ISSN: 1080-6059
Volume 12, Number 3–March 2006
Etymologia
Aspergillus
[as´´pər-jil´əs]
 |
Figure
1. Conidiophore
of Aspergillus fumigatus. |
 |
Figure 2. Photograph courtesy of Davide Borgonovo. |
Genus of filamentous, ubiquitous fungi, commonly isolated
from soil, plant
debris, and indoor air. Aspergillus was first described in
1729 by Pier Antonio
Micheli, an Italian priest and biologist who was the first
person to attempt the scientific
study of fungi. Micheli opposed the idea of "spontaneous generation" by
showing that fungal spores grown on a medium would produce
the same kind of
fungus. The shape of Aspergillus reminded him of an aspergillum
(from the Latin
aspergere, "to scatter"), a device used for sprinkling holy
water during a liturgical
service.
Sources: Dorland's illustrated medical dictionary. 30th
ed. Philadelphia: Saunders; 2003
and the Illinois Mycological Association, available from
http://www.ilmyco.gen.chicago.il.us/
Please contact the EID Editors at eideditor@cdc.gov
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