Medically

Significant Fungi

Objectives
1.
2.
3.

4.
5.

Describe the general

characteristics
Describe the structures
Enumerate and describe the four
divisions and its associated
genus/species
Enumerate and describe disease
and its associated genus/species
Enumerate and describe laboratory

Outline
A.
B.
C.

General Characteristics
Taxonomy
Agents of Mycoses

A. General
Characteristics
1. Yeasts and Molds
2. Hyaline versus Dematiaceous
3. Dimorphism and

Polymorphism
4. Reproduction

A. General
Characteristics
1. Yeasts and Molds
A. Yeast

Unicellular, forms a bacterial-like colony

Reproduce by budding (blastoconidium)

Microscopic

Macroscopic

A. General
Characteristics
1. Yeasts and Molds
B. Molds

Multicellular, vegetative cell

Woolly (Fuzzy) appearance in culture

Microscopic

Macroscopic

A. General
Characteristics
1. Yeasts and Molds
B. Molds

Made up of Mycelium
i. Mycelium

Intertwining structures
composed of hyphae

ii. Hyphae

Tubelike structures
Fundamental units of fungi

A. General
Characteristics
1. Yeasts and Molds
B. Molds

Parts of Hyphae
i. Aerial (reproductive)

Above the surface

Produce conidia / spores

ii. Vegetative (thallus)

Extends downward into the medium

Absorbs water and nutrients

A. General
Characteristics
1. Yeasts and Molds
B. Molds

Types of Hyphae
i. Septate

With frequent
crosswalls

ii. Sparsely septate

Aseptate
Few cross walls

A. General
Characteristics
1. Yeasts and Molds
B. Molds

Structures associated to hyphae

i. Conidiophore / Sporangiophore

Stalks for conidia / sporangium

ii. Conidia / Sporangium

Asexual structures that form at the

hyphae or conidiophore /
sporangiophore

A. General
Characteristics
1. Yeasts and Molds
B. Molds

Structures associated to
hyphae
iii. Phialide / Annellide

Secondary segments born

from conidio/sporangiophore

iv. Vesicle / Columella

Enlarged / dome-shaped
structure at the tip of
conidiophore /
sporangiophore

A. General
Characteristics
1. Yeasts and Molds
B. Molds

Other hyphal forms

i. Spirals

Coiled hyphae
T. Mentagrophytes

ii. Nodular bodies

Knot of twisted hyphae

M. canis & T. mentagrophytes

A. General
Characteristics
1. Yeasts and Molds
B. Molds

Other hyphal forms

iii. Racquet

Enlarged, club shaped areas

E. floccosum

iv. Pectinate body

Broken comb
M. audouinii

A. General
Characteristics
1. Yeasts and Molds
B. Molds

Other hyphal forms

v. Favic Chandelier

Moose antler
hyphae
T. schoenleinii
T. violaceum

A. General
Characteristics
2. Hyaline versus Dematiaceous

hyphae
A. Hyaline (Moniliaceous)

Non- or lightly pigmented

B. Dematiaceous

Darkly pigmented (Melanin)

A. General
Characteristics
3. Dimorphism and

Polymorphism
A. Dimorphism (Dimorphic Fungi)

Ability to exist in two forms

i. Yeast or Spherule phase

37C w/ CO2

ii. Mold phase

25C w/ ambient air

A. General
Characteristics
3. Dimorphism and Polymorphism
A. Dimorphism (Dimorphic Fungi)
Spherule
Large, round structure that contains
spores

Coccidioides

Blastomyces,
Histoplasma

A. General
Characteristics
3. Dimorphism and Polymorphism
B. Polymorphism (Polymorphic Fungi)
Have both yeast and mold forms in the
same culture
Exophiala spp.

A. General
Characteristics
4. Reproduction
A. Asexual
Formation conidia from hyphae of 1
organism
B. Sexual
Forms spores by merging of cell and
nuclei

A. General
Characteristics
4. Reproduction
A. Asexual
i. Blastic conidiogenesis

The parent cell enlarges, a septum

forms

ii. Thallic conidiogenesis

a septum forms then a new growth

forms

A. General
Characteristics
4. Reproduction
A. Asexual
Results in the formation of conidia
i. Conidia

Asexual spores that form on the

hyphae or conidiophore

A. General
Characteristics
4. Reproduction
A. Asexual
Results in the formation of conidia
ii. Macroconidia large and multicelled
iii. Microconidia small and unicellular

A. General
Characteristics
4. Reproduction
A. Asexual
Spores develop from vegetative mycelium
iv. Blastoconidia (blastospores)

Daughter cell that buds from mother

cell, hyphae or pseudohyphae
Blastomyces, Histoplasma,
Paracoccidioides
C. albicans, G. candidum, C.
neoformans

A. General
Characteristics
4. Reproduction
A. Asexual
Spores develop from vegetative mycelium
v. Chlamydoconidia (chlamydospores)

Formed from rounding up and

enlargement of a hyphal segments
Terminal (tip)

