io86 FUNGI IMPERFECTI 



lium. These globular elements (conidia) become detached, and 

 reproduce by budding. 



Cultures. — -The fungus grows best of all on slightly acid Sabou- 

 raud's maltose agar or on glucose agar, but grows fairly well also 

 on all alkaline media. In cultures the fungus appears under two 

 forms — a globular form morphologically similar to a typical yeast, 

 and reproducing by budding ; a filamentous form, showing mycelial 

 threads, simple or ramified. Asci and internal spores, as in the 

 genus Endomyces, are absent. On Sabouraud's and glucose agar 

 the growth is abundant, smooth, of a 

 creamy- white colour; on ordinary agar the 

 growth is less abundant. Gelatine and 

 serum are very slowly liquefied. Milk is 

 rendered acid, and after a time it clots. 

 The sugar reactions are given in the table. 



Pathogenicity.— M. albicans is one of the 

 fungi which gives rise to thrush. This 

 condition may be due to several different 

 fungi — -M. albicans, Endomyces vuillemini, 

 M. tropicalis, etc. (p. 1741) . Thrush is gene- 

 rally restricted to the oral mucosa, but in cer- 

 tain cases it may spread to the oesophagus, 

 stomach, intestine. M. albicans has been 

 found also in a few cases of bronchomycosis. 



Monilia tropicalis (Castellani, 1909). 



Synonym. — Endomyces tropicalis Castel- 

 lani, 1909. 



Found by Castellani in Ceylon in many 

 cases of bronchomycosis. In the expectora- 

 tion round or oval shape yeast-like cells 

 are seen, and at times segments of myce- 

 lium. Cultures are easily obtained on 

 Sabouraud's or glucose agar, and even 

 on ordinary agar. It grows more abund- 

 antly on slightly acid than on alkaline 



Fig. 568. Monilia fropi- media. On Sabouraud's and glucose agar 



Castellani, the growth is abundant, creamy white, with 

 a smooth surface when young; often 

 slightly crinkled |when old. The growth is composed practically 

 of only globular yeast-like cells, while in the water of condensa- 

 tion globular cells and mycelium may be found together. A little 

 mycelium may be found, however, occasionally in the growth on 

 the slope. Ascus formations are absent. Gelatine and serum 

 are not liquefied ; there is no brownish discoloration of the serum, 

 as is the case with some other species of Monilia (M . insolita, etc.). 

 Litmus milk is generally rendered acid, but is not clotted. The 

 sugar reactions will be found in the table on pp. 1082, 1083. It 

 produces acid and gas in glucose, levulose, maltose, and also, in less 



