What is the characteristic morphological form of blastomycosis observed in tissue?

What is the characteristic morphological form of blastomycosis observed in tissue?

• A. Thick-walled yeast cells with broad-based budding
• B. Thin-walled yeast cells with no buds
• C. Spore-forming hyphae with arthroconidia
• D. Pseudohyphae with blastoconidia

Answer: (A)

In tissue, blastomycosis shows a yeast form that is large and thick-walled, reproducing by broad-based budding. The buds are wide at the base and remain attached to a sizeable mother cell, giving a distinctive appearance of large yeast cells about 8–15 μm with a prominent, thick wall. This contrasts with the mold form seen in the environment or culture, and with other yeasts that Bud more narrowly or appear as pseudohyphae or small intracellular yeasts. The thick-walled, broad-based budding yeast is the hallmark feature pathologists look for in tissue sections.

In tissue, blastomycosis shows a yeast form that is large and thick-walled, reproducing by broad-based budding. The buds are wide at the base and remain attached to a sizeable mother cell, giving a distinctive appearance of large yeast cells about 8–15 μm with a prominent, thick wall. This contrasts with the mold form seen in the environment or culture, and with other yeasts that Bud more narrowly or appear as pseudohyphae or small intracellular yeasts. The thick-walled, broad-based budding yeast is the hallmark feature pathologists look for in tissue sections.