Sessile (sides)
Intercalary (within)
P. brasiliensis, C. albicans

A. General
Characteristics
4. Reproduction
A. Asexual
Spores develop from vegetative
mycelium
vi. Arthroconidia (arthrospores)

Fragmentation of the hyphae

into rectangular- or
barrel- shape spores
Coccidioides
Geotrichum
Trichosporon

A. General
Characteristics
4. Reproduction
A. Asexual
Spores contained in sacs
(sporangium)
vii.Sporangiospores

Produced at tip of sporangiophore

or aseptate hyphae
Glomerulomycetes

A. General Characteristics

A. General
Characteristics
4. Reproduction
B. Sexual
Merging of cells and nuclei of two
cells
Types of specialized spores
i. Ascospores (Sac Fungi)

contained in a
saclike ascus
Molds with
septate hyphae

A. General
Characteristics
4. Reproduction
B. Sexual
Merging of cells and nuclei of two
cells
Types of specialized spores
ii. Zygospores (Conjugation
Fungi)

Large spore in a thick wall

Molds w/aseptate hyphae
Fusion two identical cells

A. General
Characteristics
4. Reproduction
B. Sexual
Merging of cells and nuclei of two
cells
Types of specialized spores
iii. Basidiospores (Club Fungi)

Spores produced
on a basidium
Septate hyphae

A. General
Characteristics
4. Reproduction
B. Sexual
Merging of cells and nuclei of two
cells
Types of specialized spores
iv. Oospore

Fusion of 2 separate non

identical cells

A. General
Characteristics
4. Reproduction
B. Sexual
Phases of Reproduction
i. Teleomorph

Reproduce sexually

ii. Anamorph

Reproduce asexually

iii. Synanamorphs

If >1 anamorph is present for the

same teleomorph

B. Taxonomy
1. Glomerulomycota
2. Ascomycota
3. Basidiomycota
4. Deuteromycota

B. Taxonomy
1. Glomerulomycota (Zygomycota)
Aseptate
Presence of Sporangium
Mucor, Rhizopus, Absidia and
Cunninghamella

B. Taxonomy
2. Ascomycota
Septate , Presence of Ascospores
Yeast (Saccharomyces, Candida)
Mold (Coccidioides,
Blastomyces,Trichophyton)

B. Taxonomy
3. Basidiomycota
Septate w/ clamp connections
Presence of Basidiospores
Filobasidiella neoformans
4. Deuteromycota
Fungi Imperfecti
No mode of sexual reproduction
Largest number of species

C. Agents of Mycoses
1. Superficial Mycoses
2. Cutaneous Mycoses
3. Subcutaneous Mycoses
4. Systemic Mycoses
5. Opportunistic Mycoses
6. Yeast & Yeast-like

C. Agents of Mycoses
1. Superficial Mycoses
A. General Characteristics
Affects the outermost
layer (stratum corneum)
of the skin or hair
B. Clinical Manifestations
& Lab Dx
i. Name of the Agent
a. Clinical
Manifestations

C. Agents of Mycoses
1. Superficial Mycoses
B. Clinical Manifestations and Lab
Diagnosis
i. Malassezia furfur
a. Tinea versicolor (pityriasis
versicolor) Skin
Pale or
fawn
patches
Hair
dandruff

C. Agents of Mycoses
1. Superficial Mycoses
B. Clinical Manifestations and Lab
Diagnosis
i. Malassezia furfur
b. KOH/PAS preparation of skin
Budding
scrapings

Yeast cells and short hyphal

elements in skin fragment
(400X)

yeasts with
hyphae
Spaghetti
and
meatballs

C. Agents of Mycoses
1. Superficial Mycoses
B. Clinical Manifestations and Lab
Diagnosis
ii. Hortaea werneckii
a. Tinea nigra

Palms and
soles

brown to
black
macules

C. Agents of Mycoses
1. Superficial Mycoses
B. Clinical Manifestations and Lab
Diagnosis
ii. Hortaea werneckii
b. Bright field / Phase Contrast

Dark 1-2
celled
(budding)
annelloconidi
a/

C. Agents of Mycoses
1. Superficial Mycoses
B. Clinical Manifestations and Lab
Diagnosis
iii.Piedraia hortae
a. Black Piedra
Hair
Brown to
Shaft
black crusts /
Blac
nodules on
k
Pied
hair
ra
Ascomycete fruiting
body

C. Agents of Mycoses
1. Superficial Mycoses
B. Clinical Manifestations and Lab
Diagnosis
iii.Piedraia hortae
b. KOH preparation of hair shafts

Dark
hyphae
with asci

C. Agents of Mycoses
1. Superficial Mycoses
B. Clinical Manifestations and Lab
Diagnosis
iv. Trichosporon beigelii complex
a. White piedra
Light brown,
soft nodules
T. ovoides
(scalp)
T. inkin
(pubic)

C. Agents of Mycoses
1. Superficial Mycoses
B. Clinical Manifestations and Lab
Diagnosis
iv. Trichosporon beigelii complex
b. Bright field / Phase Contrast
Hyaline
hyphae
Arthroconidi
a
Blastoconidi
a

