AFLATOXIN - a highly carcinogenic toxin produced by some molds (e.g. Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus).

ALLERGEN – causes a hypersensitivity or allergic reaction.

ASCOSPORES - a spore produced in a sac-like structure.

ASPERGILLOMA - a 'fungal ball' composed principally of hyphae of Aspergillus often found in an upper lobe of the lung.

ASPERGILLOSIS - any disease in man or animals caused by Aspergillus.

BASIDIOSPORES - spore formed on a structure known as a basidium. Characteristic of the Basidomycete class. Examples include rusts, smuts and mushrooms.

COLONY - a discrete mycelium of a fungus, often derived from a single spore.

Conidiophore – complex structure that some types of mold spores grow out from. It is somewhat analogous to a flower in plants where the spores would be analogous to seeds. Differentiation between Aspergillus and Penicillium requires the presence of their conidiophores.

CONTAMINANT - something that is present without injuring or benefiting the host; they do not cause infection.

CRYOPHILES - adapts to low temperatures

DEBRIS - Non-biological particulate such as dirt or soot.

FUNGI (singular - FUNGUS) - non-photosynthesizing organism that produce exoenzymes and absorb their food; usually producing and living inside a network of extending, branched tubes called hyphae.

FUMONISINS - carcinogenic neurotoxic mycotoxin (Fusarium species)

GENUS - see Taxonomy

HETEROTROPHS - must have external food source and cannot make their own carbohydrates from water and carbon dioxide.

HYDROPHILIC FUNGI - colonizes continuously wet materials with minimum a_w >0.90 (See Xerophilic, Xerotolerant)

Hyphal-like fragments (high-full) - filamentous, branched structures with cell walls. Hyphae are somewhat analogous to roots or stems in plants whereas the spores would be analogous to the seeds. (A conidiophore would be somewhat analogous to the flower.)

HYPHAE (singular - HYPHA) - a tubular filament produced by fungi. Branching structure with cell walls.

Immunocompromised – Individuals whose immune systems are weakened and susceptible to opportunistic pathogens, including but not limited to those with AIDS, certain cancers, the very old, the very young, or those undergoing immunosuppressive drug therapy

MORPHOLOGY – identification chararcteristics based only on form and appearance such as "clear and round." When a better identification is not possible, morphology can sometimes place a spore into a certain broader category while excluding it from others. For example, "Brown, round" tends to point to the Myxomycete / Smut / Periconia group of spores while excluding it from various other important groups like Stachybotrys and Aspergillus/Penicillium. In the same respect, Aspergillus and Penicillium spores generally have the same morphology and can only be distinguished by the morphology of the conidiophore (when it is present).

MYCOLOGY - the study of fungi

MYCOSES (singular - MYCOSIS) - diseases of humans or animals caused by fungi.

MYCOTOXINS - fungal metabolites which are poisonous to animals and humans.

MYXOMYCETE - associated with plants (rust/smut)

NON-SPORULATING - colonies that do not produce spores.

OPPORTUNISTIC PATHOGEN - fungi which occasionally act as pathogens when conditions unusually favorable for infection arise. Rarely infects patients who are otherwise healthy.

PATHOGEN - an organism that causes disease.

PARASITIC - requires living source in which to grow and reproduce. (see saprobic, symbiotic)

SAPROBIC - use non-living organic materials to grow and reproduce. (see parasitic, symbiotic)

SATRATOXIN - one of the mycotoxins produced by Stachybotrys chartarum.

SPORE - for fungi, it is a microscopic agent of dispersal that is capable of developing into an adult without fusion with another cell.

SYMBIOTIC - grows in close association with another living organism, often to the benefit of both. (see saprobic, parasitic)

T-2 TOXIN - a mycotoxin produced by Fusarium species.

THERMOPHILES - adapts to high temperatures.

THERMOTOLERANT - adapts to wide range of temperatures.

VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (VOC's) - compounds produced by mold as products of primary and secondary metabolism.

WATER ACTIVITY (a_w) - a measure of water within a substrate that an organism can use to support growth.

XEROPHILLIC FUNGI - colonize very dry materials with minimum a_w <0.8. (See Xerotolerant, Hydrophilic.)

XEROTOLERANT FUNGI - colonizes relatively dry materials with minimum a_w <0.8 and optimum a_w >0.8 Can colonize damp materials also. (See Xerophillic, Hydrophilic.)

YEASTS - a fungi which in many cases are unicellular and reproduce by budding.