Chapter 45: Mycology

Fungi antifungal
agents
Inhibiting cell wall
synthesis
Disrupting cell membrane
Inhibiting nucleic acid
synthesis
Disrupting microtubule
Drugs Drugs derived
Echinocandins (candins) [To inhibit Capsofungin
synthesis of 1,3-β-glucan in fungi] Anidulafungin
Micafungin
Polyenes [bind to ergosterol & Amphotericin B
membrane damage and ion leakage]
Nystatin
Azole [Inhibiting lanosterol 14-α- Imidazole (ketoconazole,
demethylase] clotrimazole, micronazole)
Triazole (fluconazole,
itraconazole)
Allylamine [Inhibiting squalene Terbinafine
epoxidase function]
Naftifine
Flucytosine [Interfering DNA 5-fluorocytosine 
synthesis] converted to 5-
fluorouracil (by cytosine)
Griseofulvin [Griseofulvin interacts
with microtubule to disrupts mitotic Griseofulvin
spindle function]

Mycosis Disease Pathogen Drugs

Superficial Pityriasis versicolor Malassezia furfur Applications of

mycosis selenium sulfide

Tinea nigra Hortaea werneckii Oral azoles

Black piedra Piedraia hortae Keratolytic solution

(salicylic acid)

White piedra Trichosporon spp.* Azole

Mycosis Disease Pathogen Notes

Cutaneou Disease Tinea pedis (athlete’s foot) Trichophyton mentagrophytes & Trichophyton rubrum
s name Tinea unguium Trichophyton rubrum
Mycosis (onychomycosis)

Tinea corporis, Tinea Trichophyton rubrum

[Dermato cruris, Tinea manus (ringworm)
phytosis*
Tinea capitis, Tinea barbae In hair follicle or scalp
(3
genera: Accord Geophilic dermatophytes Microsporum gypseum Lose the ability to produce asexual
Microspo ing to conidia
rum, ecologi
c niche Zoophilic dermatophytes Trichophyton
Trichoph mentagrophytes
yton,
Anthropophilic Trichophyton
Epiderm dermatophytes mentagrophytes
ophyton)
] Trichophyton rubrum

Identifi Smooth-walled club- Epidermophyton Not infect hair

cation shaped macroconidia
schema
Rough-walled, many-
celled macroconidia
floccosum
Microsporum canis Spindle-shaped with curved tip
Microsporum gypseum Broadly spindle-shaped with
rounded

Many microconidia; little Trichophyton Urea agar: +; Grapelike clusters

macroconidia mentagrophytes of microconidia

Trichophyton rubrum Urea agar: -; Red pigment;

Teardrop shaped microconidia
or birds on the wire

Trichophyton Urea agar: -; No red pigment;

tonsurans Microconidia are borne singly
or in cluster

Only hyphae. Conidia Trichophyton Colony is violet color

usually not present violaceum*

Trichophyton Colony is white and wrinkled

schoenleinii*

Trichophyton Colony is very slowly growing

verrucosum* colony; Produce chains of
chlamydospores
 Mycosis Disease Pathogen Notes

Subcutaneous Sporotrichosis Sporothrix schenckii Forms asteroid body; Thermally

Mycosis (Gardener's disease) dimorphic fungus

Chromoblastomycos Exophiala species Form sclerotic bodies (Medlar bodies)

is (chromomycosis)

Phaeohyphomycosi Exophiala jeanselmei

Phaeoacremonium species

Alternaria species

Curvularia species

Eumycotic Curvularia species'

mycetoma
Exophiala species'

Fusarium species'

Phaeoacremonium spp'

Systemic Histoplasmosis* Histoplasma capsulatum Produce tuberculate macroconidia

mycoses
Blastomycosis* Blastomyces dermatitidis buds attached by broad bases

Paracoccidioidomyc Paracoccidioides Yeast cells (mariner’s wheel)

osis* brasiliensis

Coccidioidomycosis Coccidioides immitis Vegetative hyphae fragment to

* produce arthroconidia

Coccidioides posadasii

Opportunistic Candidiasis Candida albicans*

mycoses
Cryptococcosis Cryptococcus neoformans

Aspergillosis

Mucormycosix Mucorales (orders)

Entomophthorales (orders)

Penicilliosis Penicillium marneffei

(Talaromyces marneffei)