Exam 2 Mycology & Parasitology Flashcards
Yeasts are?
Single celled eukaryotes
How do yeasts divide?
Divide by binary fission or budding
Molds are?
Multicellular fungi that produce mycelia
What are Hyphae?
long, branching filament that, with other hyphae, forms the feeding thallus of a fungus called the mycelium
What is the mycelium?
feeding thallus of a fungus
Hyphae are either?
Septate- walls that divide hyphae into cells/ Aseptate- no walls
What are the 4 groups of mold?
- Phycomycetes
- Ascomycetes
- Basidiomycetes
- Deuteromycetes (Fungi imperfecti)
Describe 1. Phycomycetes
a. Sexual spores are free zygotes
b. Asexual spores are enclosed in sac-like structure called a sporangium
Describe 2. Ascomycetes
a. Sexual spores enclosed in sacs called asci
b. Asexual spores are exogenous, formed at the end of the hyphae
Describe 3. Basidiomycetes
a. Sexual spores found on basidia
Describe 4. Deuteromycetes (Fungi imperfecti)
a. No sexual stage
What are the types of Systemic mycoses?
- Histoplasmosis (Spelunker’s Disease)
- Coccidiomycosis (Valley Fever)
- Blastomycosis
Describe • Histoplasmosis (Spelunker’s Disease)
o Caused by Histoplasma capsulatum (Ascomycota)
o Found worldwide, concentrated in U.S. in Midwest and Eastern U.S.
o Found in soil contaminated with bat and bird feces (frequently in caves)
o Spores are inhaled
Describe • Coccidiomycosis (Valley Fever)
o Caused by Coccidioides immitis
o Found in Southwestern U.S. (NM, AZ)
o Inhale arthrospore (spores united in the form of a string of beads, formed by fission
o Most infections are asymptomatic, maybe only slight fever
Describe • Blastomycosis
o Caused by Blastomyces dermatitis
o Spores are inhaled into lungs where they transform to a yeast form of the microbe
o 50% of individuals are symptomatic, with flu-like illness with productive cough
Describe reatment of systemic fungi.
• Amphotericin B- binds to sterols, preferentially to the primary fungal cell membrane sterol, ergosterol. Disrupts cell, causing lysis
Sporotrichosis- “rose handler’s disease” is what kind of mycosis?
Subcutaneous mycoses
Describe Sporotrichosis- “rose handler’s disease”.
o Caused by Sporothrix schenckii
o Occupational hazard for greenhouse workers, gardeners
o Fungi enter via skin lesion, transform to yeast form
o Nodules and skin lesions appear along lymphatic system
Describe Dermatophytoses (general).
- Invade dead keratinized tissue (hair, nails)
- Major genera include:
- Trichophyton
- Microsporum
- Epidermophyton
What kind of infections are Tinea infections?
Dermatophytoses
What are the types of Tinea infection?
o Tinea pedis – athlete’s foot
o Tinea corporis – trunk or extremities
o Tinea capitis – head, causes hair loss
o Tinea unguium – nails
Tinea versicolor is what type of mycosis?
Superficial mycoses
Describe Tiena versicolor.
o Yeast is part of normal flora.
o Heat, humidity, and sweat help it proliferate in some people
o Tinea versicolor is not contagious
o KOH wet mount looking for yeast cells
o Wood’s lamp - lamp emits ultraviolet light. If there is an infection on the area where the Wood’s lamp is illuminating, the area will fluoresce. Normally the skin does not fluoresce, or shine, under ultraviolet light
List the 3 Pathogenic yeasts.
• Candidiasis
• Cryptococcosis
Pneumocystis carinii(maybe?)
Describe Candidiasis
o Caused by Candida albicans
o Part of normal flora in mouth, gut, vagina
o Pathogen when normal conditions are altered- antibiotics, depressed immunity
o Thrush, skin infections
Describe Cryptococcosis
o Caused by Cryptococcus neoformans
o Large encapsulated yeast
o Microbe enters the host via respiratory route
o After some time in the lungs C. neoformans spreads to extrapulmonary tissues
o It has a predilection for the brain, infected persons usually contract meningoencephalitis
Pneumocystis carinii
- It is not yet established whether P carinii is a fungus or a protozoan. Antigenic differences have been found in strains derived from the various mammalian hosts.
