sinks, in bathrooms, and inside washing machines—and can also occur in food and water. In my own petri-dish and microscopy experiments, I repeatedly observed growth consistent with Penicillium and Candida, deepening my interest in how fungi, viruses, and the immune system interact.

CIRS (Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome) is a proposed multi-system inflammatory condition associated particularly with exposure to water-damaged or mold-contaminated buildings. Reported symptoms include fatigue, cognitive and sleep problems, pain, and respiratory or gastrointestinal issues, although the diagnosis remains medically debated.

There is no universal rule that viruses are hardest to destroy, followed by fungi and bacteria; resistance varies greatly by organism and treatment. But fungal infections can be especially difficult to treat, and interactions between fungi and viruses add another layer of biological complexity.

  • Penicillium notatum (now usually called P. chrysogenum)

  • Cladosporium herbarum

  • Aspergillus fumigatus

  • Candida albicans

  • Alternaria alternata

  • Helminthosporium halodes (now Setomelanomma rostrata)

These are tested together to detect mold allergies via specific IgE testing (blood or skin prick).

General effects in sensitive individuals

  • Allergic airway reactions – coughing, sneezing, runny or blocked nose, itchy or watery eyes, throat irritation.

  • May worsen asthma or allergic rhinitis symptoms.

  • Can trigger hypersensitivity pneumonitis or other lung inflammation in certain cases.

Typical symptoms by component

  • Alternaria alternata

    • Strong link to upper and lower airway hypersensitivity.

    • Can cause asthma attacks, allergic fungal rhinosinusitis, and in severe cases bronchopulmonary mycoses or hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

  • Cladosporium herbarum, Penicillium, Aspergillus

    • Common triggers for asthma and other respiratory allergies.

    • Often worsen pre-existing allergic conditions.

  • Aspergillus fumigatus, Candida albicans, Penicillium

    • Can be involved in allergic bronchopulmonary mycosis (ABPM) or allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) with symptoms such as:

      • Severe asthma

      • Elevated eosinophil counts

      • High total IgE

      • Possible bronchiectasis and chronic airway colonization.

  • Candida albicans

    • More known for skin and mucosal infections, but in allergen testing it’s included because it can also sensitize the airways.

  • Helminthosporium halodes (Setomelanomma rostrata)

    • Little specific clinical data, but included as a potential airborne allergen.

Summary Table

Mold / Yeast in Mix 2Possible Symptoms
Mix 2 overall    General allergic symptoms, airway irritation
Alternaria alternata    Asthma attacks, sinusitis, strong airway hypersensitivity
Cladosporium, Penicillium, Aspergillus    Asthma, respiratory allergies
Aspergillus fumigatus, Candida albicans, Penicillium    ABPA / ABPM: severe asthma, high IgE, lung damage
Helminthosporium halodes    Limited data, possible respiratory allergy

Test: 

Mold mixture 2
Penicillium notatum
Cladosporium herbarum
Aspergillus fumigatus
Candida albicans
Alternaria alternata
Helminthosporium halodes

A specific ISAC® IgE biochip is also used for allergy diagnostics, such as mold allergy (rAsp f 6).

If a mold allergy is suspected, skin tests (prick tests) or blood tests (IgE antibody tests) are performed. If invasive aspergillosis, a severe mold infection, is suspected, blood tests such as the galactomannan test can be performed. Other methods such as contact lenses, sedimentation plates, or culture medium tests are generally used to determine mold contamination in indoor air.

Allergy to mold: Skin tests (prick tests):

An allergist can test for mold allergens using a prick test by applying small amounts of the allergen to the skin and assessing the reaction.

Blood tests (IgE antibody tests):

These tests measure the concentration of allergen-specific IgE antibodies in the blood, which indicate sensitization to mold.

Multiparametric testing methods (e.g., ISAC® IgE biochip):

These tests enable a comprehensive analysis of sensitization to various allergens, including mold.

Mold infections:
Aspergillosis:

If invasive aspergillosis, a severe infection with the mold Aspergillus, is suspected, blood cultures or the galactomannan test can be performed to detect the fungus or its metabolites in the blood.

Other infections:
For other mold infections, further specific tests may be required depending on the suspected diagnosis, such as the detection of fungi in tissue samples.

Mold Toxicity:

Chronic inflammatory response syndrome: a review of the evidence of clinical efficacy of treatment
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11623837/#:~:text=Chronic%20Inflammatory%20Response%20Syndrome%20is%20a%20multisymptom%2C,Inflammatory%20Response%20Syndrome%20is%20the%20Shoemaker%20Protocol

Deep learning reveals antibiotics in the archaeal proteome  
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41564-025-02061-0

Impact of Penicillium on Muscle and Lung Function: What Healthcare Professionals Should Know
https://swaresearch.blogspot.com/2025/06/aspergillus-trichoderma-and-penicillium.html

Symbiosis Between Viruses and Bacteria – A Fascinating Partnership in the Microbial World
https://swaresearch.blogspot.com/2025/07/symbiosis-between-viruses-and-bacteria.html

© 2000-2030 Sieglinde W. Alexander. All writings by Sieglinde W. Alexander have a fife year copy right. Library of Congress Card Number: LCN 00-192742

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