export_cns fungi Flashcards

1
Q

Which fungi can cause CNS infections?

A

Systemic fungi - Histoplasma, Blastomyces, Paracoccidioides, Coccidioides, Cryptococcus

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2
Q

What is the leading cause of fungal meningitis?

A

Cryptococcal

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3
Q

Coccidioides immitis important feature

A

Dimorphic; molds in environment, yeast in tissues

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4
Q

Cryptococcus neoformans important feature

A

Encapsulated yeast in both environment and man

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5
Q

Coccidioides immitis life cycle

A

Mold spores inhaled, then converts into a spherule, which produces hundreds of single nucleated spores

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6
Q

Coccidial meningitis

A

Develops slowly

Headache, fever, stiff neck, other neurological signs

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7
Q

Treatment for C. immitis

A

Amphotericin B

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8
Q

Cryptococcus is commonly found where?

A

In soil contaminated with bird droppings

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9
Q

Cryptococcal meningitis symptoms

A

Develops slowly
Bouts of headaches, irritability, dizziness, other CNS

May present over weeks or months

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10
Q

Cryptococcus diagnosis

A

India Ink stain

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11
Q

Treatment for Cryptococcal meningitis

A

Long term treatment of Amphotericin B and fluconazole

Relapse in AIDS patients is common, may require suppressive therapy

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12
Q

Rhinocerebral zygomycosis most commonly affects?

A

Primarily diabetic patients

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13
Q

Symptoms of rhinocerebral zygomycosis

A

Nasal congestion, blood-tinged rhinorhhea, tender sinuses, headache, fever
Can progress to altered mental status, coma, and death

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14
Q

Diagnose zygomycoses

A
Hyphal elements (broad, aseptate, branching at right angles) in clinical material
Culture
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15
Q

Treatment for zygomycoses

A

Amphotericin B

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16
Q

Main parasitic infections

A

Entamoeba histolytica
Trypanosoma brucei

Plasmodium falciparum

Protozoa

Helminth

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17
Q

What does entamoeba histolytica cause in the CNS?

A

Brain abscesses

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18
Q

What does Trypanosoma brucei cause in the CNS?

A

African sleeping sickness

19
Q

What does Plasmodium falciparum cause in the CNS?

A

Cerebral malaria

20
Q

What do protozoa’s cause in the CNS

A

Toxoplasmosis

21
Q

What do helminths cause in the CNS?

A

Cysticercosis

22
Q

Free-living amoeba that can affect the CNS

A

Acanthamoeba
Naegleria

Balamuthia

23
Q

What does Naegleria cause?

A

Primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM)

24
Q

Symptoms of PAM

A

Fever, headache, vomiting, confusion

Rapidly progress to coma and death

25
Q

Diagnose Naegleria fowleri

A

Observation of trophozoites in biopsy material or CSF

26
Q

Treatment of Naegleria fowleri

A

Infection is usually fatal

Can treat with Amphotericin B, some success is found

27
Q

What do Acanthamoeba and Balamuthia cause?

A

Granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE)

28
Q

Symptoms of GAE

A

Amoeba invade brain and cause a slow-developing ulcerative lesion
Slower course of disease than PAM

29
Q

Acanthamoeba keratitis

A

Chronic infection of the cornea, associated with contact lens usage

30
Q

Toxoplasma gondii symptoms

A

Majority of people are asymptomatic
Ocular infections

Encephalitis in immunocompromised

31
Q

Congenital Toxoplasma gondii

A

Can result in miscarriage or stillbirth

Blindness, mental retardation, neurological disorders if baby makes it to term

32
Q

Toxoplasmosis symptoms

A

Most are asymptomatic

“Flu like” - fever, headache, chills, lymphadenopathy

33
Q

Toxoplasma gondii life cycle

A

Parasite infects, then differentiates/disseminates to the muscle, brain, etc.
Immune system “walls off” bradyzoite-filled cyst

Immune weakness can result in reactivation

34
Q

Diagnose Toxoplasma gondii

A

PCR of amniotic fluid
Maternal IgM or rising IgG (acute)

IgM positive in newborn indicates congential, however not all affected are IgM positive

35
Q

Taenia solium disease

A

Pork tapeworm

36
Q

Taenia solium dissemination

A

Larvae hatch in intestines and enter circulation
Travel to various body sites where they encyst

Creates a space filling lesion, inducing local inflammation

37
Q

Neurocysticercosis symptoms

A

Seizure and neurological defects

38
Q

Diagnose Taenia solium

A

CT scan, MRI, serology

39
Q

What disease does Ascaris lumbricoides cause in the CNS?

A

Visceral larval migrans (VLM)

40
Q

What kind of disease is VLM?

A

Zoonotic; infection by worms that normally infect dogs and cats

41
Q

VLM transmission

A

Ingestion of eggs

42
Q

VLM life cycle

A

Humans ingest eggs, larvae hatch and enter bloodstream, can’t develop in humans so granulomatous lesions develop (commonly in liver, lung, and eye)

43
Q

Symptoms of VLM

A

Fever and eosinophilia

44
Q

Treatment of VLM

A

Primarily symptomatic

Steroids