Malbranchea spp. are soil fungi of worldwide distribution that microscopically may resemble Coccidioides immitis/posadasii.
Note: Culture identification by exoantigen test or internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regional sequencing is the method of choice for identification of C. immitis/posadasii.
Sepedonium spp. are common soil fungi and parasites of fleshy fungi, however, Yogo et al. (2014) reported an intra-abdominal infection in an immunosuppressed patient. Sepedonium species closely resemble Histoplasma capsulatum.
Note: For laboratory safety, culture identification to exclude Histoplasma capsulatum should be performed by either exoantigen test or DNA sequencing.
(both images courtesy of U. of Adelaide)
