Chlorophyll　葉緑素

Eukaryote-　真核生物

　

Spore　胞子

Hyphae　菌糸

　

Yeast　酵母

Ray Fungus　放線菌

Pseudomycelium　仮性菌糸

　

Candida Albicans

Cryptococcus

Mucor

　

Commensal Organism-　正常菌　（正常共存菌？）

Drmorphic-　二形性

　

Sexual Reproduction-　有性生殖

Asexual Reproduction　無性生殖

Budding　分芽

　

Infiltration-　浸潤

　

Blood-　血液

Bone Marrow　髄液

　

Mycosis　真菌症

　

Fungi were originally classified as a member of the plant kingdom. As they lack chlorophyll and are eukaryotic, they merited a separate classification in 1950s. There are various phyla（糸統)in the fungi kingdom, including yeasts and hyphal forms, which reproduce by spores.

　

Sometimes single celled fungi join together to form a pseudomycelium.

　

Fungi are found in soil, as saprophytes（腐生菌）of decaying matter, in desert sand, and as molds, mushrooms, and in lichen（地衣）

　

Fungi that infiltrate the skin are common illnesses- the familiar Athlete's foot is one such. However, fungal infections can run a more fulminant course, threatening seriously the health of the patient.

　

Infections of Candida Albicans, a commensal fungi found in 40%-80% of humans, Asperilligus Niger, Cryptococcus and Mucor (Rhizopus, Rhizomucor, Absidia, etc). are responsible for a majority（大多数）of diseases caused by fungi.

　

In Japan, it is said that infections due to Candida Albicans comprise 70% of fungal infections, and 20% are due to Aspergillis (www.so-net.ne.jp/medi-pro). Serious fungal infections are statistically（統計的）rare.

　

The infection of Candida Albicans, a dimorphic fungus, is usually due to

1. immunosuppression (due to AIDS or another illness)

2. Change in normal body flora（正常植物相）due to steroid or antibiotic（抗生物質）treatment.

3. Change in normal physiology due to surgery (ie Cardiac surgery, indwelling catheters（消息子）.

　

(Candida Albicans that travels to the brain is said to be a contributing factor in Autistic disorders) .

　

Aspergillis is usually inhaled, and affects the lungs as a form of pneumonia. (The archaelogist who opened King Tut's tomb and soon died afterwards probably died, not of a curse, but from acute Aspergillosis )

　

Thirdly, mucormycosis（mycosis−真菌症）is common among immunocompromised persons, people with poorly controlled diabetes, or people receiving corticosteroid therapy or desferrioxamine (iron-chelating drug for renal diseases) therapy. Rhinocerebral forms are the most common and frequently fatal.

　

Candida Albicans infections frequently infects the skin and mucosal surfaces. It can exist as a yeast, but also can exist in hyphae form under certain conditions like body temperature and pH change.（宿主の中では酵母菌型を、ある培養条件では hyphae−form の二形成を示す）。 This ability to assume various forms may be related to the pathogenicity of the organism.

　

Aspergillosis is frequently inhaled in as mold spores and causes pneumonia. Moldy environments are high risk areas for developing Aspergillosis.

　

By far the most serious of the three illnesses is Mucormycosis, which may be cutaneous, pulmonary, or manifest in GI lesions. Vascular invasion by hypae leads to progressive tissue necrosis that may involve the palate, and bones surrounding the orbit of sinuses. Manifestations may include pain, fever, orbital cellulitus-（眼窩蜂巣炎）, and mucosal necrosis. Progressive extension to the brain can cause convulsions, aphasia（失語症）or hemiplegia（片麻痺）。

　

Effective Anti-fungal therapy requires examination of tissue samples and systemic drug treatment.