Fungus
Paracoccidioides brasiliensis
Latin American dimorphic 'mariner's wheel' fungus
pair-uh-kok-SID-ee-oy-deez brah-zil-ee-EN-sis
High-yield clue
Multiply budding yeast forming a 'mariner's/pilot wheel' (ship's-wheel) in tissue from a Latin American patient is the core study clue.
Overview
A thermally dimorphic fungus endemic to Central and South America that causes paracoccidioidomycosis (South American blastomycosis), typically a chronic lung and mucocutaneous disease. Classic geographic dimorphic-fungus teaching organism of Latin America.
Classification
- Thermally dimorphic fungus
- Mold at 25C, yeast at 37C
- Large yeast with circumferential multiple budding
- Ascomycota
- Endemic to Latin America
Lab & identification clues
- 'Mariner's/pilot wheel' multiple-budding yeast microscopy vocabulary
- Large round yeast (up to ~30-50 micron) with narrow-neck buds
- Dimorphism shown by temperature shift
- KOH/histology of mucosal or lung samples vocabulary
Associations
- Endemic to Central and South America, especially Brazil
- Chronic pulmonary disease and oral/mucocutaneous ulcers vocabulary
- Rural agricultural soil exposure as risk vocabulary
- Male-predominant chronic form teaching point
Commonly confused with
- Blastomyces dermatitidis (broad-based single bud)
- Coccidioides (spherule with endospores)
Frequently asked questions
What is Paracoccidioides brasiliensis?
A thermally dimorphic fungus endemic to Central and South America that causes paracoccidioidomycosis (South American blastomycosis), typically a chronic lung and mucocutaneous disease. Classic geographic dimorphic-fungus teaching organism of Latin America.
What are the lab clues for Paracoccidioides brasiliensis?
Lab clues for Paracoccidioides brasiliensis include 'Mariner's/pilot wheel' multiple-budding yeast microscopy vocabulary, Large round yeast (up to ~30-50 micron) with narrow-neck buds, Dimorphism shown by temperature shift, and KOH/histology of mucosal or lung samples vocabulary.
What is Paracoccidioides brasiliensis commonly confused with?
Paracoccidioides brasiliensis is commonly confused with Blastomyces dermatitidis (broad-based single bud) and Coccidioides (spherule with endospores).
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.