318 



MEDICAL MYCOLOGY 



Morphologic bases for separating species seem to be inadequate, 

 since clinically similar cases in the hands of a single investigator 

 have vielded organisms that have been placed in as many as a 

 half-dozen different species. This fact induced Benham (1931) 

 to supplement morphologic differences with variations in fermen- 

 tative ability and serologic characteristics. Lamb and Lamb 

 (1935) used fermentation and precipitation reactions in specific 



Fig. 71. A. Hvphal elements and budding spores of Candida albicans. B. 



Malassezia oralis, showing thin-walled and thick-walled spores. Growth 



usually results in buds, but short hyphae may be formed. 



separation. Martin and his associates (1937) employed differ- 

 ences in growth habits on blood agar, corn-meal agar, and Sabou- 

 raud's agar, together with fermentation reactions, in their identifi- 

 cation of species. All students of the group clearly recognize 

 the inherent variability and dissociative potentialities of Monilia. 



Two species of Monilia are singled out from this aggregate as 

 being of most interest. These include M. albicans (Candida tropi- 

 calis) and M. psilosis (Syringospora albicans and S. psilosis, re- 

 spectively, according to Dodge). 



Monilia albicans is best known in connection with thrush, a dis- 

 ease of the throat and mouth of children; rarely it occurs also in 

 old or debilitated persons. In addition it is of importance as an 

 etiolouic accent in pulmonary moniliasis and may also attack the 

 nails, producing chronic paronychia, may involve the mucous 

 membranes of the genitalia, or may cause skin lesions on the palmar 



