Fungus
Scedosporium species
Near-drowning mold; brain abscess opportunist
sed-oh-SPOR-ee-um
High-yield clue
Septate mold causing brain abscess or dissemination after a near-drowning aspiration of dirty/stagnant water is the core study clue.
Overview
Environmental septate molds (Scedosporium apiospermum complex, teleomorph Pseudallescheria boydii, and the related Lomentospora prolificans) that colonize soil and polluted water and cause invasive disease including brain abscess after near-drowning. Classic multidrug-resistant hyaline-mold teaching example.
Classification
- Hyaline septate mold
- Scedosporium apiospermum complex (Pseudallescheria boydii teleomorph)
- Lomentospora prolificans as a related highly resistant species
- Ascomycota
- Environmental soil/water saprophyte
Lab & identification clues
- Septate hyaline hyphae mimicking Aspergillus on microscopy
- Single conidia on elongate annellides vocabulary
- Often intrinsically multidrug-resistant to antifungals vocabulary
- Recovered from respiratory or CNS samples in coursework
Associations
- Brain abscess and CNS disease after near-drowning aspiration
- Colonizes airways in cystic fibrosis vocabulary
- Localized mycetoma-type disease after inoculation
- Invasive disease in transplant and neutropenic hosts
Commonly confused with
- Aspergillus fumigatus (septate mold, look-alike)
- Fusarium species (hyaline septate mold)
Frequently asked questions
What is Scedosporium species?
Environmental septate molds (Scedosporium apiospermum complex, teleomorph Pseudallescheria boydii, and the related Lomentospora prolificans) that colonize soil and polluted water and cause invasive disease including brain abscess after near-drowning. Classic multidrug-resistant hyaline-mold teaching example.
What are the lab clues for Scedosporium species?
Lab clues for Scedosporium species include Septate hyaline hyphae mimicking Aspergillus on microscopy, Single conidia on elongate annellides vocabulary, Often intrinsically multidrug-resistant to antifungals vocabulary, and Recovered from respiratory or CNS samples in coursework.
What is Scedosporium species commonly confused with?
Scedosporium species is commonly confused with Aspergillus fumigatus (septate mold, look-alike); Fusarium species (hyaline septate mold).
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.