37. Fungi

Question 1

Toby is walking in the Black Forest of Germany and spots a big juicy looking mushroom. He pops it into his mouth and keels over and dies. This fungus disease would be classified as?

A. Infection
B. Mycotoxicoses
C. Mycetismus
E. Hypersensitivity

RFA

Answer 1

Ans. C Mycetismus- ingestion of preformed toxins

A. Infection: mycoses

B. Mycotoxicoses: poisoning of a man or animal by toxins that colonize crops

D. Hypersensitivity: allergic reaction to mold or spores.

Question 2

A Mycologist has taken a fungal sample of fungi and notices right angle branching of the Hyphae. What fungi is he looking at?

A. Ascomycetes
B. Aspergillus
C. Candida
D. Zygomycetes

RFA

Answer 2

Ans. D

A. are nearly always septate

B. Has low branching

C. Has pseudo hyphae

Question 3

It has been a very hot and humid summer. You have developed this strange looking hypopigmented yeast-like fungus on your arms. You go to the derm and she uses a UV light to diagnosis your nasty infection. What type of fungus to you have?

A. Tinea capitis
B. Tinea corporis
C. Tinea cruris
D. Tinea pedis
E. Tinea versicolor 

SZ

Answer 3

Ans E Tinea versicolor

Tinea versicolor is a pityrosporum not a dermatophyte like the other “tineas.” Tinea capitis on the scalp, corporis (ringworm) is found on the trunk, cruris is the crotch, and pedis is the feet.

Question 4

A 65 y/o male diabetic patient comes to your office complaining cough, dyspnea, on exertion and shortness of breath. He states he hasn’t been feeling well so he hasn’t been taking his normal morning walk to the park to feed the pigeons. You suspect a fungal infection and send a sputum sample to the lab to be plated on bird seed agar. Which of the following fungi do you suspect?

A. Candidiasis
B. Asperigillosis
C. Crytococcosis
D. Zygomycosis
E. Pneumocystis

SZ

Answer 4

Ans. C Crytococcosis

Crytococcosis inhabits soil around pigeon poop. It infects the lungs and can infect the brain. It is common in AIDS, CA, or DM patients.

Choice A. Candidiasis is whitish yeast that forms on skin, in the oral cavity, genitalia, large intestine.
Choice B. Aspergillosis is an airborne soil infection infecting lungs of AIDS, leukemia, or transplant patients.
Choice D. Zygomycosis is found in soil, water, debris and food. Can invade nose, eyes, heart and brain of people with DM or malnutrition.
Choice E. Pneumocystis causes pneumonia in AIDS patients.