Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Blastomyces dermatitidis

  • Chapter
Fungal Dimorphism

Abstract

The existence of two morphological entities of Blastomyces dermatitidis, the causative agent of blastomycosis (North American blastomycosis, Gilchrist’s disease), was recognized by Gilchrist and Stokes (1898) soon after the disease was first described by Gilchrist (1896). Gilchrist and Stokes (1898) named the fungus and succeeded in culturing it at room temperature despite gross contamination of the cultures with pyogenic cocci. Ricketts (1901), however, was the first to publish detailed in vitro appearances of both yeast and mycelial forms, and it was he who suggested that temperature was a key factor in determining the type of growth observed. In an equally detailed and accurate presentation, Hamburger (1907) confirmed the importance of temperature in determining the morphological type and described how the “capsule” of the yeastlike cell ruptured, leaving “collarlike” projections through which a new bud was formed or a germ tube was initiated.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Area Leao, A. E. de, and Cury, A., 1950, Deficiencias vitaminicas de cogumelos pathogenicos, Mycopathol. Mycol. Appl. 5:65–90.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Azuma, I., Kanetsuna, F., Tanaka, Y., Yamamura, Y., and Carbonell, L. M., 1974, Chemical and immunological properties of galactomannans obtained from Histoplasma duboisii, Histoplasma capsulatum, Paracoccidioides brasiliensis and Blastomyces der-matitidis, Mycopathol Mycol. Appl. 54:111–125.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bakerspigel, A., 1957, The structure and mode of division of the nuclei in the yeast cells and mycelium of Blastomyces dermatitidis, Can. J. Microbiol. 3:923–936.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bawdon, R. E., and Garrison, R. G., 1974, The uptake and incorporation of leucine and cystine by the mycelial and yeastlike phases of Blastomyces dermatitidis, Mycopathol. Mycol. Appl. 54:421–433.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blank, F., 1954, On the cell walls of dimorphic fungi causing systemic infections, Can. J. Microbiol. 1:1–5.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carbonell, L. M., 1969, Ultrastructure of dimorphic transformation in Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, J. Bacteriol. 100:1076–1082.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carbonell, L. M., and Rodriguez, J., 1968, Mycelial phase of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis and Blastomyces dermatitidis: An electron microscope study, J. Bacteriol. 96:533–543.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ciferri, R., and Redaelli, P., 1935, Prima contribuzione allo studio delle cosidette blasto-micosi americane, Atti Ist. Bot. Univ. Pavia 6:55–105.

