Penicillium Spinulosum

Penicillium spinulosum / glabrum / lividum / purpurescens / thomii P. glabrum is a commonly occurring indoor fungus, but it can also be found contaminating foods (particularly fruit and fruit products) and growing in compost and aggressively on computer diskettes in high humidity. P. glabrum also grows well on the corks of wine bottles and elicits allergic responses in individuals that work with wine corks. P. lividum is a relatively rare and non-pathogenic species of Penicillium and occurs mostly in northern latitudes. P. purpurescens is a common inhabitant of soils and indoor environments (particularly greenhouses). P. purpurescens does not appear to be an overt pathogen, but it can be found in feed potentially toxic to poultry. P. spinulosum is distributed worldwide and is usually found associated with forest soils, flour-based foods and fruit products. P. spinulosum can grow on wet plasterboard, and such growth can yields mycotoxin production, the health effects of which are under debate. P. thomii is widely distributed in soils of temperate environments. P. thomii does not appear to be pathogenic, given current data.