Through the comparative study on the appearance characters and internal structure of cultivated and wild Ganoderma lucidum in Huoshan,this paper provides a reference for the further study of G. lucidum. In this study,the similarities and differences between cultivated G. lucidum " Huozhi No. 1" and wild G. lucidum in Huoshan were compared by means of character observation,optical microscopy and scanning electron microscope( SEM). The results showed that the pileus color of " Huozhi No. 1" was yellowish brown and thicker,while that of wild G. lucidum was mainly reddish brown,the context was thinner,and there were gravel and rotten wood at the bottom of the stipe. A clear skeletal hyphae and binding hyphae were observed in cultivated and wild G. lucidum,but there was no significant difference. The shell layer,context layer,mediostratum layer and spores of cultivated and wild G. lucidum were observed by SEM,and the results showed that there was no significant difference. It was found that the mediostratum of " Huozhi No. 1" was thin and irregular,while the mediostratum of wild G. lucidum was neat and compact. There were two types of spores in wild G. lucidum,one of which retained the outer wall of spore type Ⅰ,with tiny pores on the surface. The other is type Ⅱ spores with many spinous processes on the surface,which may be formed by type Ⅰ spores falling off the outwall. In this study,the appearance characters and internal structure of cultivated and wild G. lucidum in Huoshan were systematically observed and compared,which provided theoretical basis and reference for the identification and quality evaluation of cultivated and wild G. lucidum.
Ganoderma ; Hyphae ; Reishi

Psoriasis and tinea corporis have similar lesions that scaly erythematous patches, plaques and papules, and dermatophytosis have been considered rare in psoriasis. So, when the psoriatic lesion is resistant to conventional treatments, we regard worsening condition of psoriasis. It is difficult for us to diagnose dermatophytosis in the patient with psoriasis, when the lesion is atypical by steroid application. We report two cases of dermatophytosis in psoriatic patients. They had scaly lesions that suggested worsening of psoriasis but were not respond to conventional treatments. We found many hyphae on KOH examination from the lesions and isolated and identified Trichophyton rubrum on fungal culture. It is necessary for physicians to check dermatophytosis in patients who had atypical lesions or not better with conventional treatments.
Humans ; Hyphae ; Psoriasis* ; Tinea* ; Trichophyton

KOH examination is a simple, rapid and diagnostic procedure to confirm dermatophytic infections. It is important to select a proper examination site of the lesion. To determinate the proper examination site of the lesion, mycologic studies were done with multiple specimens collected from the center, margin and out of margin of the ring-shaped dermatophytic skin lesion on the 58 patients. The results were as follows. Positive rate of KOH wet smear was 94.8% at the center and 100% at the margin of the lesions, 22.4% at the 1 cm and 5.2% at the 2 cm out of the lesions. The more hyphae were found in the lesion, the more hyphae were found out of the lesion. Culture was done on the Sabouraud's glucose agar from the highest KOH positive area and the positive culture was 48 strains (82.8%) of 58 patients. These findings suggested that the ring-shaped active margin was the best site to examine mycologic studies.
Agar ; Glucose ; Humans ; Hyphae ; Skin*

BACKGROUND: Onychomycosis is very common nail problem, so an in xpensive, quick and sensitive test is essential for screening nail specimens. Recently, there is a report of new method for diagnosing onychomycosis u.;ing KOH treated nail clippings which vri then crushed and finally stained with periodic acid-Schifft(PAS) stain (KONCPA). OBJECTIVE: We evaluate the susefulness of the new methods using KOH treated nail clippings and nail debris which were then crushed and finally stained with FS (KONPA) or chlorazol black E(KONBE), for the diagriosis of onychomycosis. METHODS: We compare different methods for diagnosing onychonycisis such as KOH stains, fungal cultures, histologic evaluation, SEM, KONCPA, KONBE, and KOHJPA. RESULTS: KONPA was proved to be more effective indentifying uiigal hyphae in comparison with conventional KOH nail scraping preparation, fungal culture, and FONBE. The positive rates of each method were 74%, 46%, 43%, and 63%, respectively. Also, KENPA proved to be more rapid and easy to perform in cotnparison to the histologic evaluation of tiail clippings and SEM. CONCLUSION: KONPA is a sensitive, quick, and readily available teled for use in clinical settings in cases that are highy siispected to be onychomycosis clinicaly, but show negative results using conventional methods
Coloring Agents ; Hyphae ; Mass Screening ; Onychomycosis*

We report a case of tinea incognito in a 29-year-old man after applying the 0.03% tacrolimus ointment. He was known atopic dermatitis patient and has been treated with intermittent application of tacrolimus. For his facial pruritus 0.03% tacrolimus ointment was prescribed, and after one week he developed annularly grouped erythematous plaques and patches around the ointment-applied area. The KOH smear revealed multiple fungal hyphae. Dermatologists should be aware of the possibility of topical tacrolimus to be the causative agent for tinea incognito.
Dermatitis, Atopic ; Hyphae ; Pruritus ; Tacrolimus ; Tinea

