MICROBIAL WORLD

VIRUS
BACTERIA
FUNGI
PARASITE

MYCOLOGY

the branch of biologyconcerned

with the study of fungi, including their
geneticand biochemical properties,
their taxonomyand their use to
humansas a source
fortinder,medicine,
wine,cheese,(edible mushrooms),
andentheogens, as well as their
dangers, such aspoisoning
orinfection.

FUNGI

INTRODUCTION
Fungi are eukaryotes
Thallophytes
Nearly all multicellular
(yeasts are unicellular)
Distinguished from other
kingdoms by:
Nutrition
Structural organisation
Growth
Reproduction

FUNGAL CELL STRUCTURE

ABSORPTIVE NUTRITION ENABLES FUNGI

TO LIVE AS DECOMPOSERS AND
SYMBIONTS
Fungi are heterotrophs that acquire nutrients by absorption
Secrete hydrolytic enzymes and acids to decompose complex
molecules into simpler ones that can be absorbed
Specialised into three main types:
Saprobes - absorb nutrients from dead organic material
Parasitic fungi - absorb nutrients from cells of living hosts;
some are pathogenic
Mutualistic fungi - absorb nutrients from a host, but
reciprocate to benefit the host

2 TYPES OF FUNGI
YEASTS
it grow as single
cells that reproduce
by asexual budding

MOLDS
it grow as long as

filaments (hyphae)
and for a mat
(mycelium)

MOLDS
Rapidly growing fungus
with no sexual stages
May develop into a sexual
fungus, producing
zygosporangia, ascocarps
or basidiocarps
Moulds with no known
sexual stage are known
as Deuteromycota or
imperfect fungi:
Penicillium
Flavour for blue
cheeses

YEASTS
Unicellular: reproduce
Asexually by budding
Sexually by producing
asci or basidia
Saccharomyces cerevisiae is
most important
domesticated fungus:
Baking and brewing
Model organism
Can cause problems:
Rhodotorula: shower
curtains
Candida: thrush

EXTENSIVE SURFACE AREA AND RAPID GROWTH

ADAPT FUNGI FOR ABSORPTIVE NUTRITION

THALLUS- actively
growing vegetative
portion
Basic structural unit
of fungal vegetative
body (mycelium) is
the hyphae
HYPHAE- filaments
or threadlike fungal
structures

FUNGAL HYPHAE MAY BE

SEPTATE OR ASEPTATE

Hyphae of septate
fungi are divided into
cells by crosswalls
called septa
Hyphae of aseptate
fungi lack cross walls
(coenocytic)
Parasitic fungi have
modified hyphae
called haustoria,
which penetrate the
host tissue but
remain outside cell
membrane

MYCELIA -

MASS OR GROUP OF COUNTLESS

INTETWINED HYPHAE

AERIAL
MYCELIUM

- The part of growth

that projects above
the surface of the
substrate and produce
the spores

VEGETATIVE
MYCELIUM
The part of growth
that penetrates the
substrate and absorbs
food

IMPORTANT FUNGI ARE

THERMALLY DIMORPHIC
Exist as MOLDS in the
saprophytic, free-living state at
ambient temperature
As YEASTS in host tissue at
body temperature

REMEMBER!
Most, OBLIGATE ANAEROBES
Some, FACULTATIVE ANAEROBES
None, OBLIGATE ANAEROBES
Organic source: CARBON
Habitat: ENVIRONMENT
Candida albicans: NORMAL FLORA

FUNGAL TOXINS
AND ALLERGIES

2 KINDS OF FUNGAL DISEASE

1.Mycotoxicoses
Cause- Ingested toxins
Hepatotoxins- amanatin and phalloidin
Aflatoxin- ingested toxin produced by aspergillus flavus
(which causes liver damage and tumors in animals and
human hepatic carcinoma)
*ERGOTISM- mycotoxicosis caused by mold Claviceps purpura

2. Allergies
leads to FUNGAL SPORES
* manifested primarily by an ASTHMATIC REACTION (rapid
bronchoconstriction mediated by IgE), EOSINOPHILIA, and WHEAL AND
FLARE (immediate skin test reaction)

LABORATORY DIAGNOSIS
1. Direct microscopic examination

Specimen: sputum, lung biopsy material, skin scrapings

* specimen is treated with 10% KOH to tissue material,
leaving the alkali-resistant fungi intact
* stain: special fungal stain
Findings:
a. spherules of Coccidiodes immitis
b. wide capsule of Cryptococcus neoformans seen in
India Ink preparation of spinal fluid
2. Culture of the organism- cultured on Sabourauds agar
3. Serologic tests
- test for the presence of Abs in patients serum or spinal fluid (useful in
diagnosing systemic mycoses but less so in diagnosing other fungal
infections)
- significant RISE in the Ab titer is a confirmation of diagnosis
- COMLEMENT FIXATION TEST
- CAPSULAR Ags of Cryptococcus neofromans in the spinal fluid can be
detected by LATEX AGGLUTINATION TEST

ANTIFUNGAL THERAPY
Amphotericin B most important antifungal drug; used in the
treatment of a variety of disseminated fungal disease

MYCOSES

Mycoses - are diseases of fungal etiology

- common and a variety of environmental
and physiological conditions can contribute
to the development of fungal diseases.

