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Introduction of Trichosporon

The fungus, Trichosporon, genus is characterized by the development of hyaline, septate hyphae that fragment into oval or rectangular arthroconidia. Few blastoconidia are also visible. The colonies are usually raised and have a waxy appearance, that develops furrows and irregular folds as shown above picture. Most common species, especially from invasive infections and comes under risk group -2 organism.

Scientific Classification 

• Kingdom: Fungi
• Division: Basidiomycota
• Class: Tremellomycetes
• Order: Tremellales
• Family: Trichosporonaceae
• Genus: Trichosporon

Species:  Trichosporon asahii
Trichosporon asteroides
Trichosporon cutaneum
Trichosporon mucoides
T.  ovoides
T.  inkin
T.  beigelii

Colony characteristics 

Colonies are white to cream-colored, powdery, suede-like to farinose with radial furrows and irregular folds.

Microscopic features 

Budding cells and lateral conidia are absent. Arthroconidia are barrel-shaped. Trichosporon asahiiassimilates L-arabinose but not melibiose.

Pathogenicity

Trichopsoron species are regularly associated with the soft nodules of white piedra, and have been involved in a variety of opportunistic infections in immunosuppressed patients and they are a minor component of normal skin flora and also widely distributed in nature.

Laboratory Diagnosis

Trichopsoron species can be diagnosed in the laboratory using the following techniques-

• KOH mount of specimens
• Cultivation of specimens in fugal media like SDA, PDA, etc
• Observation of fungal growth on LPCB preparation under the microscope
• Assimilation tests

Treatment

Following anti-fungal drugs are useful-

• Fluconazole
• Itraconazole
• Posaconazole
• Voriconazole
• Amphotericin B
• Flucytosine
• Caspofungin
• Anidulafungin

Further Readings

1. Medical Mycology. Editors:  Emmons and Binford, 2nd ed 1970, Publisher Lea and Febiger, Philadelphia.
2. Description of Medical Fungi, Editors: David Ellis, Stephen Davis, Helen Alexiou, Rosemary Handake, Robyn Bartley, 2nd edition
3. Rippon’s JW: Medical Microbiology. The pathogenic fungi and the Pathogenic Actinomycetes. 3^rd ed 1988 Publisher WB Saunder co, Philadelphia.
4. Clinical Microbiology Procedure Handbook Vol. I & II, Chief in editor H.D. Isenberg, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, Publisher ASM (American Society for Microbiology), Washington DC.
5. A Textbook of Medical Mycology. Editor: Jagdish Chander.  Publication Mehata, India.
6.  Practical Laboratory Mycology. Editors: Koneman E.W. and G.D. Roberts, 3rd ed 1985, Publisher Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore.