Assured Bio Labs’ scientists have identified a slime mold growing on drywall.  A slime mold is not a true mold nor a fungus, instead it is a protozoan, and related to the amoeba.  The scientific term for the slime mold is myxomycete (Mix-oh-My-seat).  In fact, the vein-like network growing on the drywall paper is the plasmodial stage of the slime mold’s life cycle.  The plasmodium is comprised of millions of amoeba that feed on microscopic bacteria.  Moreover, the plasmodium requires extremely wet conditions to grow, because the bacteria it feeds on proliferate on water-soaked materials.  When conditions become dry and the bacteria population dwindles, the plasmodium will form mold-like structures.  The process requires that the individual amoeba swarm together and differentiate to resemble a mold.  Some amoeba become the stalks, but others form the spores, which will be carried on air currents to start the life cycle anew.  Recent research suggests competition between the amoeba, where the winners become spores and the losers waste away as non-reproductive stalks.  However, this slime mold never had the chance to differentiate, and will never form spores.  It was collected by a mold inspector and the drywall dried out to rapidly for differentiation to occur. Instead it will be ever preserved as a plasmodium. Finding slime molds in a built-environment indicates water intrusion.  Although the slime mold is fairly innocuous to humans, its spores are small and allergenic.  Prolonged exposure may compromise occupants’ health and increase the risk for respiratory issues including allergic reactions, sinusitis and asthma.

This slime mold or myxomycete is growing in its vein-like plasmodial stage on drywall that was previously water soaked.