Phoma Mold SpeciesPhoma species is a rare causative agent of Phaeohyphomycosis. (Information from A Clinical Laboratory Handbook: Identifying Filamentous Fungi )
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Taxonomic Classifications
Kingdom:
Fungi
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Ecology Phoma is a cosmopolitan, dematiaceous filamentous fungus that inhabits the soil and plant material. Phoma species are common plant pathogens. While they are commonly considered as contaminants, Phoma species may cause infections in humans in exceptional cases.
Species The genus Phoma contains several species. However, most of the strains isolated from human infections have not been identified to species level. The morphological features such as the color of the colony, morphology of the conidia, existence and structure of chlamydospores help in species differentiation.
Pathogenicity and Health Effects Phoma species are among the rarely encountered agents of phaeohyphomycosis. The infection commonly develops after a trauma. Additionally, immunosuppression is considered a major risk factor for its development. These infections may be cutaneous, subcutaneous, corneal, or (rarely) systemic.
Macroscopic Appearance Ø Growth rate is rapid and colonies are flat, powdery to velvety in texture, spreading, and frequently submerged in the medium; and Ø The surface colony color is initially white becoming olive gray, sometimes with a tint of pink while reverse is dark brown to black with a brown diffusible pigment in some species such as Phoma cruris - hominis and Phoma herbarum which produce a reddish – purple to yellowish – brown diffusible pigment on the reverse.
Microscopic Appearance Ø Septate hyphae, pycnidia, conidia, and sometimes, chlamydospores are present; Ø Hyphae are septate, hyaline to brown while pycnidia are the fruiting bodies that are large, dark in color, round to pyriform in shape and with size ranging from 70 – 100 µm in diameter, and with one to several openings called the ostioles on their surface from which the conidia are released outside; Ø Conidia are hyaline, oval – shaped, unicellular and each conidium usually has two oil droplets inside; and Ø Chlamydospores are brown, may appear in long chains or solitary, and may either be unicellular or multicellular and alternarioid which resembles Alternaria in appearance.
Laboratory Precautions General laboratory precautions are required, no special safety measures needed.
Susceptibility No data are available.
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The mycological information gathered and A Clinical Laboratory Handbook: Identifying Filamentous Fungi by St. Germain, Guy and R. Summerbell.
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