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