The following fungi are thermally dimorphic except-
**Core Concept**
The question is testing the student's knowledge of thermally dimorphic fungi, which are microorganisms that exhibit a change in growth form or morphology in response to temperature changes. This characteristic is crucial for their pathogenicity and is often exploited in their diagnosis. Thermally dimorphic fungi typically exhibit a yeast form at human body temperature (37°C) and a mold form at room temperature.
**Why the Correct Answer is Right**
The correct answer is one of the thermally dimorphic fungi, which exhibit a change in morphology in response to temperature changes. For example, *Histoplasma capsulatum* is a thermally dimorphic fungus that grows as a mold at room temperature and as a yeast at 37°C. This change in morphology is essential for its pathogenicity and is often used in its diagnosis. The fungal cell wall components and the expression of certain genes change in response to temperature, allowing the fungus to adapt to the human host environment.
**Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect**
**Option A:** *Candida albicans* is a yeast that does not exhibit thermal dimorphism. It grows as a yeast at both room and body temperatures.
**Option B:** *Blastomyces dermatitidis* is a thermally dimorphic fungus that grows as a mold at room temperature and as a yeast at 37°C.
**Option C:** *Sporothrix schenckii* is also a thermally dimorphic fungus that grows as a mold at room temperature and as a yeast at 37°C.
**Clinical Pearl / High-Yield Fact**
Thermally dimorphic fungi are often diagnosed by culturing them on a medium that induces the mold form at room temperature and then observing the change to the yeast form when incubated at 37°C. This characteristic is crucial for their identification and diagnosis.
**Correct Answer: D. Candida albicans**