Rodotorula mucilaginosa

Rhodotorula is a pigmented yeast, part of the Basidiomycota phylum, quite easily identifiable by distinctive orange/red colonies when grown on SDA (Sabouraud's Dextrose Agar). This distinctive colour is the result of pigments that the yeast creates to block out certain wavelengths of light that would otherwise be damaging to the cell. Colony colour can vary from being cream coloured to orange/red/pink or yellow.

Rhodotorula is a common environmental inhabitant. It can be cultured from soil, water, and air samples. It is able to scavenge nitrogenous compounds from its environment remarkably well, growing even in air which has been carefully cleaned of any fixed nitrogen contaminants. In such conditions, the nitrogen content of the dry weight of Rhodotorula can drop as low as 1%, compared to around 14% for most bacteria growing in normal conditions. [1]

REF: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhodotorula Acessado em 05/12/11

Aspergillus niger

Aspergillus niger is a fungus and one of the most common species of the genus Aspergillus. It causes a disease called black mold on certain fruits and vegetables such as grapes, onions, and peanuts, and is a common contaminant of food. It is ubiquitous in soil and is commonly reported from indoor environments, where its black colonies can be confused with those of Stachybotrys (species of which have also been called "black mould").[1]

Some strains of A. niger have been reported to produce potent mycotoxins called ochratoxins,[2] but other sources disagree, claiming this report is based upon misidentification of the fungal species. Recent evidence suggests some true A. niger strains do produce ochratoxin A.[1][3]

Human and animal diseaseA. niger is less likely to cause human disease than some other Aspergillus species, but, if large amounts of spores are inhaled, a serious lung disease, aspergillosis can occur. Aspergillosis is, in particular, frequent among horticultural workers that inhale peat dust, which can be rich in Aspergillus spores. It has been found on the walls of ancient Egyptian tombs and can be inhaled when the area is disturbed.[citation needed] A. niger is one of the most common causes of otomycosis (fungal ear infections), which can cause pain, temporary hearing loss, and, in severe cases, damage to the ear canal and tympanic membrane.

REF:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspergillus_niger ACessado em 16/05/11

Aspergillus niger
On Czapek dox agar, colonies consist of a compact white or yellow basal felt covered by a dense layer of dark-brown to black conidial heads. Conidial heads are large (up to 3 mm x 15-20 um in diameter), globose, dark brown, becoming radiate and tending to split into several loose columns with age. Conidiophores are smooth-walled, hyaline or turning dark towards the vesicle. Conidial heads are biseriate with the phialides borne on brown, often septate metulae. Conidia are globose to subglobose (3.5-5.0 um in diameter), dark brown to black and rough-walled. RG-1 organism.

Clinical significance:
Aspergillus niger is one of the most common and easily identifiable species of the genus Aspergillus, with its white to yellow mat later bearing black conidia. This is the third most common species associated with invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. It is also often a causative agent of aspergilloma and is the most frequently encountered agent of otomycosis. A. niger may also be a common laboratory contaminant.

REF: http://www.mycology.adelaide.edu.au/Fungal_Descriptions/Hyphomycetes_(hyaline)/Aspergillus/niger.html Acessado em 16/05/11

Aspergillus spp

Growth and distribution
Aspergillus species are highly aerobic and are found in almost all oxygen-rich environments, where they commonly grow as molds on the surface of a substrate, as a result of the high oxygen tension. Commonly, fungi grow on carbon-rich substrates such as monosaccharides (such as glucose) and polysaccharides (such as amylose). Aspergillus species are common contaminants of starchy foods (such as bread and potatoes), and grow in or on many plants and trees.
In addition to growth on carbon sources, many species of Aspergillus demonstrate oligotrophy where they are capable of growing in nutrient-depleted environments, or environments in which there is a complete lack of key nutrients. A. niger is a prime example of this; it can be found growing on damp walls, as a major component of mildew.
Pathogens
Some Aspergillus species cause serious disease in humans and animals. The most common causing pathogenic species are Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus flavus. Aspergillus flavus produces aflatoxin which is both a toxin and a carcinogen, and which can potentially contaminate foods such as nuts. The most common causing allergic disease are Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus clavatus. Other species are important as agricultural pathogens. Aspergillus spp. cause disease on many grain crops, especially maize, and synthesize mycotoxins including aflatoxin.

