Mycology Dimorphic Fungi Part 2

The identification of Blastomyces dermatitidis requires converting the mold form of the organism into the yeast form. This conversion is necessary to confirm the identification of the fungus. Therefore, the statement "Identification of Blastomyces dermatitidis involves the conversion of the mold to the yeast form in order to confirm the identification" is true.

Paracoccidioides brasiliensis buds are attached to the mother cell by narrow connections and may almost completely surround the cell, giving the characteristic "ship wheel" or "mariner's wheel" appearance. This description suggests that the arrangement of the buds resembles the spokes of a ship wheel or mariner's wheel, with the mother cell at the center and the buds radiating outwards like the spokes.

Paracoccidioides brasiliensis often occurs in adult males; this may be due to their hormonal makeup and their occupation.

Penicillium marneffei is endemic to Southeast Asia. This means that the fungus is naturally found and restricted to this specific region. It is not found in Africa, South America, or North America. The term "endemic" indicates that the organism is native to and restricted to a particular geographic area, in this case, Southeast Asia.

Penicillium marneffei is inhibited by cycloheximide. Cycloheximide is an antifungal agent that works by inhibiting protein synthesis in fungi. Since Penicillium marneffei is a fungus, it would be affected by cycloheximide and its growth would be inhibited. Therefore, the correct answer is False.

The correct answer is "hourglass" because the description provided suggests that the yeastlike cells of Blastomyces dermatitidis have a bud on a broad base and a thick-walled, double-contoured appearance. The bud remains attached until it becomes the same size as the mother cell, creating an hourglass shape.

Penicillium marneffei has smooth conidiophores with 4-5 terminal metulae, each metula bearing 4-6 phialides. This means that each conidiophore of Penicillium marneffei has 4-5 branches at the tip, and each branch has 4-6 phialides. The number of terminal metulae and phialides is important for the identification and classification of fungi.

Buds are not produced when dealing with Penicillium marneffei. Penicillium marneffei is a dimorphic fungus that reproduces by forming spores called conidia, rather than buds. Buds are typically produced by yeast cells during a process called budding, where a small daughter cell forms and eventually separates from the mother cell. However, this process does not occur in Penicillium marneffei.

The conversion of Penicillium marneffei from the mold to the yeast form may take up to 14 days. This process is most rapidly accomplished by using BHI broth on a shaker.

The mycelial forms of Paracoccidiodes brasiliensis take 21 days to mature.

The colonies of Penicillium marneffei become mature in 3 days at 25-30 degrees Celsius. The yeastlike forms, however, develop more slowly at 35-37 degrees Celsius.