Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Ministry of Higher Education

King Faisal University
College of Applied Medical Sciences
Nursing Department
Microbiology (ASCC 3102202)
2nd year, 2020, WEEK : 4

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 Course syllabus

4.Introduction to Mycology

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 Specific objectives:
At the end of the class students will be able to:
 Define Fungus
 Explain mycology
 Describe the structure of fungus
 Discuss opportunistic infections
 Discuss the general properties of fungus
 Explain fungal reproduction
 Discuss mycoses

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 FUNGUS
Fungi are eukaryotic protista; differ from
bacteria and other prokaryotes.
1. Cell walls containing chitin (rigidity & support),
mannan & other polysaccharides
2. Cytoplasmic membrane contains ergosterols
3. Possess true nuclei with nuclear
membrane & paired chromosomes.
4. Divide asexually, sexually or by both
5. Unicellular or multicellular

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 MYCOLOGY
• • Mykes (Greek word) : Mushroom
• Mycology is the branch of biology that deals with
the study of fungi.
• It includes the research of their genetic and
biochemical properties, and their use in medicine
and food along with their hazards.

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 Characteristics of Fungus

• Diverse group of chemo heterotrophs

– > 90,000 known species
• Saprophytes
– Digest dead organic matter.
• Parasites
– Obtain nutrients from tissues of organisms
• Molds & mushrooms are multicellular
• Yeasts are unicellular
 Most fungi are aerobes or facultative anaerobes.
 Only about 100 are human or animal pathogens.
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Fungus Everywhere

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Bread mold

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 How the fungi are nourished
• All are chemo heterotrophs

• Absorption of nutrients: powerful Exoenzyme secreted

• Grow at lower pH-5, than bacteria

• Grow in high salt and sugar

• Metabolize complex carbohydrates like lignin in wood.

Known as ‘Decomposers’ as fungi can break down dead
animals and plants 9
 CHARACTERISTICS OF FUNGI
Dimorphic Fungi
• Two forms of growth
 Can exist as both multicellular fungi (molds) and unicellular
yeasts.

• Many pathogenic species

 Mold form produces aerial and vegetative hyphae
 Yeast form reproduces by budding

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 Dimorphism in pathogenic fungi typically
depends on temperature:
 At 37oC: Yeast form
 At 25oC: Mold form

 Dimorphism in nonpathogenic fungi may

depend on other factors: Carbon dioxide
concentration.

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 Opportunistic infections

• Most human fungal infections are nosocomial

and/or occur in immunocompromised
individuals (opportunistic infections).

• Opportunistic mycoses not typically affect

healthy individuals because the fungi lack genes
for virulence factors.

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 Opportunistic infections…Predisposing factors

• Use of Antibiotics
• Use of Steroids
• Immunosuppressive conditions .
AIDS, Diabetes, cancer

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 Understanding the Structure of Fungi

– Yeast are unicellular, nucleated rounded fungi while

molds are multicellular, filamentous fungi
– Yeast reproduce by a process called budding while
molds produce spores to reproduce
– Some yeast are opportunistic pathogens in that they
cause disease in immuno-compromised individuals
– Yeast are used in the preparation in the variety of
foods
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 Structure of Fungus
• Yeast :- Unicellular budding yeast

• Hypha :- Elongation of apical cell produces a

tubular, thread like structure called hypha. Hyphae
may be septate or nonseptate.

• Mycelium :- Tangled mass of hyphae is called

mycelium. Fungi producing mycelia are called molds
or filamentous fungi.

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 Mycelium
Mass of branching intertwined hyphae
a. Vegetative Mycelium- hyphae that penetrate the
supporting medium and absorb nutrients
b. Aerial Mycelium- hyphae projects above the
surface of medium and bear the reproductive
structure called conidia.

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 Classification of fungi

1.MORPHOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION

2.SYSTEMATIC CLASSIFICATION

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 CLASSIFICATION
1.Depending on cell morphology

1. Yeasts

2. Yeast like fungi

3. Molds

4. Dimorphic fungi

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 1. Yeasts
-These occur in the form of round
or oval bodies
-Unicellular fungi which reproduce
by budding

• On culture -
produce smooth, creamy colonies
e. g Cryptococcus neoformans
(capsulated yeast

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Yeast colonies

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 Cryptococcus neoformans

INDIA INK • CAPSULE

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 2. Yeast like fungi

Pseudohyphae
• Grow partly as yeasts and
partly as elongated cells
resembling hyphae which
are called pseudo hyphae.

