Allergon mould allergens
Due to mould’s inherent likelihood for variability, standardized mould allergen source material manufacturing requires a deep understanding of the parameters influencing the behaviour of the mould cultures. Meticulous measures to control critical parameters such as seed culture condition, inoculation culture state, cultivation temperature and harvest time must be taken. In addition, stringent hygienic control throughout the entire process is essential to prevent contamination. Operators must also be protected from being exposed to potentially pathogenic mould spores.
See a selection of our most common mould allergens
Harvest
Our mould cultivation takes place in glass Roux bottles containing a synthetic growth substrate, free from any potentially allergenic proteins. A normal batch contains around 900 bottles, corresponding to 500-2000 g of final product, depending on species. At the defined time of harvest, the solid mould material is separated from the remaining liquid and freeze-dried to preserve the allergenic content. After freeze-drying, the viable spores and mycelia are inactivated using gamma irradiation and the material is ground into a fine powder.
70 strains
Out of the approximately 70 strains that are kept in our strain bank, around 10 are manufactured on a regular basis. We also keep customer specific strains and produce mould source materials with custom specific manufacturing specifications.
About mould allergens
Allergenic moulds are eukaryotic microorganism primarily belonging to the group of fungi imperfecti. Characteristic of these moulds is their ability to produce large amount of air born spores. Common allergenic moulds belong to the genera Alternaria, Aspergillus, Cladosporium and Penicillium.
The prevalence of mould allergy is debated but sensitization to moulds is typically a risk factor for both allergic rhinitis and, in particular, allergic asthma.
Moulds are experts at adapting to their environment and can often shift morphology and protein expression pattern in response to changes in their surroundings. They thrive in damp environment and live on organic matter such as decaying plant materials. Some species are important plant pathogens, e.g. species of the Alternaria genera, and some are also considered human pathogens, for example Aspergillus fumigatus. Moulds typically have a very complex allergen profile, with many potential allergens, and there is a high incidence of cross-reactivity between species.
Our most common mould allergens
This is a selection of our mould allergens. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any additional requests for allergen source material.
| Article No. | Scientific name | Synonyms |
|---|---|---|
| 1001 | Alternaria alternata | Alternaria tenuis, Alternaria longipes |
| 1009 | Aspergillus fumigatus | |
| 1032 | Cladosporium cladosporioides | |
| 1034 | Cladosporium herbarum | |
| 1090 | Penicillium notatum | Penicillium chrysogenum |
| 1206 | Candida albicans | |
Address
Välingevägen 309
SE-262 92 Ängelholm
Sweden
Contact
+46 42 33 44 00
info.allergon@allergon.com