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Cladosporium sp

Cladosporium is the most common of the so-called black molds. It produces a black pigment that protects it from ultraviolet light. This characteristic as well as its growth and dispersal characteristics is likely responsible for its presence and abundance in the environment.
REf: http://healthandenergy.com/cladosporium.htm . Acessado em 27/01/11

Cladosporium is a genus of fungi including some of the most common indoor and outdoor molds. Species produce olive-green to brown or black colonies, and have dark-pigmented conidia that are formed in simple or branching chains.

The many species of Cladosporium are commonly found on living and dead plant material. Some species are plant pathogens, others parasitize other fungi. Cladosporium spores are wind-dispersed and they are often extremely abundant in outdoor air. Indoors Cladosporium species may grow on surfaces when moisture is present
REf http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cladosporium. Acessado em 27/01/11

Phialemonium sp

Paraná river delta wetlands soil microfungi
The Paraná River Delta soils are affected by seasonal flooding coupled with rapidly flowing water from the Paraná River and by the de la Plata River estuary tidal regime which reduces the seasonality of the Paraná River regime. The present study is the first investigation undertaken to determine the fungal composition of different site soils and to evaluate if flooding and flowing water energy induced differences on fungal community. Five sites were selected and three plots at each site along a topographical gradient were examined. From all soil samples, 23041 isolates belonging to 74 taxa were obtained. Talaromyces flavus and Eupenicillium brefeldianum were the most frequent species and present with high densities. Several taxa were soil or site specific. A black yeast, Pseudeurotium zonatum, Phialemonium dimorphosporum, Eladia saccula, Phialophara spp., Aspergillus japonicus, Eupenicillium abidjanum, Arachnotheca albicans, Fusarium oxysporum and Westerdykella spp. also were common. Correspondence analysis evidenced differences among sites characterized by a set of several species. The distribution of these species shows little or no relationship with the overlying vegetation. The low microfungal biomass, the high number of taxa by 100 isolates, and the mainly dematiaceous and cleistothecial forms suggest that these soil fungal communities are disturbed. Differences among fungal communities at each site could reflect difterent disturbance conditions derived from the effect of flooding and flowing water at the Upper, Medium and Lower Paraná River Delta as well as the Rio de la Plata estuary tidal regime.

REfhttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B7CW5-4DS31MJ-5T&_user=10&_coverDate=01%2F01%2F2002&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_origin=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1622277236&_rerunOrigin=google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=fd72b9857da329081b5e5da3bc9a7173&searchtype=a Acessado em 27/01/11

Lina Bettuccia, , , Inez Malvarezb, Joëlle Dupontc, Edith Buryc and Marie-France Roquebertc

aLaboratio de Micolgía, Facultad de Ciencias-Facultad de Ingeniería, Julio Herrera y Reissig, 565. Montevideo, Uruguay

bLaboratio de Ecología Regional. Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas. Pabellón II. Ciudad Universitaria. 1428 Buenos Aires, Argentina

cLaboratoire de Cryptogamie, MNHN, 12 rue Buffon, 75005, Paris

Received 12 April 2001; accepted 1 December 2001. Available online 10 November 2004

