Mycology Section
The purpose of the Mycology Section is to serve as a reference laboratory and resource center for the state. This section identifies systemic, opportunistic fungal, and aerobic actinomycete isolates. Cultures are referred to the Mycology Section by hospital laboratories, physicians, and veterinarians.
Additionally, the Mycology Section provides primary fungal isolation and identification for clinical materials submitted by and restricted to county health departments or by special consultation with Ms. Miriam Davis or Dr. Art Wozniak.
Although physicians and microbiologists are exposed to short courses on traditional medical fungi, the Mycology Section is in a unique position to provide conclusive identification of newly emerging pathogens from the ever increasing number of human and animal mycoses. This vital service and expertise promotes the continued health and well being of the citizens of South Carolina.
The Mycology Section serves as a reference laboratory and resource center for the state, and offers the following services:
- Referred isolates of molds, yeasts, and aerobic-actinomycetes
are accepted from hospital labs, veterinary sources, and physicians.
- Primary isolation and identification are restricted
to county health departments, state and county hospitals, veterinary sources,
and physicians. Prior consultation is required for other institutions.
- Histopathological fixed pre-cut tissue smears are accepted for the confirmation of opportunistic fungal agents. Histopathological confirmation is especially needed to determine if an opportunistic fungal isolate is an environmental contaminant or a fungal agent causing infection. Gomori's methenamine silver (GMS) and Periodic acid-schiff reaction (PAS) tissue staining procedures are available.
Bench training for microbiologists on fungal identification is available through the Mycology Section. Since 1974 the Mycology Section has collected a large number of potential fungal pathogens and now has an extensive and growing culture collection.
This collection is a vital teaching tool for microbiologists. In response to the increasing immuno-compromised patient population, it is crucial that microbiologists have the ability to efficiently identify newly emerging fungal pathogens.
Any fungus under the right circumstances is capable of causing infection. With the increased immuno-compromised patient population, opportunistic fungal pathogens are increasing at an alarming rate. Listed below are some of the newly emerging opportunistic pathogens identified in South Carolina.
Molds
| No. Cases | Emerging Opportunistic Pathogens |
Source | Immuno- compromised |
Competent |
| 1 | Phaeoannellomyces elegans | subcutaneous lesion | X | |
| 1 | Phaeoacremonium inflatipes | Phaeohyphomycosis | X | |
| 3 | Lecythophora mutabilis | Pleural fluid; blood; wound | X | |
| 1 | Phialemonium obovatum | Peritoneal dialysis fluid | X | |
| 2 | Prototheca wickerhamii | Protothecosis; parotid mass; cath tip | X | |
| 2 | Fonsecaea pedrosoi | chromoblastomyces; cauliflower-like lesion; forarm, thumb | X | X |
| 1 | Lecythophora hoffmonnii | blood | X | |
| 1 | Nodulisporium species | paranasal; sinusitis | X | |
| 4 | Bipolaris spicifera | sinus infection; sinus; eye | X | |
| 1 | Wangiella dermatitidis | foot abscess; cyst fluid; bronchial washing | X | X |
| 5 | Curvularia sp. | cornea; eye; sinus tissue; wound | X | X |
| 1 | Exophiala jeanselmei | tissue | X | X |
| 1 | Phaeoacremonium parasiticum | tissue; hand | ||
| 1 | Malassezia pachydermatis | cath tip | X | |
| 1 | Fusarium solani | bronchial washing | X | |
| 6 | Fusarium sp. | Tissue; ulcer; foot amputation; bronchial washing; cornea; wound | X | X |
| 4 | Malassezia furfur | cath tip; blood | X | |
| 4 | Pseudallescheria boydii | brain; blood; bronchial washing; sinus | X | |
| 5 | Exophiala spinifera | chromoblastomyco-sis verrucous lesion; finger;site of insect
bite; puncture wound; lymph node |
X X X X |
|
| 3 | Ochroconis gallopavum | bronchial washing; lung; brain | X | X |
| 3 2 |
Scedosporium prolificans (Scedosporium inflatum) |
lung; brain wound, sputum, maxillary sinus |
X X |
|
| 3 | Rhizopus arrhizus | rhinocerebral; rt. ethmoid tissue; maxillary sinus |
X X |
|
| 2 | Sporothrix schenckii | arm | ||
| 6 | Xylohypha bantiana | bronchial | X | |
| 1 | Phialophora verrucosa | chromomycosis | X | |
| 1 | Paecilomyces lilacinus | bronchial washing | X | |
| 1 | Mycoleptodiscus indicus | knee; phaeohyphomy-cosis | X | |
| 7 | Exserohilum rostratum | ear; maxillary sinus | X | |
| 1 | Mucor ramosissimus | tissue; leg; ulcer | X | |
| 1 | Pythium insidiosum | bear foot |
Yeasts
| No. Cases | Emerging Opportunistic Pathogens |
Source | Immuno- compromised |
Competent |
| 1 | Candida famata | nail clippings | X | |
| 3 | Trichosporon beigelii | scrotal abscess; urine; foot ulcer; tissue | X | |
| 1 | Cryptococcus albidus | cornea | X | |
| 1 | Candida haemulonii | blood; wound | ||
| 1 | Zygosaccharomyces baillii | lung abscess | X | |
| 1 | Cryptococcus gastricus | bone marrow | X | |
| 1 | Candida guilliermondii | blood | X | |
| 1 | Candida sorbophila | blood | X | |
| 1 | Saccharomyces cerveisiae | blood | X |
Aerobic Actinomycetes
| No. Cases |
Emerging Opportunistic Pathogens |
Source | Immuno- compromised |
Competent |
| 1 | Nocardia transvalensis | sputum | X | |
| 5 | Nocardia asteroides | brain; abscess; sputum | X | |
| 3 | Nocardia nova | sputum; brain | X | |
| 1 | Nocardia otitidiscaviarum | bronchial washing | ||
| 1 | Nocardia farcinica | blood | X | |
| 1 | Nocardia brasiliensis | blood | X | |
| 1 | Streptomyces somaliensis | lung tissue | X |