Dimorphic fungus

A fungus that can grow in two distinct forms, commonly as a mold in the environment and as a yeast or yeast-like form in a host.

Thermal dimorphism: A reversible change between fungal growth forms triggered by temperature. Many pathogenic dimorphic fungi switch form as they move from cooler environments into warm-blooded hosts.
Histoplasma capsulatum: A dimorphic fungus that causes histoplasmosis, often after inhalation of spores from contaminated soil. It grows as a mold in the environment and converts to yeast in mammalian tissues.
Dimorphic fungal infection: An infection caused by a fungus that changes growth form between environmental and host conditions. The form shift helps explain how environmental fungi establish disease in humans.
Thermal monomorphism: Growth in one principal fungal form across a range of temperatures. It contrasts with fungi whose growth form changes with temperature.
Fungal yeast: A unicellular fungal growth form that reproduces by budding or fission. This is the host-associated form of many dimorphic fungi.
Blastomyces dermatitidis: A dimorphic fungus that causes blastomycosis, primarily in North America. Its environmental mold form produces infectious conidia that become yeast-like cells in the host.
Histoplasmosis: An infection caused by inhaling spores of Histoplasma fungi, which can affect the lungs and other organs. It is a major example of disease caused by a dimorphic fungus.
Polymorphic fungus: A fungus capable of adopting multiple distinct growth forms during its life cycle. The broader term can include fungi with more than two forms.
Fungal hypha: A branching filament that forms the growing structure of many fungi. Hyphae make up the mold form that many dimorphic fungi adopt outside hosts.
Coccidioides immitis: A soil-dwelling fungus that causes coccidioidomycosis and forms spherules in host tissue. It is a notable exception to the typical mold-to-yeast pattern of pathogenic dimorphic fungi.

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