- In normal individuals, asymptomatic infection of the lungs occurs in early life. The organism persists in an inactive or latent state unless the host becomes immunocompromised
Life stages of a parasite include?
- Egg
- Immatures = larvae (nymph)
- Adults
Definitive host = ?
one in which parasite reproduces
Intermediate host = ?
one in which development occurs, but no reproduction
Diagnosis of Intestinal parasites includes?
fecal specimens
Diagnosis of Blood parasites includes?
thick (finding parasite) and thin (ID parasite) specimens
Diagnosis of Tissue parasites includes?
biopsy, especially muscle
Protozoa are what kind of parasites?
Eukaryotic single celled parasites
Entamoeba histolytica, describe the life stages.
Two life stages
o Trophozoite- the active feeding stage, pseudopods
o Cyst- similar to endospore, resistant to environment and infective
Entamoeba histolytica describe the transmission.
Transmission
Cysts ingested in contaminated water, food- use of nightsoil increases chance of contamination. Can be vectored by flies.
Entamoeba histolytica describe pathology caused.
Pathology
Cysts excyst in intestine causing bloody diarrhea, if trophozoites enter blood move to liver causing hepatic amebiasis- a collection of pus in the liver.
Giardia lamblia is what kind of protozoa?
Flagellated
Giardia lamblia causes what?
– cause of giardiasis, also known as beaver fever
Giardia lamblia: describe life stages.
o Trophozoite- the active feeding stage
o Cyst- similar to endospore, resistant to environment and infective
Giardia lamblia: describe transmission
Cysts ingested in contaminated water, particularly near beaver populations, beavers are reservoir
Giardia lamblia: describe life stages.
Cysts excyst in intestine, reproduce and cover intestinal wall
Interfere with fat absorption, causing fatty stools and diarrhea
Trichomonas vaginalis causes what disease and has what UNIQUE feature(s)?
Causes trichomoniasis, NO CYST formation, 4 flagella.
Trichomonas vaginalis describe transmission
Transmission
Trophozoites are passed sexually causing urogenital infections
Trichomonas vaginalis describe the pathology
Pathology
Green discharge, itching in females; urethritis in males
Trypanosoma brucei causes what?
African trypanosomiasis – African sleeping sickness .
Trypanosoma brucei describe life stages.
Life stage is protozoa form called trypanosome, no cyst
Trypanosoma brucei, describe Transmission.
Trypanosoma brucei is vectored by the Tse-Tse fly
Trypanosoma brucei, describe Pathology.
o In vertebrate host trypanosomes live in blood, lymph nodes, spleen and CSF
o Do not invade or live in cells, but rather in tissue spaces particularly in CNS
o Within a few days animals becomes emaciated, uncoordinated, and paralyzed… then dies
o Humans tend to experience mental dullness, tendency to sleep finally coma and death
Trypanosoma cruzi causes what?
Chagas’ disease (Mexico, South, Central Am.)
Trypanosoma cruzi, describe life stage.
o Life stage is protozoa form called trypanosome, no cyst
Trypanosoma cruzi, describe transmission.
T. cruzi is vectored by the reduviid bug (kissing bug) via defecation by bug into wound
Describe Acute Chagas’ disease
o Small red nodule called chagoma at bite site
o Heart, liver, spleen and lymph nodes are infected
o Symptoms include anemia, nervous disorders, muscle and bone pain, heart failure
o Death may ensue after 3 to 4 weeks
o Most common in children
Describe Chronic Chagas’ disease
o Symptoms are primarily nervous dysfunction with may continue for years
o Individual may be virtually asymptomatic and suddenly die of heart failure
Leishmania donovani- causes what?
visceral leishmaniasis- called Kala-azar