C. Agents of Mycoses
1. Superficial Mycoses
A. General Characteristics
B. Clinical Manifestations and Lab
Diagnosis
Agent
Clinical
Manifestation
i. Malassezia
Tinea versicolor
furfur
ii. Hortaea
Tinea nigra
werneckii
iii. Piedraia
Black piedra

C. Agents of Mycoses
2. Cutaneous Mycoses
A. General Characteristics
Agents of
dermatophytoses
Keratinophilic
(hair, nails and
skin)

C. Agents of Mycoses
2. Cutaneous Mycoses
B. Infections
i. Scalp
Agent
1. Tinea favosa
T. schoenleinii
2. Tinea capitis
a. Gray-patch
Microsporum spp.
ringworm
b. Black-dot
Trichophyton spp.
ringworm

C. Agents of Mycoses
2. Cutaneous Mycoses
B. Infections
ii. Beard
Agent
Tinea barbae
Trychophyton spp.
iii. Body
Tinea corporis

Agent
Trychophyton spp.
Microsporum spp.

iv. Groin
Tinea cruris

Agent
Epidermophyton sp.

C. Agents of Mycoses
2. Cutaneous Mycoses
B. Infections
v. Feet
Agent
Tinea pedis
Trychophyton spp.
(Athletes,
Epidermophyton sp.
Moccasin)
vi. Nail
Agent
Tinea unguium
Trychophyton spp.
Epidermophyton sp.
(Onychomycosis)

C. Agents of Mycoses
2. Cutaneous Mycoses
Dermatomycosis (Keratinized tissues)
Ringworm
Tinea
capitis

Tinea
corporis

Site
Agent
Agent
Affected
Microsporum
Microsporum
Trichophyton
Head
Trichophyton
Microsporum
Trichophyton
(hair)
Microsporum
Trichophyton
Trichophyton
Body
Epidermophyt
Epidermophyto
(skin)
Trichophyton
on
n
Epidermophyton
Trichophyton
Microsporum
Nails
Epidermophyt

C. Agents of Mycoses
2. Agents of Cutaneous Mycoses
C. Agents
Species
E.
floccosum

Microconidi
a
Absent

Macroconidia
Singly or in
clusters
Broad and
spatulate
Contains 2-5 cells

C. Agents of Mycoses
2. Agents of Cutaneous Mycoses
C. Agents
Specie
s
M.
canis

Microconidi
Macroconidia
a
Sparse:
Spindle shape,
clavate,
echinulate 3-15
sessile
cells, tapered ends

C. Agents of Mycoses
2. Agents of Cutaneous Mycoses
C. Agents
Species

M.
gypseum

Microconidi
a
Sparse:
clavate,
sessile

Macroconidia
Cigar-shaped, with
spiny surface and
rounded tips

C. Agents of Mycoses
2. Agents of Cutaneous Mycoses
C. Agents
Species

Microconidia
Macroconidia
Rare;
ChlamydoconidiaM.
Chlamydosp like swellings,
audouinii
ores
bizzare-shaped

C. Agents of Mycoses
2. Agents of Cutaneous Mycoses
Other Tests
Species
M. audouinii
M. canis/M.
gypseum

Rice Grains
Poor growth (brown
discoloration)
Good growth

C. Agents of Mycoses
2. Agents of Cutaneous Mycoses
Other Tests
Species
Wood Lamp (364 nm
UV)
M. audouinii / M.
Positive
canis
M. gypseum
Negative

C. Agents of Mycoses
2. Agents of Cutaneous Mycoses
Other Tests
Species
M.
audouinii
M. canis
M.
gypseum

Growth in
Fluorescence
Rice Grains in Woods Lamp
Poor

Positive

Good

Positive

Good

Negative

C. Agents of Mycoses
2. Agents of Cutaneous Mycoses
C. Agents
Species
Microconidia
Trichophyt Teardrop/glob
on
ose Grapelike
mentagrop
clusters
hytes

Macroconidia
Rare: Cigarshaped; Coiled
spiral hyphae

C. Agents of Mycoses
2. Agents of Cutaneous Mycoses
C. Agents
Species
T. rubrum

Downy type

Microconidia
Clavate- pegtear- shaped:
Sessile

Macroconidia
Pencil-shaped
Cylindrical

Granular type

C. Agents of Mycoses
2. Agents of Cutaneous Mycoses
C. Agents
Species
T.
tonsurans

Microconidia
Abundant tearclub- pegballon- shaped

Macroconidia
Cylindrical

C. Agents of Mycoses
2. Agents of Cutaneous Mycoses
Urease Test

Species

Urease

T.
Pos (2
mentagrophy
d)
tes
Neg (7

C. Agents of Mycoses
2. Agents of Cutaneous Mycoses
Hair Baiting Test

0.5

T. rubrum
T.
mentagrophytes

Neg
Pos (Ectothrix)

C. Agents of Mycoses
2. Agents of Cutaneous Mycoses
Other Test
Species

T.
mentagrophyt
es
T. rubrum

Thiamin
e
Req.

Urease

Hair
Baiting

Neg

Pos (2 d) Pos (Ec.)

Neg

Neg (7
d)

Neg