Mycology

Mycology – Science that deals with Fungi.

Fungi

Fungi are hererotrophic organism & generally multicellular & filamentous. Mostly they are Gram positive & non pathogenic. Only a few are pathogenic & can cause diseases in plants, man & animals.

Fungi comprise the moulds & yeast. Whereas moulds are filamentous & multicelular, yeasts are usually unicellular.

Characteristics of Fungi:

1, Nucleated

2, Spore bearing protistas

3, Lack of chlorophyll

4, Reproduce both sexually & asexually.

5, Somatic cell walls composed of polysaccharide.

6, Saprophytic

7, Wide spread disease producing

Classification of Fungi:

1, Moulds (Dermatophytes)

2, Yeast (Cryptococcus neoformans)

3, Yeast like fungi (Candida albicans)

4, Dimorphic fungi (Blastomyces)

Important fungal diseases:

Candidiasis (Candida albicans):

They are non-capsulated cyst. They reside normally in the oral cavity, intestine & vagina. They are also present in the skin.

Dermatophyte infection:

It is caused by moulds or filamentous fungi. At different parts of the body it is caused by different species. Diseases are named according to the site of localization.

a, Tinea unguium- Infection of the nail.

b, Tinea corporis- Infection of the skin anywhere of the body.

c, Tinea corporis- Infection of the scalp.

d, Tinea cruris- Infection of the groin (the depressed part of the body between the belly & the thigh)

Special Feature: Antibiotics (the first of the wonder drugs, Penicillin) was isolated from the fungus Penicillium notatum.

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