Drechslera sp.

Teleomorph: Pyrenophora

Colonies are fast growing, suede-like to downy, brown to blackish brown with a black reverse. Conidia are pale to dark brown, usually cylindrical or subcylindrical, straight, smooth-walled, and are formed apically through a pore (poroconidia) in a sympodially elongating geniculate conidiophore. Conidia are transversely septate (phragmoconidia), with the septum delimiting the basal cell formed first during conidium maturation, germinating is from any or all cells and the hilum is not protuberant.  RG-1 organism.

Conidia of Drechslera sp.

MIC data is limited.  Antifungal susceptibility testing of individual strains is recommended.

Clinical significance:

Drechslera species are mostly found from soil and plants. McGinnis et al. (1986) have reviewed the isolates from human and animal disease purported to be Drechslera or Helminthosporium and concluded that all pathogenic isolates examined actually belong to the genera Bipolaris or Exserohilum. However, Drechslera biseptata has recently been reported from a brain abscess.

Mycosis: Phaeohyphomycosis

Further reading:

Kwon-Chung, K.J. and J.E. Bennett. 1992. Medical Mycology. Lea & Febiger, Philadelphia and London.

McGinnis, M.R., M.G. Rinaldi and R.E. Winn. 1986. Emerging agents of Phaeohyphomycosis: pathogenic species of Bipolaris and Exserohilum. J. Clin. Microbiol. 24:250-259.