Ganoderma
Characteristics: Considered to be an allergen. Not known to be pathogenic or toxigenic.
Description: It is often found growing on conifers and hardwoods causing white rot, root rot, and stem rot. Used in traditional Chinese medicine as an herbal supplement. It is also known as a “shelf fungus” because the fruiting body forms a stalk-less shelf on the sides of trees and logs. It is sometimes called “artists conk” because when you scratch the white pores of the fruiting body, the white rubs away and exposes the brown hyphae underneath. Thus, pictures can be produced on the fruiting body.
Geomyces
Characteristics: Health effects include rare cases of onychomycosis. No information is available regarding toxicity. Allergenicity has not been studied.
Description: Geomyces species comprise a very small proportion of the fungal biota and are most closely related to Chrysosporium species. Health effects include rare cases of onychomycosis. 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) samples. (Spores do not have distinctive morphology and would be categorized as “other colorless” on spore trap samples.) Widespread in the soil.
Geotrichum
Characteristics: Health effects include reports of endocarditis, encephalitis, and osteomyelitis in immunosuppressed hosts. Pulmonary infections have also been described. Many of these reports lack proper documentation and may be based on unreliable identifications. No information is available regarding toxicity. Allergenicity has not been well studied.
Description: Geotrichum species are common yeast-like fungi whose primary mode of reproduction is the formation of arthrospores. The genus Geotrichum should not be identified by microscopic morphology alone because many related and unrelated fungi form arthrospores. Biochemical analysis is necessary for identification. Geotrichum candidum is considered part of the normal microbiota of humans. Health effects include reports of endocarditis, encephalitis, and osteomyelitis in immunosuppressed hosts. Pulmonary infections have also been described. Many of these reports lack proper documentation and may be based on unreliable identifications. No information is available regarding toxicity. Allergenicity has not been well studied. Tape lifts and tease mounts from bulk samples may reveal the presence of an arthrospore-forming yeast; isolation on culturable (Andersen) air samples is possible but infrequent. This genus is cosmopolitan, isolated from soil, plants, and many food products, most especially from milk and milk products.
Gliocladium
Characteristics: No cases of infection have been reported in humans or animals. Information regarding toxicity is sparse. Allergenicity has not been well studied.
Description: Gliocladium species are common and are most closely related to Penicillium and Paecilomyces. No cases of infection have been reported in humans or animals. Information regarding toxicity is sparse. Gliotoxin is produced primarily by Trichoderma virens, Aspergillus fumigatus, and a few less common Penicillium species, rather than Gliocladium. Allergenicity has not been well studied. May be identified on surfaces by tape lifts, tease mounts from bulk samples, and in air by culturable (Andersen) samples. (Spores do not have distinctive morphology and might be categorized as “other colorless,” Penicillium/Aspergillus, or Trichoderma on spore trap samples, depending on the age and condition of the spores.) Gliocladium is found very infrequently in air samples because the spores are formed in sticky masses and are not easily disseminated by air currents. Widespread in decaying vegetation and in the soil.
Gliomastix
Characteristics: No information is available regarding health effects, or toxicity. Allergenicity has not been studied.
Description: Mitosporic fungus. Hyphomycetes.Gliomastix species comprise a small proportion of the fungal biota. This genus is most closely related to Acremonium and the monophialidic species of Paecilomyces. 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) samples. May be identified on spore trap samples if the presence of this genus has already been demonstrated (for example, on tape lifts). (Spores have somewhat distinctive morphology but may be confused with other genera. The grey black pigment of the spores is very close to the pigment of Stachybotrys.) Natural habitat includes plant litter, wood, soil and cellulosic materials.
Gonatobotrys
Characteristics: No information is available regarding health effects or toxicity. Allergenicity has not been studied.
Description: Gonatobotrys species comprise a very small proportion of the fungal biota. Morphologically this genus is very close to Gonatobotryum but without dark pigment. No information is available regarding health effects or toxicity. Allergenicity has not been studied. Rarely found but may be identified on surfaces by tape lifts, and tease mounts from bulk samples, and in air by culturable (Andersen) samples. (Spores do not have distinctive morphology and would be categorized as “other colorless” on spore trap samples.) Reported to be parasitic on Alternaria and Cladosporium. Natural habitat is plant litter.
Gonatobotryum
Characteristics: No information is available regarding health effects or toxicity. Allergenicity has not been studied.
Description: Gonatobotryum species are common in certain ecological niches. They are parasitic on Ceratocystis, and so are found where Ceratocystis is found, most particularly lumber. Most homes built with lumber have areas of growth of both Ceratocystis and Gonatobotryum on wood framing inside walls. (Virtually all lumberyards have some percentage of boards with areas of this black mold growth.) 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 spore trap samples. (Spores have distinctive morphology.) Other natural habitats include soil, and rotten wood. Also parasitic on certain other plants.
Graphium
Characteristics: Health effects can be serious, even fatal. No information is available regarding toxicity. Allergenicity has not been studied.
Description: Graphium species are common, and are closely related to several ascomycetes. The sporulating structures of Graphium form synnema (coremia), which are a gathering of conidiophores into a sort of flower bouquet. The taxonomy of Graphium species needs work since the actual sporulating process differs among the many species. Health effects are dependent upon the related ascomycete. There are no reports of illness due to the Graphium stage of Ophiostoma. However, the genus Pseudallescheria (asexual phase is Scedosporium) has a Graphium phase, and these genera are noted for many health effects, some of which have serious consequences. In the form of Scedosporium, There have been many reports of opportunistic infections, including white grain mycetoma which occurs world-wide. Other systemic infections may involved the central nervous system, usually after severe local trauma or after aspiration of polluted water. In addition, this organism may cause an invasive sinusitis, pneumonia, or allergic reactions in the lungs. Ophthalmic cases have been reported. What makes these infections very serious is the fact that this organism is very resistant to most of the antifungal medications available. Scedosporium prolificans has been associated with subcutaneous lesions after trauma with thorns or splinters. In immunocompromised patients or transplantation patients fatal dissemination may occur.. No information is available regarding toxicity or allergy. May be identified on surfaces by tape lifts, tease mounts from bulk samples, and in air by culturable (Andersen) samples. (Spores do not have distinctive morphology and would be categorized as “other colorless” on spore trap samples.) Sources of isolation are many, including woody substrata, plant debris, soil, manure, and polluted water.
