Fungal infection Flashcards
What 3 fungal pathogens should you focus on
Aspergillus species
Aspergillus fumigatus
Candida species
Candida albicans
Cryptococcus species
Cryptococcus neoformans
Fungal pathogens are opportunistic in nature and affect patients with? give examples of the 3 main groups
impaired immune system
- Patients with primary immunodeficiencies
Patients with HIV/AIDS
Patients with malignancies (neutropenia) & transplants
Premature neonates (immature immune system)
patients with chronic lung diseases (pulmonary aspergillosis and other moulds) Asthma Cystic Fibrosis Chronic obstructive lung disorders
Affecting patients in ICU settings
Candida causes
thrush (oral too)
candidemia
cryptococcus causes
meningitis
Aspergillus- pneumocystis causes?
Pneumocystisis, allergic and invasive
Mucocutaneous Candidiasis- seen in
nappy rash
red rashes
Antibiotic use
Moist areas
Inhalation steroids
Neonates < 3 month
Mucocutaneous Candidiasis is a Presenting symptom of primary
immunodeficiency disorders
characterised by what? (3 main)
Neutropenia
Low CD4+ T-cells
impaired IL-17 immunity
Invasive Candidiasis is
Gut commensal
Invasive Candidiasis is the 4th most common
bloodstream
infection (BSI) in adults
What are additional risk factors for invasive candidiasis (4)
Broad-spectrum antibiotics
Intravascular catheters
Total parenteral nutrition
Abdominal surgery
Diagnosis of Invasive Candidiasis
Blood culture or culture from normally sterile site
β-d-glucan high NPV and performs very well to
exclude invasive candidiasis
Recent developments in PCR assays very promising
In infants and children performance lower due to
sampling issues
Transmission of Aspergillus and Aspergillosis (4)
sporulation
• hydrophobic conidia
• diameter 2-3 µm
• airborne / inhalation
Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis can go on to form
Neutropenia and tissue damage
Classification of pulmonary Aspergillus disease- name of all 3 plus examples of patients who would be affected
Acute invasive pulmonary aspergillosis - Neutropenic patients (incidence 1-10%)
• Post transplants: stem cell > solid organ (incidence up to 8%)
• Patients with defects in phagocytes
Chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (> 3 months) - Patients with underlying chronic lung conditions
Allergic aspergillosis
• Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis in CF and asthma
(incidence 10-15%)
• Asthma or CF with fungal sensitisation (incidence 5-15%)
Acute Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis - features (5)
Neutropenic host - eg acute leukaemia
Rapid and extensive hyphal growth
• Thrombosis and hemorrhage
• Angio-invasive and dissemination
• Absent or non-specific clinical signs and symptoms
• Persistent febrile neutropenia despite broad-spectrum antibiotics
• Mortality rates around 50% (but depending on immune recovery)