4 Categories:
Cutaneous
Subcutaneous
Systemic
opportunistic

SUPERFICIAL OR CUTANEOUS MYCOSES

Are fungal infection that infects
only the superficial keratinized
structures (hair, skin & nails)

A. DERMATOMYCOSES OR DERMATOPHYTOSES

caused by fungi; most common fungal infection of human

useally refered as " TINEA " or ringworm
characterized by pruritic papules & vesicles, broken skin, brocken
nails

 Example
Tinea Corpis - ring worm of body
Tinea capitis - ring worm of scalp & hair
Tinea unguimm - ring worm of nails
Tinea pedis -ringworm of feet ( athlete's
foot)
Tinea barbae - Ringworm of beard
Tinea Cruris - ringworm of the groin

3 FUNGI OF DERMATOMYCOSES
1. Epidermophyton - Affecting skin & hair
2. Microsporum - affecting skin & hair ; Spreaded by animals like dog & cat
3. Trichophyton - affecting skin, hair & nails

LABORATORY DIAGNOSIS

Scrapings of skin or nail placed in 10% KOH () on a glass slide

show hyphae under microscopy
Culture on Sabouraud's agar at room temp develop typical hypahae
& Conidia

TREATMENT
Antifungal creams (undecylenic acid, miconazole, tolnaftate, etc)
Oral Griseofulvin

Prevention

Centers on keeping the skin dry and cool

TINEA VERSICOLOR / PITYRIASIS

VERSICOLOR
Skin disease charaterized by brownish scaly, itchy area caused
by Malassezia furfur (Pityrosporum orbicular).

Lesions are usually noticed as

hypopgmented areas especiallt on tanned
skin in the summer; lesions containg both
budding yeast cells & hyphae.
Usually the infection is asymptomatic
Occurs more frequently in hot, humid,
weather

Signs and Symptoms:

The spots are lighter (sometimes darker) than the
surrounding skin. The color of the spots can be
white, pink, salmon, red, tan, or brown.
The spots can appear anywhere on the body.
Spots can be dry and scaly.
Skin may itch where the spots appear.
Spots become more noticeable as the skin tans.
The yeast prevents the skin from tanning.
Spots grow slowly.
As the yeast grows, the spots can combine and
form patches of lighter (or darker) skin.
The spots may disappear when the temperature
drops and return in the spring or summer when
the air gets warm and humid.

Laboratory Diagnosis:
KOH (Potassium hydroxide) wet mount
Fungal culture
Wood's lamp - If the patient has tinea versicolor, the
affected skin appears yellowish green in color when looked
at with this lamp.

Treatment:
Topical miconazole
Note: but the lesions have a tendency to
recur & a permanent cure is difficult to
achieve)

TINEA NIGRA
Manisfested as light brown to blackish spot due to melanin-like pigment in
the hyphae;
Located on the palmar and plantar surfaces caused by Cladosporium or
Exophiala werneckii

 Causative agent is found in the soil & transmitted during injury.

Signs and Symptoms:

Tinea nigra causes a brownish-black patch on
the skin that:
Has an irregular shape with a darker border
May be itchy or scaly
Tends to expand over time
A tinea nigra patch may be mistaken for a
type of skin cancer.

Laboratory Diagnosis:

Microscopic examination & culture of skin

scrapings.

Treatment:
Topical keratolytic agent (example: salicylic acid)

PIEDRA
Fungal infection of the hair characterized by nodules on the
distal shaft.

HISTOPLASMA

HISTOPLASMA
Disease: Histoplasma capsulatum that causes
histoplasmosis
Properties:
is dimorphic fungus that exist as a mold in soil & as yeast in
tissue
forms 2 types of asexual spores:
tuberculate macroconidia
microcondia

 Transmission & Epidemoiology:

grows in soil and, particularly if the soil is
heavily contaminated w/ birds droppings.
Pathogenesis & Clinical Findings:
inhaled spores are engulfed by macrophages &
develop into yeast forms
in tissue, H. capsulatom occurs as an oval budding
yeast inside macrophages
the organism spread widely thoughout the body,
but most infections remain asymptomatic because
the small granulomatous foci heal by calcification.
w/ intense exposure, pneumonia may become
clinically manifest

Laboratory Diagnosis
in tissue biopsy or bone marrow aspirates, oval
yeast cells w/in macrophages are seen
microscopically
cultures on sabouraud's agar show typical
structures (ex. tuberculate macrocondria)
skin test w/ fungal extract (histoplasmin)
becomes positive (in duration) w/in 2-3 wks of
infection & remains for years.

