Are mushroom spores dangerous?
An allergic lung reaction to inhaled spores has been described in professional growers of oyster mushroom, king oyster and shiitake. No risk measure is known for a single hobby kit. Harvest on time, before the spores drop, do not keep the culture in a bedroom and ventilate.
PubMed PMID 3169217 · BS-61PubMed PMID 10024747 · BS-62PubMed PMID 12132527 · BS-73PubMed PMID 22329454 · BS-75GroCycle (VK) · BS-43Doctors call this hypersensitivity pneumonitis or extrinsic allergic alveolitis. Symptoms usually disappear once exposure stops.
NCBI Bookshelf · BS-60PubMed PMID 22329454 · BS-75What has been described?
An article from 1988 describes the reaction in oyster mushroom growers, an article from 1998 an outbreak in indoor oyster mushroom cultivation, an article from 2002 a case with king oyster and an article from 2012 the first European case caused by shiitake spores in a professional grower.
PubMed PMID 3169217 · BS-61PubMed PMID 10024747 · BS-62PubMed PMID 12132527 · BS-73PubMed PMID 22329454 · BS-75What do you do at home?
Harvest while the cap edges still curl slightly; harvesting too late gives white spore dust. Do not keep the culture in a bedroom or living space and ventilate the room.
GroCycle (VK) · BS-43When to see your doctor?
If you repeatedly get a fever, a cough or shortness of breath while growing indoors, remove the culture and see your doctor.
NCBI Bookshelf · BS-60Source
- How to harvest mushrooms — GroCycle (VK)
- Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis (StatPearls, Chandra & Cherian, bijgewerkt 10-07-2023) — NCBI Bookshelf
- Extrinsic allergic alveolitis in oyster mushroom growers (Eur Respir J 1988) — PubMed PMID 3169217
- Hypersensitivity pneumonitis outbreak in oyster mushroom indoor cultivation (Occup Med 1998) — PubMed PMID 10024747
- Hypersensitivity pneumonitis caused by Pleurotus eryngii in a factory worker (Intern Med 2002) — PubMed PMID 12132527
- Hypersensitivity pneumonitis induced by Shiitake mushroom spores (Med Mycol 2012) — PubMed PMID 22329454
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This is not medical advice. If you repeatedly get a fever, a cough or shortness of breath while growing indoors, remove the culture and see your doctor.
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