Thermally Dimorphic Human Fungal Pathogens--Polyphyletic Pathogens with a Convergent Pathogenicity Trait

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Anita Sil1, Alex Andrianopoulos2

  • 1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143 sil@cgl.ucsf.edu.

Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Medicine
|November 12, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Thermally dimorphic fungi adapt their cell shape in response to host signals like temperature. This review covers key human fungal pathogens, including Blastomyces dermatitidis and Coccidioides immitis.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Mycology
  • Pathogen Biology
  • Environmental Microbiology

Background:

  • Fungi exhibit remarkable cellular plasticity, altering morphology and development in response to environmental cues.
  • Thermally dimorphic fungi are a significant group of human pathogens that transition between hyphal and yeast forms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review major human-pathogenic, thermally dimorphic fungi.
  • To highlight their environmental and host-adapted morphologies.
  • To discuss temperature as a key signal for morphological transition.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of thermally dimorphic fungal pathogens.
  • Focus on morphological changes induced by temperature.
  • Identification of key species causing human disease.

Main Results:

  • Thermally dimorphic fungi exist as hyphae in the environment and yeast/nests in hosts.
  • Temperature is a primary environmental signal triggering the shift to the host-adapted form.
  • Major pathogens discussed include Blastomyces dermatitidis, Coccidioides immitis/posadasii, Histoplasma capsulatum, Paracoccidioides brasiliensis/lutzii, Sporothrix schenckii, and Talaromyces marneffei.

Conclusions:

  • Thermally dimorphic fungi are primary pathogens capable of causing disease in immunocompetent individuals.
  • Understanding their temperature-dependent morphological switch is crucial for diagnosing and treating fungal infections.
  • This group represents a significant threat in endemic regions worldwide.

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