Mycology: Fusarium species: practice question

A Microbiology question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Microbiology · Mycology: Fusarium species

Sample item

A patient with acute myeloid leukaemia and prolonged neutropenia develops fever and multiple painful necrotic skin papules. Blood cultures grow a hyaline septate mould with banana-shaped multiseptate macroconidia. Which organism is the likely cause?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Fusarium species

Fusarium causes disseminated infection in neutropenic patients with skin lesions and fungaemia, so blood cultures are often positive, unlike most Aspergillus infection. The sickle- or banana-shaped macroconidia are characteristic. It is relatively resistant to many antifungals, and voriconazole or liposomal amphotericin B is used.

Option by option

  • A. Fusarium species (correct)

    Positive blood cultures with banana-shaped macroconidia point to Fusarium.

  • B. Cryptococcus neoformans

    Cryptococcus is an encapsulated yeast and does not form moulds or macroconidia.

  • C. Aspergillus fumigatus

    Aspergillus rarely grows in blood and has chains of conidia on a vesicle rather than banana-shaped spores.

  • D. Rhizopus oryzae

    Rhizopus has broad aseptate hyphae and sporangia, not septate hyphae with sickle-shaped spores.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More Microbiology questions

Questions about this Microbiology question

What is the answer to this Microbiology question?

The best answer is A, Fusarium species. Fusarium causes disseminated infection in neutropenic patients with skin lesions and fungaemia, so blood cultures are often positive, unlike most Aspergillus infection.

Why is "Cryptococcus neoformans" not the answer?

Cryptococcus is an encapsulated yeast and does not form moulds or macroconidia.

Why is "Aspergillus fumigatus" not the answer?

Aspergillus rarely grows in blood and has chains of conidia on a vesicle rather than banana-shaped spores.

Why is "Rhizopus oryzae" not the answer?

Rhizopus has broad aseptate hyphae and sporangia, not septate hyphae with sickle-shaped spores.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Mycology: Fusarium species in Microbiology. The sickle- or banana-shaped macroconidia are characteristic. It is relatively resistant to many antifungals, and voriconazole or liposomal amphotericin B is used.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Mycology: Fusarium species?

Make a one-line identity card for each organism: shape and stain, defining test, toxin, disease and drug. Then use the flashcards and the other Microbiology questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.