Candida parapsilosis

Candida parapsilosis is a fungal species of the yeast family that has become a significant cause of sepsis and of wound and tissue infections in immuno-compromised patients. The immune system is a major player in Candida parapsilosis infections. Unlike Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis, Candida parapsilosis is not an obligate human pathogen, having been isolated from nonhuman sources such as domestic animals, insects or soil. Candida parapsilosis is also a normal human commensal and it is one of the fungi most frequently isolated from the human hands. There are several risk factors which can help Candida parapsilosis to colonize human host. Immuno-compromised individuals and surgical patients, particularly those having surgery of the gastrointestinal tract are at high risk for infection with Candida parapsilosis. There is currently no consensus on the treatment of invasive Candida parapsilosis diseases, although the therapeutic approach typically includes the extraction of any removable foreign bodies and the administration of a systemic anti fungal. Historically, Amphotericin B has been the most frequently used anti fungal. Fluconazole is a frequently administrated alternative to Amphotericin B.

REF: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candida_parapsilosis . Acessado em 27/01/11

Fusarium sp

Colonies are usually fast growing, pale or brightly colored (depending on the species) and may or may not have a cottony aerial mycelium. The color of the thallus varies from whitish to yellow, brownish, pink, reddish or lilac shades. Species of Fusarium typically produce both macro- and microconidia from slender phialides. Macroconidia are hyaline, two- to several-celled, fusiform- to sickle-shaped, mostly with an elongated apical cell and pedicellate basal cell. Microconidia are 1- to 2-celled, hyaline, pyriform, fusiform to ovoid, straight or curved. Chlamydoconidia may be present or absent.
Clinical significance:
Most Fusarium species are soil fungi and have a world-wide distribution. Some are plant pathogens causing root and stem rot, vascular wilt or fruit rot. Other species cause storage rot and are important mycotoxin producers. Several species, notably F. oxysporum, F. solani and F. moniliforme, are recognized as being pathogenic to man and animals causing mycotic keratitis, onychomycosis and hyalohyphomycosis, especially in burn victims and bone marrow transplant patients.

Clinical manifestations of hyalohyphomycosis caused by Fusarium; include cutaneous and subcutaneous infections, endophthalmitis, osteomyelitis, and arthritis following traumatic implantation. Peritonitis has also been reported in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). Disseminated infections are similar to disseminated aspergillosis, however fungemia and ulcerated skin lesions are often more pronounced. The typical patient is granulocytopenic and receiving broad-spectrum antibiotics for unexplained fever.

REF: http://www.mycology.adelaide.edu.au/Fungal_Descriptions/Hyphomycetes_(hyaline)/Fusarium/ Access date: 13/oct/10

Mycellia sterillia

The sterile fungi, or mycelia sterilia are a group of fungi that do not produce any known spores, either sexual or asexual. This is considered a form group, not a taxonomic division, and is used as a matter of convenience. Because these fungi do not produce spores, it is impossible to use traditional methods of morphological comparison to classify them. However, molecular techniques can be applied to determine their evolutionary history.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sterile_fungi

Cladosporium sp

Colonies are rather slow growing, mostly olivaceous-brown to blackish brown but also sometimes grey, buff or brown, suede-like to floccose, often becoming powdery due to the production of abundant conidia. Vegetative hyphae, conidiophores and conidia are equally pigmented. Conidiophores are more or less distinct from the vegetative hyphae, are erect, straight or flexuous, unbranched or branched only in the apical region, with geniculate sympodial elongation in some species

Cladosporium species have a world-wide distribution and are amongst the most common of air-borne fungi. Some 500 species have been described. Isolates of Cladosporium are frequently isolated as contaminants.

http://www.mycology.adelaide.edu.au/Fungal_Descriptions/Hyphomycetes_(dematiaceous)/Cladosporium/

Candida guilliermondii

On Sabouraud's dextrose agar colonies are white to cream colored, smooth, glabrous and yeast-like in appearance.
C. guilliermondii has also been isolated from normal skin and in sea water, faeces of animals, fig wasps, buttermilk, leather, fish and beer.
http://www.mycology.adelaide.edu.au/Fungal_Descriptions/Yeasts/Candida/Candida_guilliermondii.html