4 86 



Thrush 



Cultivation. The organism grows readily in artificial 

 media, both with and without free access of oxygen. An acid 

 reaction is most appropriate. 



Colonies. The superficial colonies upon gelatin plates are 

 rounded, waxy, and coarsely granular. The deep colonies are 

 irregular in shape and show feathery processes extending into 

 the medium. The color varies according to the composition 

 of the medium, from snow white on ordinary gelatin to meat- 

 red on beet-root gelatin. A sour odor is 

 given off from the cultures. 



Gelatin Punctures. Along the line of 

 puncture there is a slow formation of 

 rounded, feathery, colorless colonies, not 

 unlike those shown by many molds. 

 The gelatin is slowly liquefied only when 

 it contains sugar. In such cultures 

 chlamydospores are abundant. 



Agar-agar. Cultures are similar to 

 those in gelatin. 



Bouillon. The organism grows only at 

 the bottom of the tube in the form of 

 yellowish- white flocculi. 



Potato. Various in different cases. 

 Often floury. 



Milk. The organism grows very poorly 

 in milk, which is not coagulated or fer- 

 mented. 



Fermentation. The organism utilizes 

 dextrin, mannite, alcohol, lactose, and 

 glycerin without fermentation. Saccha- 

 rose is destroyed without invertin for- 

 mation. Glucose, levulose, and maltose 

 are fermented very slowly. 



Metabolic Products. In addition to the ferments that 

 act upon the sugars, etc., and soften the gelatin, the organ- 

 ism forms alcohol, aldehyd, and acetic acid. 



Pathogenesis. Animals are not known to suffer from 

 spontaneous infection. Grawitz was able to induce thrush in 

 puppies. Stooss inoculated the scarified vaginas of rabbits 

 with mixed cultures of pyogenic cocci and o'idium and ob- 

 tained thrush plaques. The oidi'um alone was unable to 

 secure a foothold. Doderlein, Grosset, and Stooss all suc- 

 ceeded in producing abscesses, sometimes by subcutaneous 



Fig- 159. Oidium 

 albicans. Culture 

 in gelatin (Hansen). 



