Natural Origin - Cladosporium grows on leaves and soft stems. It is the most prevalent spore to be found in outdoor air samples. Cladosporium is also know to be very resistant to changes in the amount of water available, as they have been observed to resume growth after extended periods of drying.
Indoor Origin - Cladosporium can be found in refrigerator drip pans, the bottom of refrigerators, on moist window frames and on painted surfaces which are moist, or in high humidity locations. It can also grow on textiles, wood, paper and various man-made materials. It is widely distributed in air and rotten organic material and as a contaminant on foods.
Pathogenicity - Commonly considered saprophytic contaminants. They have only occasionally been implicated in infections. Perceived to be primarily non pathogenic.
Diseases - Rare documented cases of Keratitis and Omychomycoses.
Allergen - It is one of the most important fungal airway allergens and is frequently isolated as a contaminant. The spores are known to be prevalent sources of allergens in the atmosphere and cause symptoms that include hay fever, asthma, and hypersensitivity pneumonitis.
