Ulocladium

Species of Ulocladium should not be confused with other poroconidial genera such as Stemphylium, Alternaria, Bipolaris, Exserohilum, Dreschlera and Curvularia. 

A human case of keratitis has been reported (Badenoch et al. 2006).

RG-1 organism.

Ulocladium

Conidia of Ulocladium spp.

Morphological description: 
Colonies are rapid growing, brown to olivaceous-black or greyish and suede-like to floccose. Microscopically, numerous, usually solitary, multicelled conidia (dictyoconidia) are formed through a pore (poroconidia) by a sympodially elongating geniculate conidiophore. Conidia are typically obovoid (narrowest at the base), dark brown and often rough-walled. Seven species have been described, all being saprophytes.

Molecular identification: 
ITS sequencing is sufficient for genus identification (Badenoch et al. 2006) and Woudenberg et al. 2013).

Antifungal susceptibility: Ulocladium species limited data (Australian national data); MIC µg/mL.  
  No ≤0.016 0.03 0.06 0.125 0.25 0.5 1 2 4 ≥8
AmB 2               1 1  
VORI 2         1         1
POSA 1           1        
ITRA 2       1     1      

References: 

  • Badenoch, R.R., Halliday, C.L., Ellis, D.H., et al. (2006) Ulocladium atrum keratitis. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 44, 1190-1193.
  • de Hoog, G.S., Guarro, J., Gene, J., et al. (2015) Atlas of Clinical Fungi (Version 4.1.2). Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
  • Domsch, K.H., Gams, W. and Anderson, T.H. (2007) Compendium of soil fungi. Second Edition, IHW-Verlag, Germany.
  • Ellis, M.B. (1971) Dematiaceous hyphomycetes. Commonwealth Mycological Institute, Kew, Surrey, England.
  • Ellis, M.B. (1976) More dematiaceous hyphomycetes. Commonwealth Mycological Institute, Kew, Surrey, England.
  • Kidd, S., Halliday, C., Ellis, D. (2023) Descriptions of Medical Fungi (4th edition). CABI.
  • Rippon, J.W. (1988) Medical mycology: the pathogenic fungi and the pathogenic actinomycetes, 3rd edition. W,B. Saunders Co, Philadelphia, USA.
  • Samson, R.A., Hoekstra, E.S., Frisvad, J.C., et al. (1995) Introduction to food-borne fungi. Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures, P.O.Box 273, 3740 AG BAARN, The Netherlands.
  • Woudenberg, J.H., Groenewald, J.Z., Binder, M., et al. (2013) Alternaria redefined. Studies in Mycology, 75, 171-212.

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