There had been no reports of trichophyton tonsurans infection in Korea yet. We have much chances to import the organism through international travels and exchanges. But we, Korean, have no experiences to observe T. tonsurans. Author tried mycological studies with T. tonsurans insolated in New Orleans, USA. The results are as follows: Gross findings of T. tonsurans showed that fine granular surface with light yellow hue or white color and grooving in the central area on the front side and mahogany brown color on the reverse side. On the urease test, various reddish discoloration was noted. Microscopic findings showed that septated hyphae, macroconidia, chlamydoconidia and microconidia. Macroconidia were 305 septated, smooth-surfaced, and were found more frequently in the whitish colony. Microconidia were characteristic in their arrangement and shape; round or oval shaped microconidia laterally to hyphae, some were match-head like terminal swelling. Hair perforation test showed positive results in 16 strains among 19 tested strains. All these findings are similar to T. rubrum and T. menatgrophytes, the most frequent isolates of dermatophytes in Korea, and we have to pay an attention to differentiate carefully.
Arthrodermataceae ; Hair ; Hyphae ; Korea ; Trichophyton* ; Urease

The capability of higher ascomyceteous fungi to cause typical soft-rot decay for wood under laboratory conditions is reviewed and discussed. Fungi tested were extremely active in the decomposition of timbers. Scanning electron micrographs illustrated typical soft-rot decay pattern of higher wood decay ascomycetes, with the exception of H. trugodes that caused white-rot decay. Most of the fungi tested could be grouped as soft-rot fungi that showed typical soft-rot type II. Hypha confined primarily to the resin canals in softwoods or vessel elements in hardwoods and spread tracheid to tracheid via pits of cell wall to cell wall with mechanical force.
Ascomycota ; Cell Wall ; Fungi* ; Hyphae ; Wood*

Detailed structures of ectomycorrhizae formed in Pinus roots were observed with various microscopes: light, fluorescence, and scanning electron microscopes. The mantles and Hartig nets commonly found in the structure of ectomycorrhiza were newly observed according to developmental stage by various staining. The mycelia were observed to be composed of coiled types on the surface of epidermal root during early stage and fused to form mantles of smooth fungal layers, loosing mycelia with some viscous liquid secreted. The ectomycorrhizal hyphae in anatomical roots penetrated the cortical layer and formed obviously mantle and Hartig net. The round spots of ectomycorrhizal mycelia were observed morphological distribution from the cortical layer to vascular bundle of stele in the ectomycorrhizal roots of Pinus species and especially scattered at the area of meristem at the root tip as longitudinal sections. Those mycelia penetrated seemed to move into other roots by means of vascular bundle of ectomycorrhizal roots and newly form ectomycorrhizal roots of dichotomous branches.
Fluorescence ; Fungi* ; Hyphae ; Meristem ; Mycorrhizae ; Pinus*

Phaeohyphomycosis is a subcutaneous and systemic infection caused by dark-walled hyphae and differs from chromoblastomycosis in that it has no sclerotic cells. It commonly occurs in a immunosuppressed host. Exophiala dermatitidis, common pathogen of phaeohyphomycosis, has been commonly reported in Japan, but very rare in Korea. This report describes a case of phaeohyphomycosis due to Exophiala dermatitidis successfully treated with itraconazole.
Chromoblastomycosis ; Exophiala* ; Hyphae ; Immunocompromised Host ; Itraconazole* ; Japan ; Korea ; Phaeohyphomycosis*

PURPOSE: This study investigated the cytological findings of the nasolacrimal duct by using the removed silicone tube in patients of nasolacrimal duct obstruction according to the surgical technique. METHODS: Cytologic study was performed in 49 eyes of 41 patients who underwent silicone tube intubation or dacryocystorhinostomy from May 2002 to April 2003. By using Thin Prep(R) 2000 (CYTYC. USA), the cells around the removed silicone tube inserted in the operation were observed by light microscope. The patients were classified into the silicone tube intubation group and the dacryocystorhinostomy group. Differences of observed cytological results were analyzed by the Pearson Chi-Square test. RESULTS: From the cytological results by the type of operation, there was no statistical difference between the silicone tube intubation group and the dacryocystorhinostomy group, and the frequency of hyphae detection was higher in the dacryocystorhinostomy group than in the silicone tube intubation group (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In the dacryocystorhinostomy patient group, the frequent detection of fungus suggests a possible relationship with the pathogenesis of nasolacrimal duct obstruction. Further studies on the prevention and treatment of fungal infection are needed.
Dacryocystorhinostomy ; Fungi ; Humans ; Hyphae ; Intubation ; Nasolacrimal Duct* ; Silicones*