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Introduction To Fungi

This document provides an introduction to fungi, including their characteristics, classification, morphology, pathogenicity, diagnosis, and useful properties. It outlines that fungi are a diverse group of organisms classified based on their reproduction methods. Their structures can include yeast, hyphae, and mycelium. Some fungi are pathogens that can cause superficial, subcutaneous, or systemic infections in humans, especially in immunocompromised individuals. Fungi are diagnosed through microscopic examination, culture, and other tests and treated with antifungal agents.

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154 views

Introduction To Fungi

This document provides an introduction to fungi, including their characteristics, classification, morphology, pathogenicity, diagnosis, and useful properties. It outlines that fungi are a diverse group of organisms classified based on their reproduction methods. Their structures can include yeast, hyphae, and mycelium. Some fungi are pathogens that can cause superficial, subcutaneous, or systemic infections in humans, especially in immunocompromised individuals. Fungi are diagnosed through microscopic examination, culture, and other tests and treated with antifungal agents.

Uploaded by

Anglophile123
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Introduction to Fungi

Classification, Morphology and


Pathogenicity
Outlines
• Characteristics of Fungus
• Classification of fungi
• morphology and structure
• Pathogenicity
• Diagnosis
• Useful Properties of Fungi
 Diverse group of chemo heterotrophs
 Over 100,000 fungal species identified
 Only about 100 are human or animal pathogens
 Saprophytes – Digest dead organic matter
 Parasites –Obtain nutrients from tissues of organisms
 Most are aerobes or facultative anaerobes
 yeast
 Hyphae
 Mycelium
 molds or filamentous fungi
 Aerial Mycelium
 Vegetative mycelium
Reproduction in fungi
A. Sexual
Formation of Zygospore, ascospores or basidiospores
B. Asexual reproduction
Budding or fission
Asexual spores
Formed on or in specialized structures
• Eukaryotes
 Nucleus and Cell walls composed of chitin

• Eumycetes (True fungi)


• Classified by method of reproduction
1. Zygomycetes
2. Basidomycetes
3. Ascomycetes
4. Deuteromycetes
• Depending on Morphology
A. Yeasts
B. Yeast like fungi
C. Molds
D. Dimorphic fungi
• Unicellular, Nucleated rounded fungi
• Reproduce by budding
• Grow partly as yeasts and partly as
elongated cells resembling hyphae which
are called pseudo hyphae
• e.g. Candida albicans
• Multicellular, Filamentous with hyphae
• Produce conidia [spores]
• Occur in 2 forms:
 Molds (Filaments)
 Yeasts

• Most fungi causing systemic infections are


dimorphic:
 Histoplasma capsulatum
 Blastomyces dermatidis
A. Superficial mycosis
B. Subcutaneous mycosis
C. Systemic mycosis
• Primary pathogens
• Opportunistic pathogens
• Use of Antibiotics
• Use of steroids
• Immunosuppressive conditions
• Microscopic examination
• Culture
• Other tests
• Most antifungal agent are for topical use
• Few administrated systemically

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