Exserohilum
MICROBIOLOGY
- General description:
- A darkly pigmented (dematiaceous) filamentous fungus that lives in soil and grasses, especially in warm and humid conditions.
- E. rostratum is by far the most common infecting species.
- E. longirostratum and E. mcginnisii have also been reported, but these may be the same organism as E. rostratum.
- Appearance:
- Under direct microscopy with KOH, Exserohilum spp. appear as brown septate hyphae.
- Culture:
- In selective culture media, Exserohilum spp. tend to grow fast.
- Conidia may take up to 3 weeks to grow.
- Colonies of Exserohilum spp. have a dark (brown-black or “olivaceous”) color.
- Appearance of conidia:
- E. rostratum: long (25-90 by 9-22 μm), straight or slightly curved with 4 to 9 internal septations [Fig 1].
- Dark bands at both ends and one prominent septum at the base.
- The color is brown to olivaceous.
- A protruding hilum that looks like a bird’s beak is at the site where the conidia attach at a sharp angle to the conidiophore (conidia-bearing filament).
- E. longirostratum: similar in appearance to E. rostratum, but with larger conidia (up to 228 by 12-19 μm).
- E. mcginnisii: 44 to 76 by 11 to 18 μm, with 4 to 8 internal septations, warty projections on their outer walls and without dark bands at the ends
- E. rostratum: long (25-90 by 9-22 μm), straight or slightly curved with 4 to 9 internal septations [Fig 1].
- Non-culture-based diagnostics:
- Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has facilitated the prompt identification of Exserohilum but is highly susceptible to contamination.
- Results should be used only in conjunction with clinical and epidemiological data.
- CSF (1-3)-β-D-glucan (BDG) level measurements in outbreak-associated E. rostratum CNS infections:
- A 138 pg/mL cutoff provided 100% sensitivity and 98% specificity for diagnosing fungal meningitis.
- The decline in CSF BDG correlated with clinical improvement.
- Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has facilitated the prompt identification of Exserohilum but is highly susceptible to contamination.
- Biopsies from tissue-invasive disease with Exserohilum spp. will show broad septate hyphae with acute angle branching [Fig 2]. These organisms can be angioinvasive, and hyphal elements can be seen in and around blood vessels.
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Last updated: February 9, 2025
Citation
Shoham, Shmuel. "Exserohilum." Johns Hopkins ABX Guide, The Johns Hopkins University, 2025. Pediatrics Central, peds.unboundmedicine.com/pedscentral/view/Johns_Hopkins_ABX_Guide/540619/all/Exserohilum.
Shoham S. Exserohilum. Johns Hopkins ABX Guide. The Johns Hopkins University; 2025. https://peds.unboundmedicine.com/pedscentral/view/Johns_Hopkins_ABX_Guide/540619/all/Exserohilum. Accessed February 16, 2025.
Shoham, S. (2025). Exserohilum. In Johns Hopkins ABX Guide. The Johns Hopkins University. https://peds.unboundmedicine.com/pedscentral/view/Johns_Hopkins_ABX_Guide/540619/all/Exserohilum
Shoham S. Exserohilum [Internet]. In: Johns Hopkins ABX Guide. The Johns Hopkins University; 2025. [cited 2025 February 16]. Available from: https://peds.unboundmedicine.com/pedscentral/view/Johns_Hopkins_ABX_Guide/540619/all/Exserohilum.
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