8.9 Mycology Flashcards
All of the following are examples of appropriate specimens for the recovery of fungi except:
A. Tissue biopsy
B. Cerebrospinal fluid
C. Aspirate of exudate
D. Swab
D. Swab
For which clinical specimens is the KOH direct mount technique for examination of fungal elements used?
A. Skin
B. Cerebrospinal fluid
C. Blood
D. Bone marrow
A. Skin
The India ink stain is used as a presumptive test for the presence of which organism?
A. Aspergillus niger in blood
B. Cryptococcus neoformans in CSF
C. Histoplasma capsulatum in CSF
D. Candida albicans in blood or body fluids
B. Cryptococcus neoformans in CSF
Meningitis caused by C. neoformans is diagnosed through culture, biochemical reactions, and rapid agglutination tests for cryptococcal antigen. The India ink test is not diagnostic for cryptococcal meningitis because positive staining results are demonstated in less than 50% of confirmed cases. A positive India ink test shows yeast cells in CSF with a surrounding clear area (the capsule) because the capsule of C. neoformans is not penetrated by ink particles.
Cutaneous disease involving skin, hair, and nails usually indicates an infections with a:
A. Dimorphic fungus
B. Dermatophyte
C. Mucorales (previously Zygomycetes)
D. Candida species
B. Dermatophyte
What is the first step to be performed in the identification of an unknown yeast isolate?
A. Gram staining
B. India ink staining
C. Catalase test
D. Germ tube test
D. Germ tube test
An isolate produced a constriction that was interpreted as a postive gram tube, but C. albicans was ruled out when confirmatory tests were performed. Which of the following fungi is the most likely identification?
A. Candida tropicalis
B. Crytococcus neoformans
C. Candida glabrata
D. Rhodotorula rubra
Footnote
A. Candida tropicalis’
C. tropicalis forms pseudohyphae that resemble true germ tubes by producing a constriction at the point of origin of the yeast cell. Germ tubes represent true hyphae without constriction, and therefore the test should have been repeated along with carbohydrate test before making a presumptive identification. The other three species of yeast listed do not form hyphae.
Cornmeal agar with Tween 80 is used to identify which characteristic of an unknown yeast isolate?
A. Hyphae (true and pseudo)
B. Blastoconidia and arthroconidia
C. Chlamydoconidia
D. All of these options
D. All of these options
Blastoconidia are the beginning of which structures?
A. Arthroconidia
B. Germ tubes
C. Pseudohyphae
D. True hyphae
C. Pseudohyphae
An isolate from CSF growing on cornmeal agar produces the following structures:
Blastoconidia = +
Pseudohyphae = Neg
Chlamydoconidia = Neg
Arthroconidia = Neg
Which tests should be performed next?
A. Birdseed agar and urease
B. Germ tube and glucose
C. India ink and germ tube
D. All of these options
A. Birdseed agar and urease
Which of the following yeast enzymes is detected using birdseed (niger seed) agar?
A. Phenol oxidase
B. Catalase
C. Urease
D. Nitrate reductase
A. Phenol oxidase
Which of the following yeasts is characteristically positive for germ tube production?
A. Candida tropicalis
B. Candida kefyr (pseudotropicalis)
C. Cryptococcus neoformans
D. Candida albicans
D. Candida albicans
Arthroconidia production is used to differentiate which two yeast isolates?
A. Candida albicans and Candida dubliniensis
B. Trichosporon cutaneum and Cryptococcus neoformans
C. Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis
D. Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida glabrata
B. Trichosporon cutaneum and Cryptococcus neoformans
The urease test, niger seed agar test, and the germ tube test are all used for the presumptive identification of:
A. Rhodotorula rubra
B. Cryptococcus neoformans
C. Trichosporon cutaneum
D. Candida albicans
B. Cryptococcus neoformans
Which of the following yeasts produces only blastoconidia on cornmeal Tween 80 agar?
A. Candida spp.
B. Trichosporon spp.
C. Geotrichum spp.
D. Cryptococcus spp.
D. Cryptococcus spp.
Ascospores are formed by which yeast isolate?
A. Saccharomyces cerevisiae
B. Candida albicans
C. Cryptococcus neoformans
D. All of these options
A. Saccharomyces cerevisiae
A germ tube-negative, pink yeast isolate was recovered from the respiratory secretions and urine of a patient with AIDS. Given the following results, what is the most likely identification?
CORNMEAL TWEEN 80 AGAR
Blastoconidia = +
Pseudohyphae = Neg
Arthroconidia = Neg
Urease = +
A. Candida albicans
B. Rhodotorula spp.
C. Crytococcus spp.
D. Trichosporon spp.
B. Rhodotorula spp.
Terminal chlamydoconidia production is demonstrated by which Candida species?
A. Candida glabrata
B. Candida krusei
C. Candida albicans
D. Candida tropicalis
C. Candida albicans
Carbohydrate assimilation tests are used for identification of yeast isolates by inoculating media:
A. Free of carbohydrates
B. Free of niger seed
C. Containing carbohydrates
D. Containing yeast extract
A. Free of carbohydrates
Yeast recovered from the urine of a catheterized patient receiving chemotherapy for cancer gave the following results:
CORNMEAL TWEEN 80 AGAR
Germ tube = +
Blastoconidia = +
Pseudohyphae = +
Arthroconidia = Neg
Terminal chlamydoconidia = +
What further testing is necessary?
A. Carbohydrate assimilation and urease
B. Urease and niger seed
C. Nitrate reductase and carbohydrate fermentation
D. No further testing is needed for identification
D. No further testing is needed for identification
A blood agar plate inoculated with sputum from a patient with diabetes mellitus grew very few bacterial flora and a predominance of yeast. Given the following results, what is the most likely identification of the yeast isolate?
CORNMEAL TWEEN 80 AGAR
Germ tube = Neg
Pseudohyphae = +
Arthroconidia = Neg
Blastoconidia = + (arranged along pseudohyphae)
Chlamydoconidia = Neg
__________________________
A. Candida tropicalis
B. Candida kefyr (pseudotropicalis)
C. Trichosporon cutaneum
D. Geotrichum candidum
A. Candida tropicalis
Dimorphic molds are found in infected tissue in which form?
A. Mold phase
B. Yeast phase
C. Encapsulated
D. Latent
B. Yeast phase