8 - Fungal Pathogens, Protozoan Disease and Plant Pathogens Flashcards by Yara ...

What type of organisms are fungi

Eukaryotic organisms, separate from plants and animals

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Eukaryotic organisms, separate from plants and animals

About 500 million years

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How are fungi related to animals

Fungi are the sister group to animals

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What forms can fungi exist in

Unicellular (yeasts), multicellular (mycelium), or dimorphic

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What environmental conditions do fungi prefer

Moist, slightly acidic environments; they can grow without light or oxygen

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What are the nutritional modes of fungi

Saprophytic, parasitic, or symbiotic

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What are the two main fungal stages

Vegetative (growth) and reproductive (spore production)

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Name the five major fungal phyla

Chytridiomycota
Zygomycota
Ascomycota
Basidiomycota
Glomeromycota

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How are fungal groups traditionally classified

By reproductive structures and morphology

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What modern techniques supplement fungal classification

Phylogenetic analysis and whole-genome sequencing

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What is fungal dimorphism

Ability to switch between mycelial (environmental) and yeast (host) forms

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How does dimorphism aid fungal survival

Facilitates systemic spread by adapting to host conditions (high temp, low O₂)

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What factors have caused an increase in fungal infections

Immunosuppression (HIV, cancer)
Climate change
Travel and trade
Antifungal resistance

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How are fungal infections classified by depth

Superficial
Cutaneous
Subcutaneous
Systemic
Opportunistic

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Superficial

Dead skin/hair (Malassezia, Piedra)

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Cutaneous

Epidermis, nails, hair (Trichophyton, Microsporum)

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Subcutaneous

Deeper tissues (Sporothrix, Madurella)

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Systemic

Internal organs (Histoplasma, Aspergillus)

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Opportunistic

Immunocompromised hosts (Candida, Cryptococcus)

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How are fungal infections classified by form

Filamentous
Yeast
Dimorphic

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Filamentous

hyphae/mycelium

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Yeasts

unicellular

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Dimorphic

Switch between forms

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What causes superficial fungal infections

Malassezia and Piedra

Trichophyton rubrum, T. mentagrophytes, Epidermophyton floccosum

Which fungi cause Ringworm

Trichophyton, Microsporum, Epidermophyton

What disease does chytridiomycosis cause and in what animals

Infects amphibians' skin, disrupting breathing and hydration

Name two fungi causing subcutaneous infections

Madurella mycetomatis, Sporothrix schenckii

How are subcutaneous fungal infections

Through trauma, like thorn scratches

What is a systemic fungal infection

Infection where fungi spread internally, often starting in lungs

How do systemic fungi adapt inside the host

Switch from mould to yeast form under high temperature and low O₂

What causes Aspergillosis

Aspergillus fumigatus

What is an aspergilloma

A fungus ball forming in pre-existing lung cavities

What causes Candidiasis

Candida albicans

List Candida albicans virulence factors

Adhesion proteins Enzymes (proteases, lipases) Dimorphism Phenotypic switching

What causes Histoplasmosis

Histoplasma capsulatum, found in bat/bird droppings

How does Histoplasma spread within the host

Invades macrophages and disseminates

Name four major antifungal drug types

Polyenes Azoles Allylamines Echinocandins

What do Polyenes do

Bind ergosterol, disrupting fungal membranes

What symptoms are caused by fungal allergens

Asthma, itchy eyes, sore throat, allergic alveolitis

Mycetism

Poisoning by eating toxic mushrooms (e.g., death cap)

Mycotoxicosis

Poisoning from eating food contaminated with fungal toxins (e.g., aflatoxins)

What are protozoa

Microscopic, single-celled eukaryotic organisms

How do protozoa obtain energy

They are heterotrophs

How do protozoa move

Using pseudopodia, flagella, or cilia

Name four groups of protozoa based on movement

Sarcodina (pseudopodia) Mastigophora (flagella) Ciliates (cilia) Sporozoa (non-motile)

What is the main impact of protozoan disease globally

Major cause of diarrhoeal diseases and socio-economic burden

Name virulence factors of protozoa

Adhesins, toxins, intracellular survival

What protozoan causes Amoebiasis

Entamoeba histolytica

How is Amoebiasis transmitted

Ingestion of contaminated water or food

What is the infectious form of Entamoeba

Cyst (survival form)

What causes Leishmaniasis

Leishmania species

How is Leishmaniasis transmitted

By sandfly bites

What are the three forms of Leishmaniasis

Cutaneous, mucocutaneous, visceral

Giardia lamblia

How is Giardiasis transmitted

Water contaminated with cysts

Symptoms of Giardiasis

Diarrhoea, nausea, "eggy burps"

How can protozoan infections be controlled

Improve water sanitation Vector control (e.g., mosquitoes, sandflies) Early diagnosis and treatment

Why are protozoan diseases hard to eliminate

Complex life cycles, animal reservoirs, socio-economic factors