Candidiasis

The left microphoto shows a section of lung with acute inflammatory infiltrate with filaments suggesting fungal growth. A silver stain on the right shows yeast forms and pseudohyphae of Candida albicans. This fungus can form hyphae and pseudohyphae.

Though other species of Candida are also pathogenic, most candidal infections are due to C. albicans. Pulmonary candidiasis in immunosuppressed patients can follow either endobronchial introduction or hematogenous spread.

From the slide collection of the late Dr. Charles Kuhn