Galleria mellonella as a model invertebrate host for the study of muriform cells of dematiaceous fungi.

AIM: To study the pathogenesis of chromoblastomycosis using the alternative model host Galleria mellonella.

METHODOLOGY: We analyzed the virulence of different dematiaceous fungal strains and the host immune responses (hemocytes density and morphological changes) to Fonsecaea monophora by the alternative infection model. Then detected the development of the pathogenic muriform cells within larvae under microscope.

RESULTS: Increasing inocula resulted in greater larval mortality and Cladophialophora carrionii was the most virulent. Low inocula activated the humoral immune response significantly. Moreover, the conidia underwent morphological transition to muriform cells within larvae.

CONCLUSION: We developed an invertebrate host model that can be used to evaluate the virulence of dematiaceous fungi, which may provide further insights into overcoming current limitations in studying chromoblastomycosis in vivo.