1. Dr. Patricio Godoy Martínez Universidad Austral de Chile
Aspergillus
Classic Diagnostic
Dr. Patricio Godoy Martínez
Universidad Austral de Chile

2. Aspergillus
Ubiquitous, commonly ocurring in soil, water, and decaying vegatation.
Reservoirs in hospitals; unfiltered air, ventilation system, carpeting, food, water distribution system, etc.
Cause invasive and allergic disease in humans and other animals.
Cause plant and food spoilage and produce mycotoxins.

3. This is a scanning electron micrograph of a mold called Aspergillus niger ((As-pur-jillis’ ny’-jur) at 35 times magnification. This is the black stuff you see growing in the grout in a shower. Notice how it looks like an island with funny looking trees? The tree trunks are called hyphae (hy’-fee), and the leafy area is the conidophore (kon-i’-do-for).

4. This is the conidophore at 350 times magnification Each separate round “leaf” is a fungal spore. The spore is the reproductive part of the mold, much like a seed to a plant. If this were a video clip instead of a slide, you’d see the hyphae tree trunks waving back and forth on the island, dropping spore coconuts all over the place.

5. This is a picture of the spores at 3500 times magnification
This is a picture of the spores at 3500 times magnification. Ok -they look more like cheerios strung together than coconuts. The point is, each spore has the capability of starting it’s own island, which is one of the reasons why it’s so hard to remove and control these organisms.

7. Classification of Aspergillus. ~260 especies, 38 have caused disease
Balajee & Marr,2006. Future Microbiology, 1:

8. Sexual stages associated with the genus Aspergillus
Geiser Medical Mycology, 47:S21-S26

9. Aspergillus
Mycology
Diagnostics
Indirect
Direct

10. Microscopic examination
Aspergillus
Direct Methods
Microscopic examination
Colony
Detection of Ag and A.N
Coloration
Histopathology

11. Direct microscopic examination
hyphaes hyalines septate.
Vitale R

12. Histopathology: H&E
Vitale R

13. Histopathology: Grocott
Vitale R

14. Identification

15. Macro-microscopic observation of colonies

16. Morphological character

17. Morphological character
COLUMNAR
RADIATE
Josep Guarro

18. Aspergillus fumigatus
Colonies black blue-green, consisting of a dense felt of conidiophores.
www. pgodoy. com

19. Aspergillus fumigatus
Conidial heads columnar. Conidiogenous cells uniseriate. Conidiophore stipes smooth-walled often green in the upper part. Conidia verrucose.

20. Neosartorya Anamorphs closely related to A. fumigatus.
Teleomorphs only differentiated by subtle differences in ascospores ornamentation.
Thermophilic.

21. Neosartorya
N. fischeri
N. pseudofischeri
N. hiratsukae

22. Neosartorya Osteomyelitis Keratitis Endocarditis Peritonitis
Cerebral infection
Pulmonary infection
Disseminated infection

23. Neosartorya pseudofischeri

24. Neosartorya hiratsukae
Josep Guarro

25. N. hiratsukae N. pseudofischeri
Josep Guarro

26. Josep Guarro

27. Neosartorya Underdiagnosed (regarded as contaminants in the lab)
Difficult to identify at species level.
Antifungal susceptibility similar to A. fumigatus ?
Little experience in the treatment. Amphotericin B and itraconazole
Josep Guarro

28. Aspergillus niger
Colonies black, consisting of a dense felt of conidiophores.
www. pgodoy. com

29. Aspergillus niger
Conidial heads radiate. Vesicles subspherical, conidiogenous cells biseriate. Conidia brown, ornamented.

30. Aspergillus flavus
Colonies yellowish-green, consisting of a dense felt of conidiophores.

31. Aspergillus flavus
Conidial heads radiate. Conidiogenous cells uni and biseriate. Conidiophore stipes rough-walled hyaline. Conidia echinulate. Sclerotia may be present.

32. Aspergillus parasiticus
R. Salim & R. Runco
Aspergillus parasiticus
Colonies yellowish-brown, consisting of a dense felt of conidiophores.
conidiophores of varying lengths, wall hyaline, thick, with ornamentation equinulada, spherical vesicles, uni or biseriate (24-25 m), completely covering the fiálides gallbladder. Conidia globose or subglobosos warted (2.5-3 m) with thin walls (20, 21).

33. Aspergillus tamarii
Conidial heads compact and spherical or loosely radiate. Conidiogenous cells uni and biseriate. Conidiophore stipes rough-walled hyaline. Conidia echinulate.

34. Aspergillus orizae
Conidial heads radiate to loosely columnar. Conidiogenous cells uni and biseriate. Conidiophore stipes rough-walled hyaline. Conidia smooth-walled to roughened.

35. Aspergillus terreus
Colonies yellowish-brown to cinnamon-brown, consisting of a dense felt of conidiophores.

36. Aspergillus terreus
Conidial heads densely columnar. Conidiogenous cells biseriate. Conidiophore stipes smooth-walled hyaline. Conidia smooth walled, striate hyaline.

37. Aspergillus nidulans
Colonies growing rapidly, green, cream-buff or honey-yellow, reverse dark purple.
Vitale R

38. Aspergillus nidulans
Conidial heads short, columnar. Conidiogenous cells biseriate. Conidiophore stipes brownish. Conidia spherical, rugulose, subhyaline, green.
Vitale R

39. Aspergillus clavatus
Colonies growing rapidly, bluish-green, consisting of a dense felt of conidiophores.

40. Aspergillus clavatus
Conidial heads radiate, later splitting into several columns. Conidiogenous cells uniseriate. Conidiophore stipes smooth. Vesicle clavate. Conidia smooth-walled hyaline.

41. INFOCUS CHILE