Which of the following is true for candida: September 2011

Ans. D: Yeast like fungus Candida is a pathognomic yeast like fungus Classification of fungi depending on cell morphology Yeast - Unicellular fungi - Occur as spherical/ ellipsoidal cells - Reproduce by simple budding - Cryptococcus neoformans is the only pathogenic yeast Yeast like fungi - They grow paly as yeast & paly as elongated cells resembling hyphae, latter forming a pseudomycelium - Candida albicans is a pathogenic yeast like fungus Moulds/ Filamentous fungi - Forms true mycelia - Reproduce by formation of different types of spores - Dermatophytes are example of pathogenic moulds Dimorphic fungi - They can occur as filaments or yeasts (depending upon the conditions of growth) - Most fungi causing systemic infections are dimorphic fungi