Department of Energy Argonne National Laboratory Office of Science NEWTON's Homepage NEWTON's Homepage
NEWTON, Ask A Scientist!
NEWTON Home Page NEWTON Teachers Visit Our Archives Ask A Question How To Ask A Question Question of the Week Our Expert Scientists Volunteer at NEWTON! Frequently Asked Questions Referencing NEWTON About NEWTON About Ask A Scientist Education At Argonne Sporotricosis 
Name: N/A
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: N/A
Question:
Is there any scientific proof that spagnum peat is a type of fertilizer, found in potting soil, and has been known to cause humans, such as forrestry workers and garden nursery personnel to contract a fungus known as Sporotricosis?


Replies:
Sporothrix schenkii is a fungus that commonly grow on plant material. The classic case is found in gardeners who work around roses and prick themselves on a thorn and get a red swollen lesion that can spread up the affected extremity. This yeast is a dimorphic fungus which means that at room temperature it is in the mold phase and will appear "fuzzy". At body temperature it is in the unicellular yeast phase and can become a systemic (whole body) disease. I imagine that this fungus can be found in peat moss as well.

Van Hoeck


Click here to return to the Biology Archives

NEWTON is an electronic community for Science, Math, and Computer Science K-12 Educators, sponsored and operated by Argonne National Laboratory's Educational Programs, Andrew Skipor, Ph.D., Head of Educational Programs.

For assistance with NEWTON contact a System Operator (help@newton.dep.anl.gov), or at Argonne's Educational Programs

NEWTON AND ASK A SCIENTIST
Educational Programs
Building 360
9700 S. Cass Ave.
Argonne, Illinois
60439-4845, USA
Update: June 2012
Weclome To Newton

Argonne National Laboratory