Fungal Oral infection

Question 1

List fungal characteristics

Answer 1

• Eukaryotic
• No chlorophyll
• Absorb nutrients
• Sexual and asexual
• Spore forming

Question 2

Describe morphology of fungi

Answer 2

• yeast: individual round cells
• Hyphae: fused cells; one round and one projection
• Pseudohyphae: two attached elongated cells

Question 3

Describe oral fungal species

Answer 3

• Candida albicans is most common
• Mostly found in oral cavity and intestines
• Only problematic when overgrown: found in natural flora

Question 4

Describe Primary oral candidiasis -> from candida albicans

Answer 4

• Pseudomembranous candidiasis (Oral thrush) -> milky pink top layer
• Erythematous candidiasis -> Red spots
• Mixed candidiasis
• Hyperplastic candidiasis

Question 5

Describe candida-associated lesions:

Answer 5

• Denture stomatitis: under where dentures sit
• Angular cheilitis: in deep creases of corner of mouth
• Median rhomboid glossitis: along median sulcus of tongue
• Linear gingival erythema: lesions along gingival margin

Question 6

Describe causes of candidiasis:

Answer 6

• Anything that lowers the immune system
• Dry mouth
• Antibiotics

Question 7

Describe bacterial reproduction:

Answer 7

• Asexual by budding
• Sexual:
  1) Two haploid cells fuse
  2) Diploid cell performs meiosis to form four haploid daughters
  3) Only opaque cells mate readily
  4) White cells do NOT mate readily
  5) White-to-Opaque phenotype switching needed for sexual reproduction.
• Parasexual:
  1) Two diploid cells fuse
  2) One set of chromosomes is rejected.

Question 8

Describe Candidiasis albicans virulence traits

Answer 8

• Yeast-hyphal transition
• Adherence
• Invasion
• Disarming host defence