Fungal Infections Flashcards
What are the two infectious agents of mycetoma?
Actinomyces - bacteria
Eumycetoma
What are dimorphic fungi able to do?
Switch between mould and yeast form
What are the two disease caused by Crytococcus?
Pulmonary infection
Meningitis
What do dermatophytes eat?
Keratin
How does antibiotic use cause vaginal thrush?
They killed the acid producing lactobacillus > no acid > Candida albicans replicates
What type of fungicide is amphotericin B?
Polyene
What are the cellular targets in anti-fungals?
Ergosterol - cholesterol analogue in the membrane
Nucleic acids
Which species of Crytococcus can infect non-immunocompromised?
C. gatti
What is a standard treatment for systemic fungal infection?
Amphotericin B
What are saprophytes?
Organisms that grow in the environment on organic material
What is the clinical course of Crytoococcosis meningitis?
Slow and insidious but deadly if untreated
Where in the body does Aspergillus often infect?
Infects pre-existing cavities
Which infection is characterised by sulphur deposites on the skin?
Eumycetoma (fungal)
eg Madurella
Why is it possible to get massive number of fungi in the blood before death when there are comparatively little in bacterial infection?
Because fungi don’t produce PAMPs to stimulate the immune system
Why are polyenes so toxic?
Because ergosterol (their target) is similar to cholesterol therefore it is targeted too
What causes the characteristic ring appearance seen with tinea infection?
The lesions heal from the inside out - active infection is at the edge of the lesion
What is a typical treatment for dermatophytosis?
Clotrimazole
What type of infections can Candida albicans cause?
Subcutaneous
Chronic subcutaneous
Systemic
Which people get chronic subcutaneous Candidiasis?
The immunosuppressed
