Thread by @cullen_lilley

This week's #micromeded is for everyone out there who thinks micro is not the coolest thing in the world. Here is a short infographic describing the different growth patterns exhibited by #fungi: mold-/yeast-dominant or dimorphic. Created w/ @BioRender
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For #MOLDS, their growth is characterized by hyphal growth at both environmental and body temperature. For #YEASTS, their growth is characterized by bacterial-like growth (i.e.: colonies are soft with no hyphae) at both environmental and body temperature.
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For #DIMORPHIC fungi, their colony morphology changes depending on their incubation temperature. This growth pattern makes dimorphic fungi more pathogenic, so it is very important to remember your dimorphic fungi.
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Pathogenic dimorphic fungi include: Coccidioides immitis⁠, Paracoccidioides brasiliensis⁠, Penicillium (now Talaromyces) marneffei⁠, Histoplasma capsulatum⁠, Blastomyces dermatitidis⁠, Sporothrix schenckii⁠.
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The 2nd figure diagraming cell morphologies is not drawn to scale and is not 100% accurate (hard to make the structure accurate on the computer), it is meant to illustrate the dramatic changes in their cellular morphologies depending on temperature.
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For more information on the microscopic descriptions of these fungi, their antifungal resistance, and more, visit this page:
mycology.adelaide.edu.au/descriptions/
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Can you name the common name for the disease caused by Coccidioides immitis?
cc: @azmagier @nmcodispoti @pied_pipette @LibbyMiller2023 @PathLabAndrew @MLSatLoyola @loyolapathology @KMirza @IzzieVu
#micromeded