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Aspergillus and Other Opportunistic Molds
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Aspergillus and Other Opportunistic Molds
Aspergillus and Other Opportunistic Molds
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1
Question
What are opportunistic mycoses?
Page 1
Answer
Saprophytic fungal microorganisms that are difficult to diagnose and cause tissue invasion in immunocompromised individuals.
2
Question
How are opportunistic mycoses typically acquired?
Page 1
Answer
Through construction, demolition, remodeling, and hospital visits.
3
Question
What are the three clinical settings for Aspergillus infections?
Page 1
Answer
Allergic reaction (allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis), toxin production (aflatoxin and veterinary disease), and opportunistic infection.
4
Question
How does Aspergillus primarily infect humans?
Page 1
Answer
By inhalation of spores or conidia, starting as pulmonary infection in immunocompromised patients that progressively disseminates.
5
Question
What laboratory test uses beta-D-glucan for Aspergillus identification?
Page 1
Answer
Antigen protein-based assay in serum.
6
Question
What is the typical growth rate for Aspergillus species in culture?
Page 1
Answer
Rapid growth, usually maturing in about 3 days.
7
Question
What temperature tolerance distinguishes Aspergillus fumigatus?
Page 1
Answer
Thermotolerant, able to withstand up to 45°C.
8
Question
What are the surface and reverse colony colors of Aspergillus fumigatus?
Page 1
Answer
Surface: blue-green to gray; Reverse: white to tan.
9
Question
What are the surface and reverse colony colors of Aspergillus flavus?
Page 1
Answer
Surface: yellow-green; Reverse: goldish to red-brown.
10
Question
What are the surface and reverse colony colors of Aspergillus niger?
Page 1
Answer
Surface: dark pigment to black; Reverse: white to yellow.
11
Question
What are the surface and reverse colony colors of Aspergillus terreus?
Page 1
Answer
Surface: tan to cinnamon brown; Reverse: white to brown.
12
Question
What are the surface and reverse colony colors of Aspergillus clavatus?
Page 1
Answer
Surface: blue-green; Reverse: white, brownish with age.
13
Question
What are the surface and reverse colony colors of Aspergillus glaucus?
Page 1
Answer
Surface: green with yellowish areas; Reverse: white to yellowish to brown.
14
Question
What are the surface and reverse colony colors of Aspergillus nidulans?
Page 2
Answer
Surface: green, buff to yellow; Reverse: purplish red to olive.
15
Question
What are the surface and reverse colony colors of Aspergillus versicolor?
Page 2
Answer
Surface: white to yellow, tan, pale green or pink; Reverse: white to yellow or purplish red.
16
Question
What are the key microscopic features common to Aspergillus species?
Page 2
Answer
Septate hyphae with unbranched conidiophore from a foot cell; vesicles with phialides (radiate or columnar head); phialides uniseriate or biseriate; conidia in radial chains.
17
Question
Describe the vesicle and phialides/conidia of Aspergillus fumigatus microscopically.
Page 2
Answer
Large, dome-shaped vesicle; bottle-shaped phialides covering upper half or two-thirds; long chains of small, spherical, rough-walled green conidia.
18
Question
What distinguishes the microscopic features of Aspergillus flavus?
Page 2
Answer
Globose vesicle; uniseriate or biseriate phialides; short chains of yellow-orange elliptical or spherical conidia.
19
Question
What are the microscopic conidiophores and conidia of Aspergillus niger?
Page 2
Answer
Spherical vesicle; large metulae and smaller phialides (biseriate); long chains of brown to black, rough-walled conidia.
20
Question
Describe the phialides and conidia arrangement in Aspergillus terreus.
Page 2
Answer
Hemispherical vesicle; phialides cover entire surface from metulae (biseriate); globose to elliptical conidia in chains; produces aleurioconidia on submerged hyphae.
21
Question
What macroscopic features characterize Fusarium species colonies?
Page 2
Answer
Rapid growth; fluffy to cottony; pink, purple, yellow, green; reverse colorless, tan, red, purple, brown.
22
Question
What are the key microscopic features of Fusarium species?
Page 2
Answer
Small septate hyphae giving rise to phialides; sickle- or boat-shaped, multi-celled macroconidia.
23
Question
What distinguishes Geotrichum candidum microscopically from other yeasts?
Page 2
Answer
Septate hyphae with numerous rectangular to cylindrical to barrel-shaped arthroconidia; arthroconidia do not alternate, blastoconidia absent.
24
Question
Describe the macroscopic appearance of Geotrichum candidum colonies.
Page 2
Answer
Rapid growth; white to cream, yeastlike or white, dry, powdery like ground-glass.
25
Question
What is the microscopic morphology of Acremonium species?
Page 2
Answer
Small septate hyphae.
26
Question
What are the colony characteristics of Penicillium species?
Page 3
Answer
Rapid growth; white to shades of green or blue-green, to pink velvety to powdery; reverse pale to yellowish.
27
Question
What microscopic features define Penicillium species?
Page 3
Answer
Septate hyphae; brush-like conidiophores; flask-shaped phialides with chains of conidia; single, unbranched, tubelike phialides with elliptical, single-celled conidia in gelatinous cluster at tip.
28
Question
What macroscopic features describe Paecilomyces species colonies?
Page 3
Answer
Rapid growth; velvety, tan to olive brown, somewhat powdery.
29
Question
Describe the conidiophores and phialides of Paecilomyces species.
Page 3
Answer
Septate hyphae; branched conidiophores; phialides swollen at base, long and tapered; chains of conidia like staphylococci.
30
Question
What color characterizes Purpureocillium lilacinum colonies?
Page 3
Answer
Lilac exhibiting shades of lavender to pink.