Fungal parasites Flashcards
Explain the significance of fungal pathogens in opportunistic infections.
Normal flora can become infectious when host immunocompromised. Candida albicans causes thrush in many places
What is the diagnostic marker for Ohio Valley?
macroconidia; finger like projections
What is filamentous fungi?
Multicellular growing in filaments that interconnect to form a mold
What is yeast?
Unicellular fungi
What does dimorphic mean?
It means the fungi can either be unicellular yeast or live as a filamentous mold
What are hyphae?
Thread like structures formed from multicellular fungi
What are mycelium?
Macroscopic mold
What are sporangia?
Pods that hold sporangiospores before realease
What are the sexual spores?
Zygospores, ascospores, basidiospores
What are the asexual spores?
Sporangiospores, conidiospores arthrospores
What are pseudohyphae?
Fungi that have budded and elongated looking like they are multi cellular hyphae but are all unicellular
What are the superficial mycoses?
ringworm/athlete’s foot (tinea), Vaginal andidiasis (thrush)
How do superficial mycoses spread?
Contact
What are the subcutanesous mycoses and how do they spread?
Mycetoma foot;Broken skin
How do systemic mycoses spread?
Inhalation in immunocompromised persons
What are the major systemic mycoses?
Cryptococcal meningitis and Pulmonary aspergillosis
What causes California fever?
Coccidiomycosis immitis
What does California fever infect?
Skin and meninges. Very infectious!
–>lab infection.
What is diagnostic for California fever?
Large spherule with endospores, barrel-shaped arthrospores
What causes Ohio Valley Disease?
Histoplasmosis capsulatum
Where does Ohio Valley reproduce?
Inside macrophages
What’s the difference between blastomycosis and paracoccidioidomycosis?
Location where you can get it. Blasto = broad buds, North America. Parrac…=narrow buds, South America