2 serologic test to be used:

compliment fixation (CF)- 1:32 Ab titer w/ yeast phase Ags is
diagnostic
CF titers fall when disease becomes inactive & rise in
disseminated disease.

immunodiffusion (ID)- detects precipitating Abs

(precipitins) by forming 2 bands, M and H, in an agar
gel diffusion assay.
more specific but less sensitive than the CF test

Treatment and Prevention

no therapy is needed in assymptomatic or mild
primary infection.
oral ketoconazole- w/ progressive lung lesions
amphotericin B- treatment of choice in
disseminated disease
oral itraconazole- used to treat pulmonary &
disseminated disease

CRYPTOCO
CCUS

Disease: Cryptococcosis (esp cryptococcal meningitis)

- caused by Cryptococcus neoformans
Properties:
not dimorphic
yeast are oval, budding & surrounded by a wide
polysaccharide capsule
Transmission:

yeast occur widely in nature & grows abundantly in soil

containing bird droppings (esp pigeon)
human infection results from inhalation of the organism

Pathogenesis & Clinical Findings:

Lung infection = often asymptomatic/ may produce
pneumonia
Occurs mainly in immunocompromised persons (in whom
the organism disseminates to the CNS-meningitis)

LAB DX:
in spinal fluid mixed with INDIA INK
= the yeast cell is seen microscopically surrounded by
a wide unstained capsule
culture = CSF specimen
serologic test = in infected spinal fluid, CAPSULA Ag
occurs in high titer

TREATMENT AND PREVENTION:

combination of amphotericin B & flucytosin

fluconazole = used in AIDS patients for long term
suppression
no means of prevention

MUCOR AND RHIZOPUS

Mucor
Morphology: saprophytic mold
that are widely found.
characterized byhyphae growing
in and around blood vessels.
Colonies are fast-growing and
resemble white-to-gray cotton
candy, darkening with time.
No rhizoids are formed.

Disease: Mucormycosis(zygomycosis,
phycomycosis)
Causative agent: Rhizopusspecies most
common causative agent.

Pathogenesis and clinical

findings
Invade tissues of
immunocompromised host
Proloiferate in the walls of blood
vessels especially of the prenasal
sinuses, lung, or gut and result in
tissue necrosis

Laboratory diagnosis
Specimen biopsy- organism are
seen microscopically as
nonseparate hyphae with broad,
irregular walls and branches that
form more or less at right angles

Culture- shows colonies with

spore contained within an
sporagium

Treatment and prevention

If the diagnosis is made early, treatment of the
disorder, plus administration of amphotericin B
and surgical removal of necrotic infected tissue
has resulted in some emission curves.
avoid the use of contaminated medical bandages
and other equipment to prevent cutaneous
disease; frequently check the wound(s) it may
cause cutaneous mucormycosis.

Rhizopus - true fungi with welldeveloped mycelium with chitin in

their cell walls.
Disease Zygomycosis
Causative agent- Rhizopus arrhizus

Morphology
Non septate or scarcely septate
broadhyphaewith diameter ranging from 6 15
m, rhizoids, sporangiophores, sporangia, and
sporangiospores are present;

Morphology
Rhizoidsare found at the point
where the stolons and
sporangiophores meet

Pathogenesis and clinical

findings
Invade tissues of
immunocompromised host
Proloiferate in the walls of blood
vessels especially of the prenasal
sinuses, lung, or gut and result in
tissue necrosis

Treatment and
prevention
If the diagnosis is made early, treatment of the
disorder, plus administration of amphotericin B
and surgical removal of necrotic infected tissue
has resulted in some emission curves.
avoid the use of contaminated medical bandages
and other equipment to prevent cutaneous
disease; frequently check the wound(s) it may
cause cutaneous mucormycosis.

MUCOR AND RHIZOPUS DIFFERENCES

Mucor:
A common contaminant, but may cause invasive
disease.
Colonies are fast-growing and resemble white-togray cotton candy, darkening with time.
The reverse is light-colored to white.
Hyphae are wide, like otherZygomycetes, usually
approximately 6-15.
No rhizoids are formed.
Sporangiophores are long, often branch, and bear
large (50-300), round sporangia.

Rhizopus:
Although this genera can cause disease, they are also
commonly found as a contaminant.
Colonies grow rapidly and resemble cotton candy. Colonies
darken with age, becoming gray or yellow-brown. The
reverse is white.
Mycelia are marked by numerous stolons connecting groups
of long sporangiophores.
Sporangiophores are usually unbranched, long, and
terminate in a columella and a dark round sporangium
containing oval colorless to brown spores.
Stolons bear large rhizoids which are found immediately
adjacent to the sporangiophore in the nodal position.
Columella and sporangium collapse easily after discharging
spores.