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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Paecilomyces sp.: Contaminant. Opportunistic
pathogen. Found world wide in soil and decaying
vegetation. Associated with pulmonary and sinus
infections who had organ transplants as well as
inflammation of he cornea.
Papulospora sp.: This fungi is found in soil,
textiles, decaying plants, manure and paper.
Pathogen: Disease causing.
Penicillium sp.: Contaminant. Opportunistic pathogen.
Found in soil and decaying vegetation, usually
is a secondary invader causing pulmonary and many
other infections.
Periconia sp.: Found in soil, blackened and dead
herbaceous stems and leaf spots, grasses, rushes
and sedges. Almost always associated with other
fungi. Mode of dissemination: Dry spore. Wind.
Rare care of mycotic keratitis was reported. Some
species have distinguishing spore characteristics
and are recognizable. Generally it is difficult
to distinguish Periconia spores from the smuts
myxomycetes and other round, brown spore types.
Spores with underlying sporulating structures
are distinctive although we very rarely see them
on tape lifts.
Peronospora sp.: Plant pathogens, one of the
genera causing downey mildews. It is very common
and is an obligate parasite on leaves, stems,
flowers, and fruits of living higher plants. No
information is available regarding health effects
or toxicity. Allergenicity has not been studied.
Peronospora may be identified in air on spore
trap samples. Spores have distinctive morphology.
The spores may also be seen in dust as part of
the normal influx of outdoor microbial particles.
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Peziza sp.: Peziza species are macrofungi commonly
called cup fungi. One species in particular Peziza
domiciliana is noted for growth on a wide range
of domestic materials, including plaster, cement,
sand, coal dust, wet rugs and carpets, fireplace
ashes, and walls. It has been found in a wide
range of locations, including carpets in living
rooms, shower stalls, damp closets, behind refrigerators,
around leaky waterbeds, in cellars, greenhouses,
under porches, walls in school rooms, and in cars.
These cup fungi have a rubbery texture and are
large enough to pluck from under carpets or baseboards
with the fingers. If blown on with moist breath,
spirals of wispy smoke composed of released ascospores
can be observed. Cup fungi are most closely related
to elfin saddles (Helvella) and the morels (Morchella).
Within this group are some of the most prized
edible fungi. However, no specific information
is available regarding the toxicity of Peziza
domiciliana but it is believed to be non-toxic,
and there are no reports of adverse health effects.
Allergenicity has not been studied. Identification
is made when the macro fungal bodies are collected
and submitted. The ascospores of all these related
fungi are somewhat distinctive and are identifiable
on spore trap samples, especially when large fruitings
are present within a building. Natural outdoor
habitat for most species is soil, humus, or rotten
wood. More information about these fungi is available
in the book Muchrooms Demystefied by David Aurora,
available at most bookstores.
Phialocephala sp.: Comprise a very small proportion
of the fungal biota. This genus is most closely
related to Phialophora. No information is available
regarding health effects or toxicity. Allergenicity
has not been studied. May be identified on surfaces
by tape lifts, tease mounts from bulk samples
and in air by culturable (Andersen) sampling.
Spores do not have distinctive morphology and
would be classified as “other colorless”
on spore trap samples. Recorded isolations are
from soil, bark, wood (including creosote treated
utility poles and submerged balsa wood), and corms
of orchids.
Phialophora sp.: Comprise a small proportion
of the fungal biota. This genus is most closely
related to Exophiala and Fonseca. Some species
are plant pathogens; others cause soft-rot on
wood. Phialophora verrucosa is one of the main
agents of chromoblastomycosis in tropical and
subtropical regions. Other health effects caused
by Phialophora species include rare cases of mycetoma
and phaeohyphomycoses. No information is available
regarding toxicity. Allergenicity has not been
studied. May be identified on surfaces by tape
lifts, tease mounts from bulk samples and in air
by culturable (Andersen) sampling. Spores do not
have distinctive morphology and would be classified
as “other colorless” on spore trap samples.
Phialophora, like Fusarium, is a water loving
fungus. Recorded isolations include soft-rots
of wood, root, stems, and leaves of plants and
grasses and soil.
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Phoma sp.: A common indoor air allergen. It is
similar to the early stages of growth of Chaetomium
sp. The species are isolated from soil and associated
plants (particularly potatoes). Produces pink
and purple spots on painted walls. It may have
antigens which cross-react with those of alternaria
sp. It will grow on butter, paint cement, and
rubber. It may cause phaeohyphomycosis a systematic
or subcutaneous disease.
Pithomyces sp.: Grow on dead grass in pastures.
Causes facial eczema in ruminants.
Polythrincium sp.: comprise a very small
proportion of the fungal biota. This genus is
somewhat related to Ramularia. No information
is available regarding health effects, toxicity
or allergenicity. May be identified in air on
spore trap samples. Spores have distinctive morphology.
Spores may also be seen in dust as part of the
normal influx of outdoor microbial particles.
Natural habitat is on leaves.
Poria incrassata: One of the basidiomycetes which
causes brown rot of wood (dry rot). This fungus
is most closely related to Serpula lacrimans (formerly
called Merulius). These fungi can digest both
the lignin and the cellulose of woos. A small
amount of decay markedly alters the strength of
the wood. If the macroscopic fungus fruiting body
is collected, it may be identified a polypore.
The polypores belong to a limited group of fungi
capable of attacking wood and using it for food.
Wood with brown rot can be identified by observation
of typical “square-ish” cracking transverse
to the grain of the wood. The wood also shrinks
and becomes some shade of brown. (The other general
type of wood decay is called white rot, where
all components are removed in differing proportion
at different rates, and the decayed wood is light
colored. The strength factor if more slowly altered
and frequently the decayed wood is still usable
in the early stages of decay.) The natural habitat
of the polypores is wood, i.e. slash in forests.
No information is available regarding health effects,
toxicity, or allergenicity.
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Pycnidial formers: They are sac-like fruiting
bodies (asexual) formed by many of the Coelomycetes.
Spores commonly formed in sticky masses, which
ooze out an ostiole (opening). Air currents do
not readily disseminate these spores, although
they do constitute a small proportion of the air
spora. Spores may also be dry, but these spores
are less common. The identification of many of
the Coelomycetes is difficult because internal
sporulating structures are hidden. Some very common
genera such as Phoma may be identified on tape
lift and tease mounts from bulk samples, and in
air by culturable (Andersen) sampling. Many times,
however, Coelemycetes are reported simply as “pycnidial
former, ID unknown”. Pycnidial fungi are
ubiquitous and are commonly found and recovered
from cultivated and uncultivated soil of different
types, leaf litter, and other organic debris from
both natural and manufactured sources; from saline
and fresh water, on other fungi and lichens, and
as parasites of plants, vertebrates and insects.
Pyrenochaeta sp.: Comprise a small proportion
of the fungal biota and is closely related to
Phoma. This genus is a pycnidial former although
many time pycnidia are lacking and the organism
appears only as sterile mycelia. May be identified
on tape lifts and tease mounts from bulk samples
if the pycnidia are present. Pycnidial formers
may gave little effects on the indoor air because
air currents do not readily disseminate the spores.
Very rarely isolated from air by culturable (Andersen)
sampling. Spores do not have distinctive morphology
and would be categorized as “other colorless”
on spore trap samples. Natural habitat is plant
debris and soil in tropical countries, where is
it a cause of mycetoma. No information is available
regarding toxicity and allergenicity.
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