Cutaneous/systemic Mycoses & Fungus

Question 1

Yeast in cutaneous or systemic mycoses

Answer 1

Sporothrix schenckii

Question 2

Hyphae cutaneous to systemic mycoses

Answer 2

Mucormycetes
Pigmented fungi
Oomycetes (not fungus)

Question 3

Algae cutaneous to systemic mycoses

Answer 3

Prototheca spp (also not a fungus)
Lesions look like fungal infection

Question 4

Sporotrichosis

Answer 4

Dimorphic fungus
Found in soil/dead vegetation, rose thorns, “rose growers disease” common in cat nails

Question 5

Sporotrichosis infection and form

Answer 5

Cats*, dogs, horses, humans
Abrasion/puncture - needs traumatized skin
Forms: cutaneous, lymphocutaneous, systemic

Question 6

Sporotrichosis lesion

Answer 6

Mass like effect, ulceration on skin, development of draining tracts, conjunctival sporotrichosis

Question 7

Sporotrichosis DX

Answer 7

Cytology - small oval yeast in macrophages (can look like histoplasma)
Culture
Histo pathology

Question 8

TX for sporotrichosis

Answer 8

Azole drugs
Iodide drugs (dogs only)

Question 9

Prognosis & public health for sporotrichosis

Answer 9

Good if localized to skin, guarded if disseminated
True zoonotic fungi - ppl can be infected

Question 10

Mucormycosis

Answer 10

Caused by the murcorales - many organisms live in decaying plant matter
- mucor, rhizopus, lichtheimia, basidobolus, conidiobolus
Formerly called zygomycosis
Found in tropics/subtopics

Question 11

Type of fungi mucormycosis

Answer 11

Opportunistic and uncommon
Occur in immunosuppressed or otherwise compromised patients
Common in dogs, ruminants (in the rumen) & EQ

Question 12

Lesions with mucormycosis

Answer 12

Lesions on palette in mouths - secondary to trauma
Ulceration, nodules, draining tracts

Question 13

DX and TX for mucormycosis

Answer 13

Cytology, culture, histo path
Surgery - radical excision
Azole drugs, amp B, taper immun suppressive drugs
Prognosis is guarded esp if invasion beyond skin

Question 14

Phaeohyphomycosis

Answer 14

Pigmented fungi
Produce melanin - bipolaris, exophiala, curvularia

Question 15

Phaeohyphomycosis - infection

Answer 15

Opportunistic and uncommon
Habitat is ubiquitous
Occur in immposouppressed patients, can infect cutaneous, cerebral or disseminated

Question 16

DX and TX for phaeohyphomycosis

Answer 16

Cytology, histopath, culture
Surgery - excision, azole drugs, amp b, taper steroids
Prognosis is grave

Question 17

Oomycosis

Answer 17

Not a fungus - Pythiosis. “Swamp cancer”
Fungus like but it lacks chitin, ergosterol and is more related to algae & diatoms

Question 18

Oomycosis structure and habitat

Answer 18

Warm freshwater, gulf states, rare in va
Requires previous damage to skin for infection
Common in dogs and horses
Infects cutaneous and gastrointestinal forms

Question 19

Lesions of Oomycosis

Answer 19

Presents like fungal infection
Ulceration, develop draining tract, mass development, granulomas with mass effect
Stomach wall thickening/ulceration

Question 20

DX of Oomycosis

Answer 20

Cytology - appear w hyphal like structures
Culture, histopath
Serology - detect antibodies to Pythium, helpful for GI form, not necessary for cutaneous infection

Question 21

TX for Oomycosis

Answer 21

Surgery - aggressive treatment
Azole drugs - not ideal
Amp b
Vaccine is autogenous, works in acute cases, common practice in horses & people
Prognosis is grave, recurrence is common

Question 22

Protothecosis

Answer 22

Not a fungus - algae
Ubiquitous in aquatic environments
Opportunistic pathogens
Common in dogs, horses, cats, ruminants

Question 23

Forms of protothecosis

Answer 23

Cutaneous
GIT
Disseminated (esp ocular)
Animals can present for vision problems, chronic diarrhea, skin lesions

Question 24

Protothecosis uveitis

Answer 24

Detached retina
Inflammation
Enter the eye hematogenous lay

Question 25

DX or TX for protothecosis

Answer 25

Cytology, culture, histopath
Surgery - often radical,
azole drugs - itraconazole, Amp b
Prognosis is grave
Can spread to humans in unpasteurized milk