Virology and Mycology

(MDU4307)
Virology and Mycology (MDU4307)

Agents of Phaeohyphomycosis

R. S. R. Rajakulasooriya

Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences

R. S. R. Rajakulasooriya
Faculty of Health Sciences, The Open University of Sri Lanka
B.Sc. in MLS (USJP)
Dept. of MLS, Faculty of Health Sciences
Open University of Sri Lanka

Date:13th November 2023 1

 Agents
of
Phaeohyphomycosis

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Phaeohyphomycosis

•Brown pigmented moulds causing

•subcutaneous and deep-seated
infections.

•Differ from chromoblastomycosis

• these agents adopt a septate
mycelial form in tissues.

•The common feature

• melanin in their cell walls giving a
dark color to their conidia and
hyphae.

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 Geographical distribution

• Worldwide

Habitat

Phaeohyphomycosis • Soil and decomposing plant debris

Mode of transmission

• Inhalation or traumatic implantation

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 Common agents are;
•Alternaria species -
Alternaria alternata
Agents of
Phaeohyphomycosis •Bipolaris species -
Bipolaris spicifera
•Curvularia species -
Curvularia lunata
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Laboratory Identification
•Specimens
• skin scrapings and/or biopsy
• sputum and bronchial washings
• cerebrospinal fluid
• pleural fluid
• blood
• tissue biopsies from various visceral organs

•Investigations
• Direct microscopy and culture.
• Sometimes serological tests and histopathological
tests
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Laboratory Identification cont.

Direct Microscopy
• Skin scrapings, sputum, bronchial washings and
aspirates - examined using 10% KOH
• Exudates and body fluids should be centrifuged and the
sediment examined using 10% KOH
• Tissue sections should be stained using H&E, PAS, and
Grocott's methenamine silver (GMS)

• The presence of brown pigmented, branching septate

hyphae.

• Direct microscopy or histopathology does not offer a

specific identification of the causative agent

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Direct microscopy

H&E GMS
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 Laboratory Culture
Identification
cont.
• Clinical specimens should be inoculated onto
Sabouraud's dextrose agar and incubated at 260C for
2 weeks

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 Laboratory Identification
Alternaria alternata

A B

A: The colonies are usually black, olivaceous-black or sometimes grey.

B: The conidia are formed in acropetal, often branched chains and are obclavate, obpyriform, ovoid or
ellipsoidal with upto 8 transverse and several longitudinal or oblique septa. It has a conical or
cylindrical beak which is about 1/3rd the length of the conidium. It is pale to golden brown in colour10

Bipolaris spicifera
Spreading, floccose to hairy,
greyish –yellow to olivaceous
Laboratory Identification cont.
Conidia are formed acrogenously and singly from the tip of the
conidiophore. They are short cylindrical or ovoid, uniformly
rounded at both ends. Conidia are typically 3 celled or
occasionally 3-4 celled
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Curvularia lunata
Colonies are fast growing,
suede-like
to downy, brown to blackish brown
with a black reverse
Laboratory Identification cont.
Conidia are ellipsoidal, often curved or lunate, rounded at the ends
or sometimes tapering, pale brown, medium reddish brown to dark
brown, usually 3 septa, subterminal cell swollen and distinctly
larger than the other cells, conidial wall smooth to verrucose.
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