Diagnosis and Identification of Opportunistic Mycoses Caused by Other Hyaline Molds

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Diagnosis and Identification of Opportunistic Mycoses Caused by Other Hyaline Molds

OrganismMacroscopic Microscopic Other Comments
Acremonium spp. Initial yeast-like; later grey to pink or reddish
Small septate hyphae produce single phialides and elliptical conidia arranged in a "diphtheroid" pattern. They can be in a gelatinous cluster.
(image courtesy of U. of Adelaide)
Rapid growing
Aspergillus fumigatus
Fluffy to granular; white to blue-green
(courtesy of U. of Adelaide)
Septate hyphae with conidiophores with L or T-shaped foot cells at the base; the tip is vesicle-shaped with conidia in long chains of small conidia; flower-like appearance
(courtesy of U. of Adelaide)
Rapid growing
Thermotolerant
Most Aspergillus species are sensitive to Amphotericin B
Aspergillus niger
Brown-black surface; reverse buff
Septate hyphae, long conidiophores, spherical vesicles from which dense aggregates of echinulate, brown-black conidia arise. They sporulate from phialides distributed around the entire circumference of the vesicle.
.
Rapid grower;
Common laboratory contaminant, especially during construction, Can occasionally cause otitis externa.
Aspergillus nidulans

Greenish to brown coloniesSpores are in cleistothecia containing asci and ascospores - they develop in and upon the conidial layer. Conidial heads are short and columnar.
red image shows cleistotheca - (courtesy of U. of Adelaide)
Seen in chronic granulomatous disease patients
Aspergillus flavus
Yellow colonies Central spherical or globus vesicles covered by a double row of sterigmata, then short chains of yellow-orange conidia. They sporulate from phialides distributed around the entire circumference of the vesicle
(courtesy of U. of Adelaide)
Rapid grower
Aspergillus terreus
Tan, cinnamon-like colonies Hemispherical vesicles; chains of spherical microconidia attached to vegetative hyphae seen in direct mount
Uncommon infections
Beauveria spp.
White smooth colony Blue cluster of sympodial single-celled conidia resembling a cluster of flowers:
(image courtesy of U. of Adelaide)
Rare infections; common lab contaminant
Fusarium spp.
Pink, orange, rose-red, other colors, fluffy to cottony
(image courtesy of U. of Adelaide)
Small septate hyphae; Multi­celled, sickle­ form macroconidia
(Fusarium dimerum complex)
(image courtesy of U. of Adelaide)
Rapid grower: Can cause mycotic keratitis
Mold is found in fermenting stored grain.
Geotrichum spp.
White/cream colored; yeast-like or powderySeptate hyphae producing rectangular or barrel-shaped, contiguous arthroconidia
Gliocladium spp. Green lawn, sometimes with a lighter border
Tight clusters of conidia supported by multiple penicillate conidiophores.
(image courtesy of U. of Adelaide)
Penicillium spp.
Blue-blue/green; other colors possible; colony lily pad shaped
(image courtesy of U. of Adelaide)
Hyaline septate hyphae produce brush-like conidiophores—blunted phialides producing chains of spherical conidia.
(image courtesy of U. of Adelaide)
Paecilomyces spp.
Velvety, tan-olive brownLong tapering phialides such as in Trichoderma spp.
(image courtesy of U. of Adelaide)
Scedosporium spp. including Scedosporium boydii, S.apiospermum, S. prolificans.
(Scedosporium boydii can also can be classified as Pseudallescheria boydii)
Mouse-grey or brown colonies
Dark, elliptical conidia, each supported by a conidiophore ("lollipops"). Spores in "cleistothecia"
S. prolificans (inflatum):
(flask-shaped swelling in the conidiophore)
Sometimes classified with dematiaceous fungi, it can cause chronic sinusitis.
Resistant to amphotericin B.
Scopulariopsis spp.
White to buff or light-brown with rubal folds
Chains of large, lemon-shaped annelloconidia in chains; similar to Penicillium, but conidia are large with a flat base
Usually a laboratory contaminant; a rare cause of disease.
Trichoderma spp.
Green lawn (similar to Gliocladium); sometimes with a lighter border Branched conidiophores bearing clusters of flask shaped, tapered phialides
(image courtesy of U. Adelaide)
Rapid growing