Cladophialophora Mold SpeciesCladophialophora species are causative agents of Chromoblastomycosis, Cerebral Phaeohyphomycosis, and Phaeohyphomycosis. (Information from www.doctorfungus.org @ 2005)
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Taxonomic Classifications
Kingdom:
Fungi
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Ecology Cladophialophora is a dematiaceous fungus primarily isolated from soil and decomposing plant materials. Some species are prevalent in tropical and sub – tropical regions.
Species
There are six species classified under the genus Cladophialophora namely, Cladophialophora carrioinii, Cladophialophora bantiana, Cladophialophora boppii, Cladophialophora arxii, and Cladophialophora devriesii.
Pathogenicity and Health Effects
Cladophialophora species is a causative agent of phaeohyphomycosis, chromoblastomycosis and mycetoma. Cladophialophora bantiana causes cerebral phaeohyphomycosis in the form of fatal brain abscess. Cladophialophora bantiana may also cause skin lesions. On the other hand, Cladophialophora boppii and Cladophialophora carrioinii are both isolated from chromoblastomycosis – infected patients. Cladophialophora devriesii has been reported to cause disseminated phaeohyphomycosis.
Trauma and exposure to soil are considered as the main predisposing factors for acquiring Cladophialophora carrioinii - induced infections while Cladophialophora bantiana is most likely acquired via inhalation.
Macroscopic Appearance
Ø Growth rate of colony varies from one species to another; Ø Colony texture is powdery to wooly and spreading; and Ø Surface colony color is olivaceous green to black and reverse is black in color.
Note: Cladophialophora bantiana has a special feature of possessing urease activity.
Table 1. Growth Rate Differences of Cladophialophora species.
Information gathered from DoctorFungus.com
Microscopic Appearance
Ø Hyphae are septate, brown in color while conidiophores are frequently not differentiated from the vegetative hyphae; Ø Conidia are unicellular, pale to dark brown, and often form chains from which the conidia readily disarticulate wherein the youngest conidium is located at the tip of the chain, and no attachment scars are observed; and Ø Cladophialophora bantiana and Cladophialophora boppi may also produce chlamydoconidia.
Table 2. Microscopic Differences of Conidia produced by Cladophialophora species.
Information gathered from DoctorFungus.com
Laboratory Precautions
Cladophialophora bantiana is an extremely hazardous fungus that should be analyzed only in a biological safety cabinet. Cladophialophora carrioinii should also be handled in a biological safety cabinet carefully.
Susceptibility
In vitro
susceptibility
testing methods for testing Cladophialophora species are not yet
standardized and available data are very limited. For Cladophialophora
bantiana, MICs and MLCs of posaconazole are low while MICs and MLCs of
caspofungin and anidulafungin are high. Itraconazole and voriconazole
show fungicidal effect on Cladophialophora bantiana strains. MICs
of itraconazole is generally low for both Cladophialophora bantiana
and Cladophialophora carrioinii while MICs of amphotericin B for
Cladophialophora carrioinii isolates appear somewhat higher compared
to those of Cladophialophora bantiana. |
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http://www.doctorfungus.org
A
Clinical Laboratory Handbook: Identifying Filamentous Fungi by St. Germain, Guy and R.
Summerbell. |
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