What are the characteristics of Aspergillus flavus?

Aspergillus flavus colonies are commonly powdery masses of yellowish-green spores on the upper surface and reddish-gold on the lower surface. In both grains and legumes, infection is minimized to small areas, and discoloration and dullness of affected areas is often seen.

What is the common name of Aspergillus flavus?

Aspergillus flavus (Aspergillus ear rot)

What phylum is Aspergillus?

Ascomycota is a phylum of the kingdom Fungi that, together with the Basidiomycota, forms the subkingdom Dikarya. Its members are commonly known as the sac fungi or ascomycetes. It is the largest phylum of Fungi, with over 64,000 species.

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What are the diseases caused by Aspergillus flavus?

Particularly common clinical syndromes associated with A. flavus include chronic granulomatous sinusitis, keratitis, cutaneous aspergillosis, wound infections and osteomyelitis following trauma and inoculation. Outbreaks associated with A.

Why is Aspergillus flavus important?

Abstract. SUMMARY Aspergillus flavus is an opportunistic pathogen of crops. It is important because it produces aflatoxin as a secondary metabolite in the seeds of a number of crops both before and after harvest. Aflatoxin is a potent carcinogen that is highly regulated in most countries.

What is the Colour of Aspergillus flavus?

Aspergillus flavus is a mycotoxigenic fungus that possesses the ability to produce B aflatoxins. It can be readily distinguished morphologically by the production of a bright yellow-green conidial color, when cultured on malt extract agar or Czapek yeast extract agar.

How is Aspergillus flavus transmitted?

Transmission. Transmission occurs through inhalation of airborne conidia. Hospital-acquired infections may be sporadic or may be associated with dust exposure during building renovation or construction. Occasional outbreaks of cutaneous infection have been traced to contaminated biomedical devices.

Is Aspergillus flavus gram positive?

flavus on Sabouraud agar (Unstained). Mycelium with fingerlike branches in fresh sputum smear (Cotton blue stain). Gram-positive staining branching mycelium from A. fumigatus in pus (Gram stain).

How is Aspergillus flavus spread?

Ecology and Spread

The spores are dissemenated by wind and insects to the silks of the maturing ears. After the conidia germinate in the ear, they invade the kernels, usually towards the top of the ears. Injured kernels are most susceptible.

Why Aspergillus is called guinea pig?

Though Aspergillus now does not belong to plant kingdom and they belong to Kingdom fungi, still previouly they were studied under plant kingdom and the name guinea pig is given to any organism with which much experimental work is done.

Is Aspergillus flavus a mold?

Aspergillus flavus is a fungus. It grows by producing thread like branching filaments known as hyphae. Filamentous fungi such as A. flavus are sometimes called molds.

What is the scientific name of Fusarium?

What type of fungi is Aspergillus?

Aspergillus species are filamentous fungi that are commonly found in soil, decaying vegetation, and seeds and grains, where they thrive as saprophytes.

Is Aspergillus flavus gram positive?

flavus on Sabouraud agar (Unstained). Mycelium with fingerlike branches in fresh sputum smear (Cotton blue stain). Gram-positive staining branching mycelium from A. fumigatus in pus (Gram stain).

Is Aspergillus an Ascomycetes?

Aspergillus, genus of fungi in the order Eurotiales (phylum Ascomycota, kingdom Fungi) that exists as asexual forms (or anamorphs) and is pathogenic (disease-causing) in humans.

How do you identify Aspergillus species?

Clinical microbiology laboratories rely heavily on morphology-based identification methods for Aspergillus species wherein diagnostic criteria include the recognition of asexual or sexual structures and their characteristics such as shape, size, color, ornamentation and/or mode of attachment.

Is Aspergillus gram negative?

Levels of gram-negative bacteria, Aspergillus fumigatus, dust, and endotoxin at compost plants.

What is the morphology of Aspergillus?

Morphology of Aspergillus niger

Aspergillus niger is a filamentous fungus, forming filamented hyphae that make them appear like small plants. Macroscopic observation of Aspergillus niger reveals that their growth is initially white but they change to black after a few days producing conidial spore.

What is the shape of Aspergillus?

The genus Aspergillus is characterized by the formation of flask-shaped or cylindrical phialides either in a single or double series on the surface of a vesicle at the apex of a conidiophore (Raper and Fennell 1965).

What is the family of Aspergillus?

The Trichocomaceae are a family of fungi in the order Eurotiales. Taxa are saprobes with aggressive colonization strategies, adaptable to extreme environmental conditions. Family members are cosmopolitan in distribution, ubiquitous in soil, and common associates of decaying plant and food material.

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Does Aspergillus Gram stain?

Microscopic methods, such as wet mounts, Gram stains, and conventional histopathology, provide clues that suggest the presence of Aspergillus spp. in tissue. Blankophor or Calcofluor mixed with 10%–20% potassium hydroxide (KOH), stains fungal cell walls and improves detection of fungi.