Aspergillus /as′pərjil″əs/ [L, aspergere, to sprinkle] , a genus of fungi that is a common contaminant in the laboratory and a cause of nosocomial infection. The fungus has hyphae and spores, lives in the soil, is ubiquitous, and proliferates rapidly. Inhalation of the spores of the two pathogenic species, A. fumigatus and A. flavus, is common, but infection is rare. However, allergic reaction to the spores can also occur.
