Medical Mycology

Mycology

Study of fungi

Fungi found every where

Fungi (fungus)

Fungi first appeared approximately 1.5 billion

years ago

75, 000 known fungal species

Estimated number 1.5 million fungal species

Fungi and disease

The vast majority of fungi are not associated

with disease, and many are saprophytic

Around 400 species are associated with

human and animal infections

Plant fungal pathogens both destroy crops and

generate mycotoxins

Fungal infections are becoming more important!!

Human fungal diseases became a serious problem only during the 20th and 21st centuriesIncreased efficiency in treating bacterial

infectionsGrowth in the number immunodeficient

patientsIncreasing use of indwelling medical

devices

Most important

The most common human fungal pathogens are: Candida albicans

Cryptococcus neoformans

Aspergillus fumigatus

Where are fungi?

The 5 Kingdoms or Phyla systemBacteria (heterophilic)Protista (unicellular)AnimaliaFungi (heterophilic)Plantae (photosynthesis)

Main characteristics of fungi

DNA in nucleus, chromosomesMitosis and meiosisMitochondriaChitin and glucan in cell wallIn sensitive to antibiotics

What are fungi? Fungi can exist

as single cells (yeast)

Or chains of cells (hyphae)

What are fungi?

The body of the fungus is either

filamentous or budding yeast

Mycelium is made up of a complex

of hyphae

Morphology

Filamentous

Yeast

Dimorphic

Fungal mycelium

Role of fungal mycelium in growth and nutrition

Vegetative mycelium

Aerial mycelium

Physiology

Temperature

Nutrition

Respiration

Reproduction

Where do fungi live?

Helpful fungi: In every day life

Nitrogen and Carbon Mushrooms and Quorn Saccharomyces cerevisiae Aspergillus oryzae and Aspergillus niger Flavours and vitamins Penicillin and cyclosporine Molecular cloning and cancer research

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Useful fungi : Bakers yeast

Honey mushroom fungus

Useful fungi : Mushrooms and Quorn