ASCP - Mycology Exam Questions with Verified Answers Latest Update 2025 Already Passed
Mycology - Answers The study of the eukaryotic fungi, including yeasts, molds, and mushrooms.
Characteristics of fungi - Answers The eukaryotic fungi are non-motile and have definite cellwalls. They
lack chlorophyll and absorb nutrients.
Hyphae - Answers Branching filaments of molds and mushrooms.
Mycelium - Answers The mass of hyphae constructing the thallus, the vegetative body of a fungus.
Characteristics of hyphae - Answers They may be dematiaceous (dark) or hyaline (colorless); can be
septate (with crosswalls) or aseptate. Aseptate fungi are often
referred to a coenocytic.
Vegetative hyphae - Answers Food-absorbin; hyphae are either submerged or on top of the
agar substrate.
Aerial hyphae - Answers Hyphae extend above the agar surface and may support reproductive
structures, commonly called conidia.
Pseudohyphae - Answers A series of elongated blastoconidia made by some yeast. These remain
attached to each other and form a hyphal-like structure. Points of attachment and septations are
constricted, while those of true hyphae are not constricted. (characteristic of Candida albicans).
Spores or conidia - Answers May be formed by either an asexual or a sexual process.
Conidia - Answers Asexual spores formed from a conidiogenous cell or at the end of conidiophores. The
conidial types are used to identify the Fungi Imperfecti, or phylum Deuteromycota. These fungi have no
known sexual stage.
Blastic conidiogenesis - Answers Results in the production of blastoconidia that bud from a mother cell.
They can elongate to form pseudohyphae. These conidia are produced by yeasts and some fungi.
Poroconidia, phialoconidia, and annelloconidia are all produced by blastic conidiogenesis
Thallic conidiogenesis - Answers The daughter conidium develops after the formation of a septum near
the end of a parent cell. Macroconidia and microconidia, characteristic of the dermatophytic fungi, are
produced by this process.
Arthric conidiogenesis - Answers Results in the formation of arthroconidia, which fragment from the
hyphal strand at the septation points. This is a type of thallic conidiogenesis.
Chlamydoconidia - Answers Seen in molds, are thick-walled survival conidia that can occur either at a
terminal site (end), an intercalary site (within the hyphae), or a sessile site (on the sides). These
germinate and produce conidia under favorable environmental conditions.
, Sporangiospores - Answers Formed by internal cleavage of the contents of a sporangium, a sac that is
supported by a sporangiophore. This type of free cell formation is characteristic of the Zygomygetes.
Perfect fungi - Answers Produced sexual spores.
Zygospores - Answers Formed by fusion of two compatible hyphal arms and are surrounded by a thick
walled, protective zygosporangium. These sexual spores are produced by fungi in the phylum
Zygomycota.
Ascospores - Answers Sexual spores produced by fungi in the phylum Ascomycota. Eight ascospores are
inside an ascus that may be surrounded by a protective ascocarp.
Basidiospores - Answers Sexual spores that protrude out of a mother cell called a basidium. The
basidiospores and basidium may be protected by an outer basidiocarp, as in the mushrooms, members
of the phylum Basidiomycota.
Collection of specimens for mycologic cultures must include - Answers a. Sterile technique
b. Adequate amount
c. Sample from the area most likely affected
Blood and bone marrow specimens - Answers Collected into a brain heart infusion (BHI) broth for
transportation to the laboratory. The use of Dupont Isolator tubes for transport and processing
enhances fungal recovery from specimens.
CSF specimens - Answers Aseptically collected and transported immediately to the laboratory.
Hair, nails, and skin specimens - Answers Initially cleaned with 70% alcohol to remove surface
contaminants. Scrapings and plucked hairs are placed in a sterile Petri plate for transportation.
Respiratory tract specimens - Answers Should be collected in the morning and put into a sterile
container for transport.
Tissues and biopsy specimens - Answers Aseptically collected and kept moist with sterile saline for
transport.
Vaginal and cervical specimens - Answers Typically collected on sterile swabs, then placed into transport
media or broth.
Scrapings from wounds and lesions - Answers May be placed into sterile saline for transport. Aspiration
specimens can be collected from deep cysts or abscesses by needle and syringe.
Urine specimens - Answers Collected in the morning in sterile container and sent immediately to the
laboratory. Clean catch or catheterized specimens are recommended.
