Andrews Flashcards
Meaning of Mycosis?
A mycosis (plural: mycoses) is a fungal infection of animals, including humans.[1]
Mycoses are common and a variety of environmental and physiological conditions can contribute to the development of fungal diseases. Inhalation of fungal spores or localized colonization of the skin may initiate persistent infections; therefore, mycoses often start in the lungs or on the skin
Describe mold
Mold is the environmental form of fungi and is comprised of multicellular filaments called hyphae. Multiple hyphae collectively are called mycelium and at the ends are conidia, asexual spores formed by differentiation. This is the portion of mold that is inhaled and causes pulmonary disease. At room temp they form rough colonies when cultured.
Describe yeast
Yeast is the tissue form of fungi and is its unicellular form. Its reproduction is asexual via spores through asymmetric budding. The formation of spores allows for dissemination and survival in a hostile environment. At body temp they form smooth colonies that can appear slimy or mucoid.
Define Hyphae
Long branching filamentous structures of fungus. The main mode of vegetative growth and collectively called mycelium
Define Conidium
Asexually produced fungal spores that are the source of dispersal, located at the ends of the hyphae
Define sporangium
Sporangium (pl – sporangia) = Single or many celled balloon-like structure in which spores are produced
Define hyaline and dematiaceous
Hyaline = colorless fungi Dematiaceous = brown to black fungi
Causative organism for Basidiobolomycosis?
Basidiobolus ranarum
Findings seen in Basidiobololmycosis?
enviromental saprophyte, found in tropics
forms plainless, indurated subq nodule or swelling on thigh/butt
What is Conidiobolus coronatus?
similar to basidiobolomycosis (related organism)
affects face
What is Protothecosis
not a true fungus
- Prototheca wickerhamii
- often seen with exposure to contaminated water
- Solitary cutaneous plaques (sometimes eczematous), nodules or ulcers, as well as olecranon bursitis
Difficult to treat
Surgical excision and systemic antifungals (e.g. amphotericin B) are more effective in immunocompetent hosts
Organism in sporotrichosis?
Sporothrix schenckii
3 types of sporotrichosis?
Lymphocutaneous (regional lymphangitic)- naïve hosts
Fixed cutaneous- if prior exposure
Disseminated or pulmonary- immunocompromised host
Findings on culture of sporotrichosis?
Grows on Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA)
25C: Rapidly shows a white colony, wrinkled and folded, tan to black over time
37C: Slow growing, whitish, pasty yeast like colonies and cigar shaped budding yeasts
Findings on biopsy of sporotrichosis?
Palisading granulomatous dermatitis surrounding a stellate suppurative abscess
Asteroid bodies – esosinophilic material around central yeast cell
PAS +, “cigar bodies” -round yeast cells (difficult to identify) – staining with fluorescent labeled antibodies may aid in recognition
Tx of sporotrichosis?
- topicals not effective
- Potassium Iodine
- Itraconazole
What is the Wolff-Chaikoff effect?
the effect when increasing doses of exogenous iodide inhibit thyroid hormone production leading to hypothyroidism