Myriodontium keratinophylum

Species/common name
Myriodontium keratinophylum.

Natural habitat
Widespread in nature, especially where keratinous substrates are present (soil, bird feathers, shrew and cat hair).

Geography
Worldwide distribution.

Frequency
Frequency is unknown but it is accepted as the second most common cause of mucormycosis. This species is associated with gastrointestinal and cutaneous infections and mycotic abortion in animals.

Diseases

Humans:
particularly associated with the cutaneous and gastrointestinal forms of the disease. Outbreaks of intestinal infections have been reported. Other forms of the disease as pulmonary, rhinocerebral, central nervous system and disseminated infections are less frequent caused by this fungus.

Animals:
It is the most frequent Mucorales causing infections in other mammals mainly swine and bovine abortion.

Culture peculiarities
Fast growing; hairy, dark greyish-brown. Sporangiophores are brownish and more common in pairs. Sporangia spherical and greyish-black in colour. Sporangiospores hyaline, angular, subspherical or ellipsoidal and striate. It can grow at 50-52ºC. the differentiation between varieties require great expertise or the sequencing of DNA targets.

Antifungal resistance (intrinsic and acquired)
All isolates are intrinsically resistant to fluconazole, ketoconazole, voriconazole and the echinocandins. Usually susceptible to amphotericin B and posaconazole. Variably susceptible to itraconazole.

Biosafety level 2
This organism can be handled in a biosafety level 2 laboratory.

Industrial use
It is used in the production of tempeh, a natural soy product originally from Indonesia.