Mycology - Answers The study of the eukaryotic fungi, including yeasts, molds, and mushrooms.
Characteristics of fungi - Answers The eukaryotic fungi are non-motile and have definite cellwalls. They
lack chlorophyll and absorb nutrients.
Hyphae - Answers Branching filaments of molds and mushrooms.
Mycelium - Answers The mass of hyphae constructing the thallus, the vegetative body of a fungus.
Characteristics of hyphae - Answers They may be dematiaceous (dark) or hyaline (colorless); can be
septate (with crosswalls) or aseptate. Aseptate fungi are often
referred to a coenocytic.
Vegetative hyphae - Answers Food-absorbin; hyphae are either submerged or on top of the
agar substrate.
Aerial hyphae - Answers Hyphae extend above the agar surface and may support reproductive
structures, commonly called conidia.
Pseudohyphae - Answers A series of elongated blastoconidia made by some yeast. These remain
attached to each other and form a hyphal-like structure. Points of attachment and septations are
constricted, while those of true hyphae are not constricted. (characteristic of Candida albicans).
Spores or conidia - Answers May be formed by either an asexual or a sexual process.
Conidia - Answers Asexual spores formed from a conidiogenous cell or at the end of conidiophores. The
conidial types are used to identify the Fungi Imperfecti, or phylum Deuteromycota. These fungi have no
known sexual stage.
Blastic conidiogenesis - Answers Results in the production of blastoconidia that bud from a mother cell.
They can elongate to form pseudohyphae. These conidia are produced by yeasts and some fungi.
Poroconidia, phialoconidia, and annelloconidia are all produced by blastic conidiogenesis
Thallic conidiogenesis - Answers The daughter conidium develops after the formation of a septum near
the end of a parent cell. Macroconidia and microconidia, characteristic of the dermatophytic fungi, are
produced by this process.
Arthric conidiogenesis - Answers Results in the formation of arthroconidia, which fragment from the
hyphal strand at the septation points. This is a type of thallic conidiogenesis.
Chlamydoconidia - Answers Seen in molds, are thick-walled survival conidia that can occur either at a
terminal site (end), an intercalary site (within the hyphae), or a sessile site (on the sides). These
germinate and produce conidia under favorable environmental conditions.
, Sporangiospores - Answers Formed by internal cleavage of the contents of a sporangium, a sac that is
supported by a sporangiophore. This type of free cell formation is characteristic of the Zygomygetes.
Perfect fungi - Answers Produced sexual spores.
Zygospores - Answers Formed by fusion of two compatible hyphal arms and are surrounded by a thick
walled, protective zygosporangium. These sexual spores are produced by fungi in the phylum
Zygomycota.
Ascospores - Answers Sexual spores produced by fungi in the phylum Ascomycota. Eight ascospores are
inside an ascus that may be surrounded by a protective ascocarp.
Basidiospores - Answers Sexual spores that protrude out of a mother cell called a basidium. The
basidiospores and basidium may be protected by an outer basidiocarp, as in the mushrooms, members
of the phylum Basidiomycota.
Collection of specimens for mycologic cultures must include - Answers a. Sterile technique
b. Adequate amount
c. Sample from the area most likely affected
Blood and bone marrow specimens - Answers Collected into a brain heart infusion (BHI) broth for
transportation to the laboratory. The use of Dupont Isolator tubes for transport and processing
enhances fungal recovery from specimens.
CSF specimens - Answers Aseptically collected and transported immediately to the laboratory.
Hair, nails, and skin specimens - Answers Initially cleaned with 70% alcohol to remove surface
contaminants. Scrapings and plucked hairs are placed in a sterile Petri plate for transportation.
Respiratory tract specimens - Answers Should be collected in the morning and put into a sterile
container for transport.
Tissues and biopsy specimens - Answers Aseptically collected and kept moist with sterile saline for
transport.
Vaginal and cervical specimens - Answers Typically collected on sterile swabs, then placed into transport
media or broth.
Scrapings from wounds and lesions - Answers May be placed into sterile saline for transport. Aspiration
specimens can be collected from deep cysts or abscesses by needle and syringe.
Urine specimens - Answers Collected in the morning in sterile container and sent immediately to the
laboratory. Clean catch or catheterized specimens are recommended.
