DESCRIPTIONS OF MEDICAL FUNGI
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52<br />
Descriptions of Medical Fungi<br />
Chrysosporium Corda<br />
Species of Chrysosporium are occasionally isolated from skin and nail scrapings,<br />
especially from feet, but because they are common soil saprophytes they are usually<br />
considered contaminants. There are about 70 species of Chrysosporium, several are<br />
keratinolytic with some also being thermotolerant, and cultures may closely resemble<br />
some dermatophytes, especially Trichophyton mentagrophytes. Some strains may<br />
also resemble cultures of Histoplasma and Blastomyces.<br />
Morphological Description: Colonies are moderately fast growing, flat, white to tan<br />
to beige in colour, often with a powdery or granular surface texture. Reverse pigment<br />
absent or pale brownish-yellow with age. Hyaline, one-celled conidia are produced<br />
directly on vegetative hyphae by non-specialised conidiogenous cells. Conidia are<br />
typically pyriform to clavate with truncate bases and are formed either intercalary<br />
(arthroconidia), laterally (often on pedicels) or terminally.<br />
Molecular Identification: Chrysosporium is phylogenetically heterogeneous; the<br />
polyphyletic origin of the genus was first demonstrated by Vidal et al. (2000) on the basis<br />
of ITS sequences, and further elaborated by Stchigel et al. (2014). ITS sequencing can<br />
assist in identification of clinical isolates.<br />
Chrysosporium tropicum Carmichael<br />
Morphological Descriptions: Colonies are flat, white to cream-coloured with a<br />
very granular surface. Reverse pigment absent or pale brownish-yellow with age.<br />
Microscopically, conidia are numerous, hyaline, single-celled, clavate to pyriform,<br />
smooth, slightly thick-walled (6-7 x 3.5-4 µm), and have broad truncate bases and<br />
pronounced basal scars. The conidia are formed at the tips of the hyphae, on short or<br />
long lateral branches, or sessile along the hyphae (intercalary). No macroconidia or<br />
hyphal spirals are seen. RG-2 organism.<br />
References: Carmichael (1962), Rebell and Taplin (1970), Sigler and Carmichael<br />
(1976), van Oorschot (1980), Domsch et al. (2007), de Hoog et al. (2000, 2015).<br />
a<br />
10 μm<br />
Chrysosporium tropicum (a) culture and (b) typical pyriform to clavate-shaped conidia<br />
with truncated bases which may be formed either intercalary, laterally or terminally.<br />
b