MEDICAL

MYCOLOGY
Mr. Christophher Tia

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 Usually causes disease in plants and animals
 Produce no toxins but cause hypersensitivity
(allergic reactions), chronic tissue granuloma,
necrosis, abscess
 Structure:
 Hyphae: long, branching filaments, septated
 Mycelium has 2 parts:
 Aerial – projects above the surface
 Vegetative – below the surface, absorbs food
 Reproduce by forming asexual spores (conidia)

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 Diagnosis
 Directmicroscopic examination
 Culture
 Serological test
 Management
 Amphotericin B (AMB)
 Nystatin
 Griseofulvin
 Imidazoles (Miconazole, Ketoconazole,
Clotrimazole, Fluconazole)

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Superficial/Cutaneous Mycosis
 Invades superficial, keratinized tissues
(hair, skin, nails)
 aka dermatophytes or keratophiles
 Causes ringworms
 3 groups:
 Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton tonsurans
 Microsporum
 Epidermophyton flocolossum (skin & nails
only)

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 Pathogenesis:
 Tinea corporis - body
 Tinea pedis - feet
 Tinea cruris – genital area & groin (“jock itch”)
 Tinea manus - hands
 Tinea capitis - scalp
 Tinea barbae - beard
 Tinea unguum - nails

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Other Cutaneous Mycosis
 Tinea flava or Tinea versicolor
 Locally
known as an-an
 Caused by Malazzesia furfur
 Treatment: 1% selenium sulfide every other day

 Tinea nigra
 Caused by Exophila wernickii
 Blackish, macular area on plums and soles
 Removed mechanically or chemically

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 Piedra
 Black, hard nodules formed around hair shaft
 Caused by Piedra hortae (in scalp)
 Caused by Trichosporum cutaneum (in
axillary hair, pubic hair, beard, scalp)

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Systemic Mycosis
 Coccidioidomycosis
 Caused by Coccidioides imitis
 Transmitted by inhalation of spores causing
influenza-like or tuberculosis-like symptoms
 aka Posada’s disease, San Joaquin Valley
Fever

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Coccidioides immitis

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 Histoplasmosis
 Caused by Histoplasma capsulatum
 Acquired by inhalation of conidia
 Causes cavitary lesions in the lungs (TB like)
 Management: Amphotericin B

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Histoplasma capsulatum

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 Blastomycosis
 Caused by Blastomyces dermatitidis
 Usually mild and self limiting
 Involves the skin when disseminated causing
ulcerated, verrucous granulomas
 aka Chicago’s disease, Gilchrist’s disease
 Management: ketoconazole

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 Blastomyces dermatitidis

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 Blastomyces dermatitidis

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 Paracoccidioidomycosis
 Caused by Paracoccidioides braziliensis
 Predominantly in Latin America
 Inhalation of spores primarily affecting the
lungs
 May become disseminated
 Management: Ketoconazole

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Opportunistic Mycoses

 Candidiasis
 Caused by Candida albicans
 Normal flora of the respiratory tract, GIT,
female genital tract

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 Candida albicans

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 Cryptococcosis
 Caused by Cryptococcus neoformans
 Inhalation of spores from fungal growth in
pigeon droppings
 May infect lungs but the patient is
asymptomatic
 Symptoms appear when the CNS is involved
(meningitis)

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 Cryptococcus neoformans

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6. Cryptococcus Neoformans

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 Aspergillosis
 Caused by Aspergillus fumigatus or A. flavum
 Found in decaying vegetation
 Aspergillus may produce aflatoxin in food and
acan acuse liver cancer
 “Fungus balls” are pathognomonic of
pulmonary aspergillosis

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Aspergillus fumigatus

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 • Genus/Species: Aspergillus fumjigatus • Title: Uniseriate fruiting heads
• Image Type: Microscopic Morphology • Disease(s): Aspergillosis

• Legend: Smooth conidiophores, dome-shaped vesicles, and a row of phialides (uniseriate) bearing smooth conidia in
a columnar fashion. Nomarski optics, 450X.

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Aspergillus flavus

• Genus/Species: Aspergillus flavus • Slide Reference #: GK 045

• Image Type: Macroscopic Morphology • Disease(s): Aspergillosis

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Aspergillus flavus
• Genus/Species: Aspergillus flavus • Title: Conidial arrangement
• Image Type: Microscopic Morphology • Disease(s): Aspergillosis

• Legend: Phialides are on metula. Differential interference contrast microscopy, 630X.

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Aspergillus flavus

• Genus/Species: Aspergillus flavus • Title: Biseriate fruiting head

• Image Type: Microscopic Morphology • Disease(s): Aspergillosis

• Legend: Rough conidiophore, globose vesicle, metulae, phialides, and smooth conidia of A. flavus.
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 Zygomycosis (Mucormycosis,
Phycomycosis)
 Caused by Mucor sp. and Rhizopus sp.
 Invades and proliferates in the blood vessel
walls leading to thrombosis

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Rhizopus oryzae

• Genus/Species: Rhizopus oryzae • Slide Reference #: GK 586

• Image Type: Macroscopic Morphology • Disease(s): Systemic Zygomycosis

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Rhizopus oryzae

• Genus/Species: Rhizopus oryzae • Slide Reference #: GK 587

• Image Type: Microscopic Morphology • Disease(s): Systemic Zygomycosis

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Rhizopus oryzae

• Genus/Species: Rhizopus oryzae • Slide Reference #: GK 588

• Image Type: Microscopic Morphology • Disease(s): Systemic Zygomycosis

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Rhizopus microsporus

• Genus/Species: Rhizopus microsporus • Slide Reference #: GK 008

• Image Type: Microscopic Morphology • Disease(s): Zygomycosis

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Rhizopus microsporus var rhizopodiformis

• Genus/Species: Rhizopus microsporus • Title: Characteristic sporangial production

var rhizopodiformis • Disease(s): Zygomycosis
• Image Type: Microscopic Morphology
• Legend: Nodal rhizoids, short, non-branched brown sporangiophores, sporangia, and sporangiospores.
Potato flakes slide culture. Color enhanced.

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Rhizopus sp.

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