Cladosporium

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Permalink Reply by Robert C Charley on February 26, 2010 at 5:28pm

There is a brief note referring to Cladosporium being present in the eyes of horses with mycotic keratitis (though it is not stated as a cause): http://avmajournals.avma.org/doi/abs/10.2460/ajvr.67.4.562?journalC... and a couple of papers about their occurrence in the eyes/ conjunctiva of healthy horses: http://www.springerlink.com/content/652675824n561138/ and http://130.88.242.202/medicine/Aspergillus/articlesoverflow/1264184....

Another paper associating Cladsporium with iris abscesses: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/122593293/abstract?CRETR...

This below is from the Toxic Black Mold Infornation Center (I would guess htis is mainly observations with humans):

Cladosporium spp.

These genera of mold are pigmented dark green to black in the front, and black on the reverse with a velvety to powdery texture. One of the most commonly isolated from indoor and outdoor air, Cladosporium spp. are found on decaying plants, woody plants, food, straw, soil, paint, textiles, and the surface of fiberglass duct liner in the interior of supply ducts.

There are over 30 species in the Cladosporium genus. The most common are C. elatum, C. herbarum, C. sphaerospermum, and C. cladosporioides. These fungi are the causative agents of skin lesions, keratitis, nail fungus, sinusitis, asthma, and pulmonary infections. Acute symptoms of exposure to Cladosporium are edema and bronchiospasms, and chronic exposure may lead to pulmonary emphysema.

At 100,000 CFU/ g, I do not think this would be an issue fed to ruminants. It might be borderline when it dcomes to horses, especially if they are highly bred.

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