Contaminants/Opportunistic Fungicontinued Clinical Microbiology Review 275
FUNGUS CLASSIFICATION SIGNIFICANCE COLONIAL MORPHOLOGY MICROSCOPIC MORPHOLOGY
Alternaria
Cladosporium
Curvularia
Dark septate hyphae. Conidiophores
of variable length, sometimes
branched. Large brown, drumstick-
shaped conidia with transverse &
longitudinal septations, in singles
or chains.
Dark septate hyphae. Dark branching
conidiophores producing 2 or more
chains of oval brown conidia.
Dark septate hyphae. Simple or
branched conidiophores, bent
where conidia attach. Large, 4-celled,
curved conidia. Central cell is larger
& darker.
Can be contaminant.
Can cause subcutaneous
infection.
Nonpathogenic.
Can be a contaminant.
Can cause sinusitis,
keratitis.
Dematiaceous
Dematiaceous
Dematiaceous
Mature within 5 days. Front
is gray-white & wooly at
first. Becomes green-black
or brown with light border.
Reverse is black.
Mature within 7 days. Front
is green-brown or black with
velvety nap. Becomes
heaped & slightly folded.
Reverse is black.
Mature within 5 days. Front is
dark olive green to brown or
black with pink-gray wooly
surface. Reverse is black.