Fungi are a large group of plant-like micro-organisms, which grow in filaments or "hyphae", and intertwine in a mat-like growth called a mycelium. Reproductive bodies or spores are produced from the colony or mycelium. Ocular fungus was described by the early mycologists, including Leber (I879), who first reported the invasion of the cornea by Aspergillus causing hypopyon ulcer, and Gilchrist (...

Cryptococcus neoformans was isolated repeatedly from a patient with epider-moid carcinoma and pulmonary blastomycosis. The isolate was atypical in that it had only a minute capsule, caused persistent infection but no perceptible disease in mice, and initially appeared not to assimilate trehalose. Only after an incubation of 2 to 3 weeks did utilization of this substrate become apparent.

South American blastomycosis is a systemic micosis caused by infection with Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. The most frequently affected sites are the lower lip buccal mucous membrane, palate, tongue, sublingual region, lymph glands, and lungs. However, colonic involvement is not a common expression of Paracoccidioidomycosis. We report a case of chronic diarrhea and pancolitis caused by Paracocc...

In a retrospective review of 24 patients with histoplasmosis, blastomycosis, or coccidioidomycosis treated with voriconazole (most for salvage therapy), the outcome was favorable (improved or stable) for 22 (95.8%) within 2 months of starting voriconazole and for 20 (83.3%) at the last follow-up. Prospective studies are required to determine its role in the treatment of endemic mycoses.

monia. This would seem to be a prudent approach, at least for patients able to produce adequate sputum for these preparations. Awareness and training of laboratory personnel would be another part of the equation, which would hopefully amount to a better chance of noninvasive diagnosis of pulmonary blastomycosis. If bronchoscopy or thoracoscopy/thoracotomy must enter the diagnostic sequence, a c...

It is well known that cross reactions with other fungal pathogens including Histoplasma capsulatum can occur with the use of the Platelia™ Aspergillus galactomannan assay. We report two patients with confirmed blastomycosis whose bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid tested positive for Aspergillus galactomannan despite no evidence of aspergillosis.

Blastomyces spp. antigen testing was evaluated over a 10-year period in an area where blastomycosis is endemic. Antigen testing was less sensitive than previously reported, but serial urine testing was useful in monitoring disease resolution or progression. Culture and cytopathology remain the gold standard for diagnosis and exclusion of this infection.

A 120-kD glycoprotein antigen abundantly expressed on Blastomyces dermatitidis yeasts is a target of cellular and humoral immune responses in human infection. To investigate the antigen and immune response more carefully at the molecular level, we screened an expression library from B. dermatitidis to identify clones that encode this antigen, designated WI-1. A 942-bp cDNA was isolated by immun...

There have been infrequent reports of isolated central nervous system blastomycosis. We report a case of intracranial epidural abscess secondary to Blastomyces dermatitidis in a patient residing in Rhode Island with a history of remote travel to an endemic area. The clinical, radiographic, and pathologic features of this unique case are reviewed.