page_title: Alternaria
section_title: Species
hierarchical_section_title: Alternaria / Species
caption_attribution_description: a. Ulcer with an overlying crust on the patient’s skin of left anterior tibia. b. Fungal culture of the tissue revealed dark grey-white colonies with a dark-brown underside. c. SEM observation of slide culture revealed beaked conidia.
context_page_description: Alternaria is a genus of ascomycete fungi. Alternaria species are known as major plant pathogens. They are also common allergens in humans, growing indoors and causing hay fever or hypersensitivity reactions that sometimes lead to asthma. They readily cause opportunistic infections in immunocompromised people such as AIDS patients.
  There are 299 species in the genus; they are ubiquitous in the environment and are a natural part of fungal flora almost everywhere. They are normal agents of decay and decomposition. The spores are airborne and found in the soil and water, as well as indoors and on objects. The club-shaped spores are single or form long chains. They can grow thick colonies which are usually green, black, or gray.
  At least 20% of agricultural spoilage is caused by Alternaria species; most severe losses may reach up to 80% of yield, though. Many human health disorders can be caused by these fungi, which grow on skin and mucous membranes, including on the eyeballs and within the respiratory tract. Allergies are common, but serious infections are rare, except in people with compromised immune systems.
context_section_description: Some species include:
  Alternaria alternata – Causes early blight of potato, Leaf spot disease in Withania somnifera and can infest many other plants. It also causes upper respiratory infections in AIDS patients, asthma in people with sensitivity, and has been implicated in chronic rhinosinusitis.
  Alternaria alternantherae
  Alternaria arborescens – causes stem canker of tomato
  Alternaria arbusti – causes leaf lesions on Asian pear
  Alternaria blumeae – causes lesions on Blumea aurita
  Alternaria brassicae – infests many vegetables and roses
  Alternaria brassicicola – grows on cole crops
  Alternaria burnsii – causing cumin blossom blight
  Alternaria carotiincultae – causes leaf blight on carrot
  Alternaria carthami
  Alternaria celosiae
  Alternaria cinerariae
  Alternaria citri – causes black rot on citrus plants
  Alternaria conjuncta – grows on parsnip
  Alternaria cucumerina – grows on various cucurbits
  Alternaria dauci – grows on carrot
  Alternaria dianthi
  Alternaria dianthicola
  Alternaria eichhorniae – infests water hyacinth plants, used as bioherbicide against these weeds
  Alternaria euphorbiicola – infests cole crops
  Alternaria gaisen – causes ringspot disease of pear
  Alternaria helianthi
  Alternaria helianthicola
  Alternaria hungarica
  Alternaria infectoria – infests wheat
  Alternaria japonica – infests cole crops
  Alternaria limicola – earliest diverging lineage of Section Porri
  Alternaria linicola
  Alternaria longipes – infects tobacco
  Alternaria mali
  Alternaria molesta – may cause skin lesions on porpoises
  Alternaria panax – causes ginseng blight
  Alternaria perpunctulata
  Alternaria petroselini – causes parsley leaf blight
  Alternaria porri
  Alternaria radicina – causes carrot decay
  Alternaria raphani
  Alternaria saponariae
  Alternaria selini – causes parsley crown decay
  Alternaria senecionis
  Alternaria solani – causes early blight in potatoes and tomatoes
  Alternaria smyrnii – infests alexanders and parsleys
  Alternaria tenuissima
  Alternaria triticina
  Alternaria zinniae
caption: A 28-year-old man with alternariosis in his tibia caused by Alternaria arborescens and electron micrograph of his skin.[5]
exif: {"Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormat": "44", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormatLength": "5279"}