Dr. Sheppard -- Basic Mycology and Antifungal Medications Flashcards
Definition of hyphae
Filamentous tubular structure with or without internal septae
Define mycelium
Group of hyphae, often used interchangeably with hyphae
Define yeast
Unicellular round fungal cells that reproduce by budding
Define conidia
Asexual spores of ascomycetes (most pathogenic fungi)
Define conidiophore
Specialized hyphae that produce conidia
Define pilobolus
Zygomycete that grows in cow dung
Describe how pilobolus fungi spread their spores (3 steps)
1) Spores pass thruogh cow dung
2) Aims by bending stalk until shadow from sporangium falls on sensor at bottom of sporangiophore
3) Hydrostatic “cannon” guided by light shoots spores into unsoiled grass
Why is antifungal treatment more complicated than antibacterial treatment?
Antimicrobial agents exploit differences between microorganisms and humans, but fungi are eukaryotic and closely related to humans, so ribosomes and DNA replication enzyems are too similar for targeting
Describe the cell membrane of fungi
Principally ergosterol instead of cholesterol
3 types of antifungals that target fungal cell membrane
Azoles
Allylamines
Polyenes
Antifungal that can be activated selectively by fungi to arrest DNA synthesis
5-flucytosine (cytosine deaminase)
Component of outer layer of fungal cell that is lacking on mammalian cells
Cell wall
Antifungal that inhibits glucan synthase (disrupt cell wall)
Echinocandins
Mechanism of azoles
Inhibition of 14 alpha demethylase (key enzyme to synthesize ergosterol) –> toxic intermediates accumulate in the cell membrane
Mechanism of allylamines
Inhibit squalene epoxidase early in the ergosterol pathway
Mechanism of polyenes
Binds to ergosterol in membranes, forming pores to allow cell contents to leak out
3 forms of polyenes
Nystatin
Amphotericin B desoxycholate
Lipid-based formulations of Amphotericin
Highly toxic polyene and the only form it can be used in
Nystatin (topical only)
3 side effects of amphotericin B desoxycholate
Bind cholesterol
Renal failure
Severe infusional toxicity
How are lipid-based formulations of amphotericin less toxic than amphotericin B desoxycholate and nystatin?
Use of a lipid carrier intermediate in solubility between ergosterol and cholesterol
Disadvantage of lipi-based formulation of Amphotericin
VERY expensive
Azole with yeast only activity
Fluconazole
Oldest azole with yeast and mold activity
Itraconazole
2 disadvantages of itraconazole
Poor absorption
Erratic kinetics
Newest azoles (2)
Voriconazole
Posaconazole
Advantage of using voriconazole or posaconazole
Excellent anti-mold activity, particularly Aspergillus species
2 toxic effects of azoles (specify which azoles)
Hepatitis (all agents) -- VORI > ITRA > POSA > FLU Visual hallucinations (VORI)
Allylamine antifungal
Terbinafine (lamisil)
Primary use of terbinafine (lamisil)
Superficial fungal infections (commonly topical, but oral available for extensive infections or nail infections)
Side effect of allylamines
Hepatitis
What is 5-flucytosine (5-FC)
A prodrug converted by fungal cytosine deaminase into 5-fluorouracil (a type of chemotherapeutic)
Mechanism of 5-FC
Inhibition of DNA chain synthesis
NOTE: only useful in combination therapy
Toxicity of 5-FC
Bone marrow suppression
3 echinocandins
Caspofungin
Micafungin
Anidulafungin
Mechanism of echinocandins
Inhibition of synthesis of cell wall beta-glucan –> cell wall fragmentation
3 fungi that echinocandins are inactive against
Fungi with low levels of beta-glucan:
- Cryptococcus
- Histoplasma
- Zygomycetes
Only method of administration of echinocandins
IV
Toxicity of echinocandins
None
Contents of Piptoporus betulinus
Powerful purgatives:
- Toxic resins
- Active compound = agaric acid
Oils toxic to metazoans