Hyaline Hyphomyces Forming Conidia in Chains

Penicillium

Genus name derived from Latin word for paint brush or sponge.

• Usually a contaminant; rarely causes keratitis, otitis, systemic disease
• Colonies mature rapidly; on Sabouraud's dextrose agar often have distinctive green color, granular surface, radial rugae, and a white apron at the periphery.
• P. marneffei is considered with other thermally dimorphic fungi elsewhere in these pages; colonies of this organism typically show a red reverse and diffusible red pigment
• Septate hyphae
• Branched or unbranched conidiophore
• Secondary branches are metulae

FIG. 1. Penicillium in slide culture.

FIG. 2. Penicillium in slide culture.

Paecilomyces

• Usually a contaminant; may rarely cause disease, for example, keratitis
• Colonies often powdery or granular, flat and yellow-brown; other "pastel" colors also seen
• Resembles Penicillium but phialides are more elongate, resembling bowling pins
• Phialides bend away from the axis of the conidiophore more than Penicillium
• Conidia are elliptic or oblong and occur in long, unbranched chains

FIG. 1. Paecilomyces in slide culture.

FIG. 2. Paecilomyces in slide culture.

Scopulariopsis

• Usually a contaminant; may rarely cause disease, including onychomycosis
• Colony color variable; on Sabouraud dextrose agar typically evolve from glabrous white to yellow and are granular or powdery, eventually developing radiating rugae
• Annellides formed on branched conidiophores with 1 or 2 levels of branching
• Spherical or ellipsoid conidia are in chains

FIG. 1. Scopulariopsis in slide culture.

To examine other groups of hyalohyphomyces, follow the links below:

• Aspergillus
• Hyalohyphomyces bearing conidia in clusters
• Hyalohyphomyces bearing conidia singly