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Category:Fungi (view source)

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==Introduction==

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Fungi are abundant in soil, vegetation, water and on decaying material and wood. Fungi have a eukaryotic cell structure and are able to grow as branching or filamentous forms (mycelia) or as single cells (yeasts).

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Although there are over 50,000 identified species of fungi, only a few hundred are known to be pathogenic, causing infections known as '''mycoses''' (mycology being the study of fungi). Fungi are nonphotosynthetic organisms (lack chlorophyll) which are restricted to a parasitic or saprophytic existence. They are abundant in soil, vegetation, water and on decaying vegetation and wood. Fungi have a eukaryotic cell structure and are able to grow as branching or filamentous forms (mycelia) or as single cells (yeasts).

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~~<big>'''[[Fungal Structure]]~~

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~~'''[[Types of Fungi]]~~

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~~'''[[Fungal Reproduction]]~~

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~~'''[[Immunity to Fungi]]</big>~~

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~~=Major pathogenic fungi=~~

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~~'''Superficial''': These infections affect only the skin, hair, nails etc.~~

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*Generally not dangerous

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*Examples- ''Hortaea werneckii'', causing tinea nigra, and ''Piedraia hortae'', causing black piedra

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~~'''Cutaneous''': including [[Dermatophytosis|'''dermatophytoses''']]~~

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*Only affect superficial keratinized tissue- skin, hair and nails

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*Again generally not dangerous

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*Examples- ''Candida albicans'', causing candidiasis of the skin and nails and ''Microsporum'' species

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~~[[Subcutaneous Mycoses|'''Subcutaneous''']]: Usually cause chronic localised infections of the skin and underlying dermis~~

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*Normally reside in soil and vegetation, entering the skin through cuts and grazes

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*Can occasionally affect the deep tissues, e.g. bones and muscles

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*Examples- ''Sporothrix schenkii'', causing sporotrichosis, ''Madurella mycetomatis'' causing mycetoma

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~~[[Systemic Mycoses|'''Systemic''']]: Also known as '''deep''', '''endemic''' or '''primary'''~~

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*Usually serious

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*Sometimes fatal

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*Examples- ''Histoplasma capsulatum'' causing histoplasmosis, ''Blastomyces dermatitidis''causing blastomycosis

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~~'''Opportunistic''': Ubiquitous fungi that affect only susceptible hosts; immunocompetent individuals are normally resistant~~

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*Examples- ''Aspergillus fumigatus'', causing aspergilliosis, ''Cryptococcus neoformans'', causing cryptococcosis

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~~=Further Links=~~

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*[[Fungi Flashcards - WikiBugs|Fungi Flashcards]]

==References==

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