It is important to note that molds and yeasts are both types of fungi, but they have some key differences in terms of cellularity, reproduction, and their use by or effects on humans. Mycoses are categorized as superficial, cutaneous, subcutaneous, and systemic mycoses, which are distinguished by their target locations of the host body. Therefore, mycotic diseases can be observed in many human body regions.
Firstly, yeast is a unicellular organism that is commonly used for fermentation processes. It reproduces through a process of budding, where a new yeast cell develops after it protrudes from the parental cell (Bast et al., 2019). However, molds are multicellular organisms that form colonies and reproduce via spores. They can grow in a wide range of environments and can cause respiratory as well as allergic health issues (Engelhardt et al., 2020). Secondly, superficial mycoses affect the topmost layer of the skin and hair, whereas cutaneous mycoses affect deeper layers of the skin, hair, and nails. In addition, subcutaneous mycoses affect deeper layers of the skin and subcutaneous tissue, but systemic mycoses affect internal organs and can disseminate throughout the body (Engelhardt et al., 2020). Thirdly, mycotic diseases can affect the skin, nails, hair, mouth and throat, lungs, sinuses, genitourinary tract, bloodstream, as well as brain and spinal cord (Engelhardt et al., 2020). Thus, they can have an effect on various regions of the human body
In conclusion, molds and yeasts are both types of fungi, which have important key differences in terms of reproduction, cellularity, and impact on humans. The categorization of infectious mycoses is primarily tied to their specific characteristic of affecting a specific region of the human body. Systemic mycoses infect vital organs, whereas superficial mycoses can be found on the topmost layer of the skin and hair.
References
Bast, J., Jaron, K. S., Schuseil, D., Roze, D., & Schwander, T. (2019). Asexual reproduction reduces transposable element load in experimental yeast populations. Evolutionary Biology, 8, 1-12. Web.
Engelhardt, K., Ferguson, M., & Rosselli, J. L. (2020). Prevention and management of genital mycotic infections in the setting of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors. Annals of Pharmacotherapy, 55(4), 1-17. Web.