Nonmotile organisms that form hyphae or spores.
There are roughly 1 million recognized fungal species, and perhaps several million not yet identified.
Only approximately 300 fungi infect humans as one of the primary resistance barriers to fungal pathogens is that they are unable to grow at elevated temperatures.
Overall few fungal species cause human disease, and fewer do so in persons, not immunosuppressed.
Only a handful of fungal infections are localized to specific geographic regions.
Of endemic mycoses, histoplasmosis and coccidiomycosis are the most commonly encountered in America.
Associated with a number of diseases including skin infections, pulmonary infections, systemic and opportunistic infections.
Agents grow in Sabaroud’s agar and membranes contain ergosterol and chitin.
Exist in two forms: yeast and molds and their form is dependent on the temperature.
All dimorphic fungi can cause disseminated disease.
Among common fungi Candida species and Aspergillus species involve extracellular spaces, while Histoplasma capsulatum and Cryptococcus neoformans are commonly found in host macrophages as well as in interstitial tissues.