Fumigatus Essay

Submitted By ladyealaine40
Words: 491
Pages: 2

Scientific name: Aspergillus Fumigatus
Common name: Aspergillosis

Identifying characteristics: Identifying A. fumigatus depends on the morphology of the conidia and conidiophores. This organism is identified by green enchinulate conidia, made in chains basipetally from green phialides. Some isolates of A. fumigatus are colorless and produce white conidia. The chains of conidia come to be directly on broadly clavate visicles without metulae. This species has no known sexual stage. This species grows fast; colony sizes when grown on czapek-dok agar at 25 degrees Celsius. This is a thermophilic species with growth occurring at temperatures as high as 55 degrees Celsius and can maintain at 70 degrees Celsius.

Pathogenicity: A. fumigatus is not uncommon in the environment; most of us inhale the fungal spores everyday. For people without a compromised immune system inhaling these spores can cause infection. A. fumigatus inhalation can occur during building, remodeling or construction. Contaminated biochemical devices have also been responsible for A. fumigatus skin infections. These spores can enter through the eyes and ear canal. A. fumigatus can cause infection to the lungs; also spreads rapidly form the lungs through your bloodstream to your brain, heart, kidneys, or skin. This mainly occurs when the patient has a compromised immune system. Aspergillus grows within the cavity of the lung, which was previously damaged during an illness like tuberculosis or sarcoidosis. The spores penetrate the cavity and grow, forming a fungal ball within the cavity. Infection also occurs when conidia that are released into the atmosphere enter the lungs. It is thought that several hundred conidia are inhaled by a person throughout the day. With an immunocompromised person, it is thought the conidia gain entrance into the body by secreting proteinases, that are able to break down barriers found in the lungs. Not all inhaled spores reach the alveoli; some get caught in the lining of the nose and eyes, as well as some getting caught in the mucous made by bronchial cells. Many of these spores are