e.g. Candida albicans

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 3.Molds or Filamentous Fungi
• Colonies are strongly adherent to the medium and
unlike most bacterial colonies cannot be emulsified in
water
• The surface of these colonies may be velvety,
powdery,
or may show a cottony aerial mycelium.
• Reproduce by the formation of different types of
Spores
• Example: Dermatophytes, Aspergillus, Penicillium,
Mucor, Rhizopus 23
 3.Molds or Filamentous Fungi….
Mycelium: Septate Mycelium: non septate

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 4. Dimorphic fungi

• Occur in 2 forms
Molds (Filaments) – 25 0C (soil)
Yeasts – 37 0C (in host tissue)

Most fungi causing systemic

infections are dimorphic:
• – Histoplasma capsulatum
• – Blastomyces dermatidis
• –– Penicillium marneffei
• – Sporothrix schenkii *
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 2.Systematic classification
• Based on sexual spore formation: 4 classes
1. Zygomycetes

2. Ascomycetes reproduce sexually

3. Basidiomycetes

4. Deuteromycetes (fungi imperfectii)

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 1.Zygomycetes
• Lower fungi
• Broad, nonseptate hyphae
• Asexual spores -
Sporangiospores:
present within a swollen
sac- like structure called
Sporangium

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 1.Zygomycetes… Cont..
• Sexual spores -
Zygospore: a
resting, thick
walled cell in
between hyphae
e.g. Rhizopus,
Mucor

VIDEO
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 2.Ascomycetes
• Sexual spores called
ascospores are present
within a sac like
structure called Ascus.
• Several asci may be
seen within a fruiting
body as seen in
Penicillium, Aspergillus
• Each ascus has 4 to 8
ascospores… 30
 2.Ascomycetes…
• Includes both yeasts & filamentous fungi
Narrow, septate hyphae
Asexual spores are called conidia borne on
Conidiophore
Examples: Penicillium, Aspergillus

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 3.Basidiomycetes
• Sexual fusion results in the formation of a bulb
shaped organ called base or basidium which bear
spores called basidiospores
• Examples: Cryptococcus neoformans, mushrooms

Basidiomycota: fungal division contains both poisonous and edible

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mushrooms
 4.Deuteromycetes
or Fungi imperfectii
• Group of fungi whose sexual phases are not
identified.
• Reproduction :Budding
• Grow as molds as well as yeasts.
• Most fungi of medical importance belong
to this class
• Examples: Coccidioides immitis,
Candida albicans

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 REPRODUCTION OF FUNGI
1. VEGITATIVE : BINARY FISSION, FRAGMENTATION, AND
BUDDING
2.SEXUAL : SPORES-
• ASCOSPORES, BASIDIOSPORES, ZYGOSPORES

3.ASEXUAL: SPORES-
CONIDIA/ ZOOSPORES/SPORANGIOSPORES

• Spores*: produced by distinct structure-fruiting bodies

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 Sexual spores
• Sexual spore is formed by
fusion of cells and
meiosis as in all forms of
higher life
• Ascospores
– Ascus
– Ascocarp
• Basidiospores
• Zygospores

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 Asexual spores

These spores are produced by mitosis

1. Vegetative spores

2. Aerial spores

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 Vegetative spores
• Blastospores: These
are formed by budding from
parent cell, as in yeasts
• Arthrospores – formed
by segmentation &
condensation of hyphae
• Chlamydospores –
thick walled resting spores
developed by rounding up
and thickening of hyphal
segments. 37
 Aerial spores
1.Conidiospores
Spores borne externally on
sides or tips of hyphae are
called conidiospores or
simply conidia
2. Microconidia- conidia are
small and single
3. Macroconidia- conidia are
large
4. Sporangiospores- spores
forms within the
sporangiophores.
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Pictures of fungi on Lactophenol Cotton Blue 
LPCB mount

Aspergillus Penicillium
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 Fungal Diseases
• Mycosis- fungal infection
– < 100 cause human disease
– Not highly contagious
–Humans acquire from nature
• Groups based on degree on tissue involvement and
mode of entry
• Cutaneous mycoses-dermatophytes
– Epidermis, hair & nails
– Contagious-direct or indirect contact
– Secrete keratinase that degrades keratin
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 Mycoses
• Superficial

• Cutaneous

• Subcutaneous

•Systemic

• Opportunistic
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 Fungal Infections/ Mycoses
• Superficial mycoses:
– 2 types: surface and cutaneous mycoses
– Skin, hair & nails.
– Mild but chronic disease
• Deep mycoses:
– 2 types: subcutaneous & systemic mycoses
– Caused by soil saprophytes
– Infection is accidental
– Range from a symptomatic infection to fatal
disease
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 Superficial: Surface mycoses

• Live exclusively on dead surfaces of skin and its

appendages
• No contact with living tissue, hence no
inflammatory response
1. Tinea versicolor
2. Tinea nigra
3. Piedra

