Penicillium spp.

Author: Prof. Dr. med. Peter Altmeyer

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Last updated on: 29.10.2020

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History
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Fleming, 1928

Definition
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Mould (filamentous fungus) with enzymatic activity to form penicillin. Important as inhalation allergen. It reaches its highest spore concentration in winter until spring.

General definition
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  • Macromorphology: the surface is woolly and velvety, water droplets are often found on the colony. The colour is white at the beginning, later yellow, green, blue, at the edge the colony remains white.
  • Penicillium species produce important highly effective antibiotics but also highly toxic mycotoxins.

Occurrence/Epidemiology
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Worldwide, ubiquitously distributed. Especially in the soil, on plants and food. Often found as contamination in fungal cultures (especially when grown at room temperature of 20-25 °C).

Microscopy
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  • Typical, round, unicellular conidia (size: 2-5 µm Ø) arranged in a brush shape (unbranched chains).
  • Septed hyaline hyphae (size: 1-5 µm Ø).
  • Simple or branched conidiophores.
  • Very numerous primary and secondary metulae with bulb-shaped phials.

Notice! Penicillium spp. can be clearly distinguished from dermatophytes by the conidia!

Literature
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  1. Boscolo P (1999) Sensitisation to Aspergillus fumigatus and Penicillium notatum in laboratory workers. Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol 12: 43-48
  2. Diggins FW (1999) The true history of the discovery of penicillin, with refutation of the misinformation in the literature. Br J Biomed Sci 56: 83-93
  3. Fleming A (1929) On the antibacterial action of cultures of a penicillium, with special reference to their use in the isolation B. influenzae. Br J Exp Pathol 10: 226

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Last updated on: 29.10.2020