Fungus
Blastomyces dermatitidis
Dimorphic fungus with broad-based budding
blas-toh-MY-seez der-muh-TIT-ih-dis
High-yield clue
Broad-based budding yeast + dimorphic fungus vocabulary.
Overview
A dimorphic fungus used to contrast broad-based budding with Histoplasma intracellular yeast and Coccidioides spherules.
Classification
- Fungus
- Dimorphic fungus
- Yeast in tissue concept
Lab & identification clues
- Broad-based budding morphology
- Antigen/serology vocabulary
- Dimorphism concept
Associations
- Pulmonary disease vocabulary
- Skin/bone dissemination terms
- Great Lakes/Ohio-Mississippi geography framing
Commonly confused with
- Histoplasma capsulatum
- Coccidioides immitis/posadasii
- Cryptococcus neoformans
Frequently asked questions
What is Blastomyces dermatitidis?
A dimorphic fungus used to contrast broad-based budding with Histoplasma intracellular yeast and Coccidioides spherules.
What are the lab clues for Blastomyces dermatitidis?
Lab clues for Blastomyces dermatitidis include Broad-based budding morphology, Antigen/serology vocabulary, and Dimorphism concept.
What is Blastomyces dermatitidis commonly confused with?
Blastomyces dermatitidis is commonly confused with Histoplasma capsulatum, Coccidioides immitis/posadasii, and Cryptococcus neoformans.
Original student-study summary. Sources checked: OpenStax Microbiology 2e, NCBI Bookshelf Medical Microbiology, and CDC topic pages where applicable; reviewed 2026-06. Educational only; no diagnosis, treatment, dosing, or specimen-handling guidance.