    Google Scholar 

  • Conant, N. F., and Howell, A., 1942, The similarity of the fungi causing South American blastomycosis (paracoccidioidal granuloma) and North American blastomycosis (Gilchrist’s disease), J. Invest. Dermatol. 5:353–370.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cox, R. A., and Best, G. K., 1972, Cell wall composition of two strains of Blastomyces dermatitidis exhibiting differences in virulence for mice, Infect. Immun. 5:449–453.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Davis, T. E., Jr., Domer, J. E., and Li, Y.-T., 1977, Cell wall studies of Histoplasma capsulatum and Blastomyces dermatitidis, Infect. Immun. 15:978–987.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • DeLamater, E. D., 1948, The nuclear cytology of Blastomyces dermatitidis, Mycologia 40:430–444.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • DeLamater, E. D., 1949, Rough-smooth variation in Blastomyces dermatitidis Gilchrist and Stokes 1898, J. Invest. Dermatol. 12:101–110.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • DeMonbreun, W. A., 1935, Experimental chronic cutaneous blastomycosis in monkeys, Arch. Dermatol. Syphilol. 31:831–854.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Domer, J. E., 1971, Monosaccharide and chitin content of cell walls of H istoplasma capsulatum and Blastomyces dermatitidis, J. Bacteriol. 107:870–877.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Domer, J. E., and Hamilton, J. G., 1971, The readily extracted lipids of Histoplasma capsulatum and Blastomyces dermatitidis, Biochim. Biophys. Acta 231:465–478.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Edwards, G. A., and Edwards, M. R., 1960, The intracellular membranes of Blastomyces dermatitidis, Am. J. Bot. 47:622–632.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garrison, R. G., and Boyd, K. S., 1978, Role of the conidium in dimorphism of Blastomyces dermatitidis, Mycopathologia 64:29–33.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Garrison, R. G., Dodd, H. T., and Hamilton, J. W., 1970a, The uptake of low molecular weight sulfur-containing compounds by Histoplasma capsulatum and related dimorphic fungi, Mycopathol. Mycol. Appl. 40:171–180.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Garrison, R. G., Lane, J. W., and Field, M. F., 1970b, Ultrastructural changes during the yeastlike to mycelial-phase conversion of Blastomyces dermatitidis and Histoplasma capsulatum, J. Bacteriol. 101:628–635.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gilardi, G. L., 1965, Nutrition of systemic and subcutaneous pathogenic fungi, Bacteriol. Rev. 29:406–424.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gilardi, G. L., and Laffer, N. C., 1962, Nutritional studies on the yeast phase of Blastomyces dermatitidis and B. brasiliensis, J. Bacteriol. 83:219–227.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gilchrist, T. C., 1896, A case of blastomycetic dermatitis in man, Johns Hopkins Hosp. Rep. 1:269–290.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gilchrist, T. C., and Stokes, W. R., 1898, A case of pseudolupus vulgaris caused by a Blastomyces, J. Exp. Med. 3:53–78.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Halliday, W. J., and McCoy, E., 1955, Biotin as a growth requirement for Blastomyces dermatitidis, J. Bacteriol. 70:464–468.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hamburger, W. W., 1907, A comparative study of four strains of organisms isolated from four cases of generalized blastomycosis, J. Infect. Dis. 4:201–209.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Howard, D. H., and Herndon, R. L., 1960, Tissue cultures of mouse peritoneal exudates inoculated with Blastomyces dermatitidis, J. Bacteriol. 80:522–527.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kanetsuna, F., 1967, Estudio bioquimico del Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, Acta Cient. Venezolana 3:308–317.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kanetsuna, F., 1981, Ultrastructural studies on the dimorphism of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, Blastomyces dermatitidis and Histoplasma capsulatum, Sabouraudia 19:275–286.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kanetsuna, F., and Carbonell, L. M., 1971, Cell wall composition of the yeastlike and mycelial forms of Blastomyces dermatitidis, J. Bacteriol. 106:946–948.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kanetsuna, F., Carbonell, L. M., Moreno, R. E., and Rodrigeuz, J., 1969, Cell wall composition of the yeast and mycelial forms of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, J. Bacteriol. 97:1036–1041.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lane, J. W., and Garrison, R. G., 1970, Electronmicroscropy of self-parasitism by Histo-plasma capsulatum and Blastomyces dermatitidis, Mycopathol. Mycol Appl. 40:271–276.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Levine, S., and Ordal, Z. J., 1946, Factors influencing the morphology of Blastomyces dermatitidis, J. Bacteriol. 52:687–694.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Massoudnia, A., and Scheer, E. R., 1982, The influence of medium on the chemical composition of Blastomyces dermatitidis, Curr. Microbiol. 7:25–28.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Michelson, I. D., 1928, Blastomycosis: A pathologic and bacteriologic study, J. Am. Med. Assoc. 91:1871–1876.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miyaji, M., and Nishimura, K., 1977, Investigation of dimorphism of Blastomyces dermatitidis by agar-implantation, Mycopathologia 60:73–78.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nickerson, W. J., 1948, Enzymatic control of cell division in microorganisms, Nature (London) 162:241–245.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nickerson, W. J., and Edwards, G. A., 1949, Studies on the physiological bases of morphogenesis in fungi. I. The respiratory metabolism of dimorphic pathogenic fungi, J. Gen. Physiol. 33:41–55.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nickerson, W. J., and Falcone, G., 1956, Identification of protein disulfide reductase as a cellular division enzyme in yeasts, Science 124:722–723.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Odds, F. C., Kaufman, L., McLaughlin, D., Callaway, C., and Blumer, S. O., 1971, Effect of chitinase complex on the antigenicity and chemistry of yeast-form cell walls and other fractions of Histoplasma capsulatum and Blastomyces dermatitidis, Sabouraudia 12:138–149.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ricketts, H. T., 1901, Oidiomycosis of skin and its fungi, J. Med. Res. 6:373–546.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roy, I., and Landau, J. W., 1971, Polymorphism of malate dehydrogenase in cytoplasmic and mitochondrial fractions of Blastomyces dermatitidis, Sabouraudia 9:39–42.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roy, I., and Landau, J. W., 1972a, Protein constituents of cell walls of the dimorphic phases of Blastomyces dermatitidis, Can. J. Microbiol. 18:473–478.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roy, I., and Landau, J. W., 1972b, Composition of the alkali resistant cell wall material of dimorphic Blastomyces dermatitidis, Sabouraudia 10:107–112.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Salvin, S. B., 1949, Phase-determining factors in Blastomyces dermatitidis, Mycologia 41:311–319.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stewart, R. A., and Meyer, K. F., 1938, Studies in the metabolism of Coccidioides immitis (Stiles), J. Infect. Dis. 63:196–205.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stober, A. M., 1914, Systemic blastomycosis: A report of its pathological, bacteriological and clinical features, Arch. Intern. Med. 13:509–556.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, J. J., 1961, Nucleic acids and dimorphism in Blastomyces, Exp. Cell Res. 24:155–158.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zahraee, M. H., Wilson, T. E., and Scheer, E. R., 1982, The effect of growth media upon the ultrastructure of Blastomyces dermatitidis, Can. J. Microbiol. 28:211–218.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70112, USA

    Judith E. Domer

Authors
  1. Judith E. Domer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA

    Paul J. Szaniszlo

  2. Texas Department of Health, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA

    James L. Harris

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1985 Plenum Press, New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Domer, J.E. (1985). Blastomyces dermatitidis. In: Szaniszlo, P.J., Harris, J.L. (eds) Fungal Dimorphism. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-4982-2_3

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-4982-2_3

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-4984-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-4982-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation