Fungus infections:

Category Comment
Organisms type eukaryotic organisms
Environment type aerobes & facultative Never strict 
anaerobes anaerobes.

Place living Soil, water & air (Most of Except Candida 

fungus) albicans which is
part of human normal
flora

Uses of Fungus 1- Fermentation (bread,

wine, soya sauce)
2- Producing antibiotics
(Penicillin)
3- Medicinal Mushrooms
Fungus harms 1-cause human disease
(Mycosis)
2-cause damage to food&
fabric
3- plant diseases (major
cause)

Fungul organisms 1- Molds e.g. Aspergillus Molds are:

2- Yeast Multicellular
3- Dimorphic fungi  Has Long filament (hyphae)
e.g. Histoplasma Mass of hyphae (mycelium)

Dimorphic fungi can be:

1-Yeast at 37 C (in living
organism)
2- Molds at 25 C

Reproduction Asexual spores A: Blastoconidia and

pseudohyphae(Candida).
B: Chlamydospores
(Candida).
C: Arthrospores
(Coccidiodes).
D: Sporangia and
sporangiospores (Mucor).
E:Microconidia
(Aspergillus).
 F: Microconidia and
macroconidia
(Microsporum).

Morphological forms 1.hyphae: individual thread

(septate or nonsepetate)
2. Mycelium: A mat 
of thin, tangled
threads
3. yeast form (budding)
4. pseudo mycelium
Fungus diseases Most are not  A risk factor is the level of
communicability communicable hand-hygiene of healthcare
except Dermatophyte workers.
infections
(ringworm) and Vaginal candidiasis: male
Candidiasis partners are mostly
 asymptomatic – Exact
reservoir unknown but
considered to be human to
human via droplet aerosol.

LABORATORY Direct microscopic 

DIAGNOSIS examination
Culture of the 
organism
DNA probe tests 
Serologic tests. 

Treatment Antifungal: different 

classes.
Surgery: sometimes 
necessary.
Modification of risk 
factors.
Clean environment. 
Fungi structure components:
Definite nucleus enclosed by a nuclear 
membrane (contains
DNA & RNA)

Ribosome similar to humans

Fungal cell membrane

Fungal cell wall Consist primarily of:

Chitin: not peptidoglycan

It is a polysaccharide (long
chains of N-
acetylglucosamine)

And contains other

polysaccharides:
β-glucan: long polymer of d-
glucose and it is the site of
action of the antifungal drug
caspofungin

Ergosterol Functions:
1. Protects cytoplasm
 2. Regulates the intake &
secretion of nutrients
3. Facilitates capsule and cell
wall synthesis

Fungi are insensitive to certain antibiotics:

Penicillins
Cephalosporins
Because it inhibit peptidoglycan synthesis

Classification of medical mycoses:

cutaneous subcutaneous systemic opportunistic

Other name Dermatophytoses Sporotrichosis

(tinea, ringworm)

Type& Chronic 1.Caused by fungi (in Caused spores 1. 

cause of infections soil and vegetation) of dimorphic fungi Cryptococcus
infection that have neoformans
2. caused by spores of their mold forms in 2. Candida spp 
mold the soil 3. 
Aspergillus spp
 Require a
compromised host li
(cancer, organ
transplantation,
surgery, and AIDS)
to cause infection

Occurrence Warm& humid 1.introduced  Introduced to internal

area areas of the body into organs by inhalation
subcutaneous of spores
tissue
through trauma.

2. introduced into the

skin by a thorn

Terminology According 
to the
affected
body part

Tinea + site of
infection

Appearance Ringworm: Causes a local 

inflamed circular pustule or ulcer
border containing with nodules
papules and along the
vesicles draining
surrounding a lymphatics.
clear area of
relatively normal
skin.
Tinea: Red, scaly,
rash, with central
clearing &
migrating
margins
Examples of 1. Tinea Corporis 1. 
diseases (body) Histoplasmosis
2. Tinea capitus:
(scalp & hair)
3. Tinea cruris 2. lung infections:
(perineum) asymptomatic and
self-limited
 4. Tinea pedis
(athletes foot)

5. Tinea ungium
(nail)
6. Tinea barbae(
beard&
moustache)

Disease name causes Symptomps/ comments Treatmen

appearance
Tinea  Malassezia  Appear as  occurs more frequently in Treatmen
Versicolor furfur hypopigmented hot, humid weather topical m
areas and have a tendency to
recur
skin discoloration

Tinea Nigra Cladosporium brownish spot It infect the 

werneckii caused by keratinized layers
(in soil the melanin-like of the skin.
and transfer pigment in the hyphae.
during injury)

opportunistic Candida  Blood cultures Infection

mycoses albicans. grew budding yeasts Inside
(a member of the that formed germ the eye
enters normal flora tubes.
through a break in way of diagnosis
the skin) or test:
Appear like budding -Germ tube test (3h at
cells 37°C)
Observation: hyphae
emerging from a yeast-like
structure

- Gram stain
Appear like Pseudohyphae:
Chains of elongated
budding cells
or
 budding cells (Spherical to
oval)

Mucosal Predisposing White adherent

infections factors: patches on buccal
Obesity mucosa or vagina.
DM
Use of steroids
Used of
Antimicrobials
Chemotherapy
HIV
immunosuppressant

Cutaneous - yeast (fungus) Erythematous 

candida intertrigo Candida plaques with Occurrences area in
- fine erosions & (intertriginous areas):
satellite Axilla, inguinal 
nodules folds,
inflammamary area,
web space of
toes/fingers

Aspergillosis Aspergillus fever, cough, difficulty Risk factor:

Fumigatus breathing Defect in neutrophil •

Most  neutropenia due to •

frequently cytotoxic
involves the
lungs and chemotherapy •
paranasal
sinuses. systemic •
corticosteroids
Can spread from the
lungs to the brain,
kidneys, liver, heart,
and bones

How can discover the candida albicans ?

- cultivated on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) - 72 hours at 37°C
- additional cultivation 24 hours at room temperature
Appearance of candida:
Cream to white, flat or domed with a dry or waxy surface