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 Superficial: Cutaneous mycoses

Cornified layer of skin & its appendages

• Contact with living tissue, hence inflammatory &
allergic responses seen

1. Dermatophytes – skin, hair & nails

2. 3 genera - Trichophyton
Microsporum
Epidermophyton
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 Deep mycoses
Subcutaneous mycoses • Systemic mycoses

1. Mycotic Mycetoma 1. Cryptococcoses

2. Chromoblastomycoses 2. Blastomycosis
3. Sporotrichosis 3. Coccidioidomycoses
4. Rhinosporidiosis 4. Histoplasmoses

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 Opportunistic infections
• Patients with debilitating disease, altered
physiological state
• Eg:
– Aspergillus: most commonly cause pulmonary disease
-Candidia
– Pencillium
– Mucor
– Rhizopus
• Produce serious & fatal infections

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 Candidiasis
• Caused by candida sps, forms a bridge between
superficial & deep mycoses as it can cause
cutaneous as well as systemic infections
• Can also cause opportunistic infections.
• predisposing factors for candidiasis
 AIDS
 diabetes
 Cancer

Candidiasis Manifestations: a raised, red, skin rash

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Useful Properties of Fungi

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Useful Properties of Fungi

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 Diagnosis/Treatment

• Grown in medium that selects for fungal growth

– Grow at 25 C and 37 C
• KOH preparations of skin biopsies
– Dissolves keratin in skin scrapings or biopsies
– Leaves only fungal cells
• Therapy- Amphotericin B or Ketoconazole
(-Allylamines: antifungal drugs inhibits an enzyme in
egosterol synthesis)//

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 PRACTICE TEST
Each of the following statements concerning Candida
albicans is correct except

a. C. albicans is a budding yeast that forms

psuedohyphae when it invades tissue
b. C. albicans causes thrush
c. C. albicans is transmitted primarily by respiratory
aerosol
d. Impaired cell mediated immunity is an important
predisposing factor to disease
ANS: C 54
• A true fungal pathogen must exhibit what characteristic?

A)Produce spores

B)Produce mycelia

C)Thermal dimorphism

D) Be transmitted by the respiratory route

ANS: C

• Which statement regarding the opportunistic fungal pathogens is incorrect?

A)They have a limited degree of virulence.

B)They always display thermal dimorphism.
C)They are spread by the respiratory or mucocutaneous route.
D)They stimulate only weak and short-lived immunity.
E)They are distributed worldwide.

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• ANS: B
• What are the most prevalent of all fungal infections?
A)Dermatophytoses
B)Histoplasmosis
C)Candidiasis
D)Cryptococcosis
E)Coccidioidomycosis
• ANS: A
• What component of the fungi is most involved in initiating
mycoses?
A)Mycelia
B)Hyphae
C)Spores
D)Rhizoids
E)Yeasts
ANS: C 56
• Which fungus causes mycoses of the hair, skin,
and nails?

A)Cryptococcus
B)Aspergillis
C)Sporothrix
D)Blastomyces
E)All dermatophytes

• ANS: E

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• What is the Latin name that corresponds to athlete's foot?
A)Tinea corporis
B)Tinea pedia
C)Tinea barbae
D)Tinea cruris
• ANS: B

What is the causative agent of athlete's foot?

A)Candida albicans
B)Epidermophyton
C)Coccidioides
D)Microsporum
E)Trichophyton
• ANS:E 58
• What is the reservoir for Cryptococcus neoformans?
A)Humans
B)Soil
C)Rodents
D)Birds
E)Pigs
• ANS: D
Who typically develops Pneumocystis carinii infections?
A)People with deficient immune systems
B)Middle aged men
C)Infants
D)Rose gardeners
E)IV drug users
• ANS: A 59
• Your patient complains of an “itching rash” on her
abdomen. On examination, you find that the lesions
are red, circular, with a vesiculated border and a
healing central area. You suspect tinea corporis. Of
the following choices, the MOST appropriate
laboratory procedure to make the diagnosis is:
A. Potassium hydroxide mount of skin scrapings.
B. Fourfold rise in antibody titer against the organism
C. Fluorescent antibody stain of the vesicle fluid
D. Giemsa stain for multinucleated giant cells

ANS: A 60
• Infection with dermatophyte is most often associated with
a. intravenous drug abuse
b. inhalation of the organism from contaminated bird feces
c. adherence of the organism to perspiration moist skin
d. Fecal-oral transmission
ANS:C
Where do Aspergillus infections usually occur?
A)Skin
B)Mouth
C)Gastrointestinal tract
D)Kidneys
E)Lungs
ANS: E
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 CONCLUSION

ANY QUESTIONS?

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