Sheldon (1904)
(Sacc.) Nirenberg (1976)
Macroscopic morphology
Macroscopic morphology may vary significantly on different media, and descriptions here are based upon growth on potato flakes agar at 25°C with on/off fluorescent light cycles of approximately 12 hours each. Rapid growth. Colonies initially white becoming tinged with lavender with a colorless to dark purple reverse. Sporodochia, when formed, are cream to orange, however are generally sparse on PFA. Dark blue sclerotia may be present [2202], [1630].
Microscopic morphology
Hyphae are septate and hyaline. Conidiophores are medium length (shorter than in F. solani and longer than those seen in F. oxysporum), simple or branched. Conidiogenous cells are monophialides. Macroconidia are sparse, very slightly sickle-shaped to nearly straight, i.e., “string bean-like”, 5-septate, measuring 31-58 x 2.7-3.6 µm. Microconidia abundant, 0 to
1-septate, oval to clavate, measure 7-10 x 2.5-3.2 µm, and occur in both false heads (a collection of conidia at the tip of the phialide) and chains. Chlamydoconidia are absent [2202], [1630].
Special notes
Fusarium moniliforme has been reported as an agent of cutaneous disease in man [465], as a new agent of mycetoma in Europe [32], as an agent of keratitis [635], [1704], septic arthritis [882], and disseminated infections in a patients with malignant lymphoma [2476], and acute lymphocytic leukemia patient [2118]. A deep mycoses was reported under the name F. verticilloides [1815]. It has also been cited as an agent of mycotic pneumonia in an alligator [768]. Fusarium moniliforme differs from the two most common species, F. solani and F. oxysporum, by forming microconidia in chains, and from F. proliferatum, by lacking polyphialides (phialides with more than one opening not delimited by a septum).
FTL* in vitro susceptibility data
| AMB | ITRA | VORI |
|---|---|---|
| 4.0 µg/ml=3 | 2.0 µg/ml=2 | 2.0 µg/ml=2 |
| 8.0 µg/ml=2 | 4.0 µg/ml=1 |
| Drug/N | AMB/5 | ITRA/2 | VORI/3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| MIC Range | 4.0-8.0 | 2.0 | 2.0-4.0 |
* Fungus Testing Laboratory unpublished data (NCCLS M38-A)