DESCRIPTIONS OF MEDICAL FUNGI

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Descriptions of Medical Fungi
Sarocladium W. Gams & D. Hawksw.
Based on a recent molecular phylogenetic study the taxonomy of Acremonium was
reviewed and some medically important species have been transferred to Sarocladium;
i.e. S. kiliense (formerly A. kiliense) and S. strictum (formerly A. strictum). Although these
genera are morphologically similar they are phylogenetically distant. Sarocladium can
be morphologically differentiated from Acremonium by its elongated phialides rising
solitary on vegetative hyphae or on conidiophores that are sparsely or repeatedly
branched, the production of abundant adelophialides and elongated conidia. (Glenn et
al. 1996, Summerbell et al. 2011, Giraldo et al. 2015).
Sarocladium strictum (W. Gams) Summerbell
Sarocladium strictum is commonly found in soil and plant debris. Cutaneous, CAPDrelated
peritonitis and invasive infections in immunosuppressed patients have been
reported.
RG-1 organism.
Morphological Description: Colonies growing rapidly, moist to slimy, pink or orange;
reverse remaining colourless or turning pink to orange. Conidiophores simple,
occasionally branched. Phialides slender, arising from submerged or slightly fasciculate
aerial hyphae, 20-65 × 1.4-2.5 μm. Submerged sporulation frequent from reduced
phialides. Conidia grouped in slimy heads, cylindrical or ellipsoidal, 3.3-5.5 × 0.9-1.8
μm, hyaline.
Molecular Identification: Summerbell et al. (2011) revised the genus and recommends
using D1/D2 sequences for phylogenetic analysis and sequence-based identification.
References: Glenn et al. (1996), Summerbell et al. (2011), Giraldo et al. (2015), de
Hoog et al. (2015).
a
b
10 µm
Sarocladium strictum (a) colony and (b) slender phialides with conidia in slimy heads.
Antifungal Susceptibility: S. strictum very limited data (Australian National data);
MIC µg/mL.
No. 32
AmB 5 1 2 2
VORI 5 1 1 1 2
POSA 5 1 2 1 1
ITRA 5 1 1 3