Mold Library
Beauveria
Distribution
The genus Beauveria is a cosmopolitan fungus isolated from soil, plant debris, and insects. Beauveria can also be isolated from food products.
Growth Characteristics
Beauveria has a slow to moderate growth rate. The texture of the colonies is cottony or powdery. The initial color of the colonies is white, but later they become pale yellow to pink in coloration.
Microscopic Characteristics
The conidiophores are single, irregularly grouped, or in verticillate clusters. The conidiogenous cells are typically flask-shaped that are inflated at the base with a narrow zigzag appearance at the apex. Conidia are hyaline, round to ovoid, and one-celled.
Health Effects
Beauveria is a very common insect pathogen but a very rare human pathogen. It has been reported to be associated with keratitis and a case of pneumonia in an immunocompromised patient.