Fungal Pneumonias Flashcards
What are the 3 endemic dimorphic fungi in the US, and where are they found?
- Histoplasma capsulatum - Ohio/Mississippi river valley
- Blastomyces dermatitidis - states east of Mississippi (and South America)
- Coccidoides immitis - SW United States and California
What are the 4 opportunistic fungi, and where are they found?
- Candida sp. - normal flora of nasopharynx, skin, and vagina
- Aspergillis sp. - found in soil, manue, decomposing vegetation
- Pneumocystis jiroveci - may be part of normal flora; inhalation aquired
- Mucor and Rhizopis sp.
What type of environment does Histoplasma capsulatum live?
- In the soil.
- Caves (bat poop)
- Chicken coops (bird poop)
- Old buildings
Breifly describe the pathogenesis of Histoplasmosis.
You inhale it. It turns to yeast. Macrophages eat, but cannot kill it. Th1 cells come and produce interferon gamma. Granulomas are formed that can be reactivated any time you’re immue suppressed.
What are the clinical manifestations of Histoplasmosis?
- Flu-like symptoms
- Patchy pnumonitis
- Severe pnumonia
- Chronic cavitary histoplasmosis (in COPD patients)
- Disseminated histoplasmosis (in elderly or immune suppressed patients)
How do you diagnosis and treat Histoplasmosis?
- Culture on Sabouraud’s agar
- Yeast within macrophages [Histo Hides]
- Granuloma formation
- Calcified nodules on x-ray
- Amphotericin B (severe infection) or Itraconazole (for mild to moderate infection)
What type of environment does Blastomyces dermatitidis live?
- soil
- decaying vegetation
- dogs
- prairie dogs
- the great open plains
What are the clinical manifestations of Blatomycosis?
Blastomyces enters the blood, goes to skin and forms pustular lesions
How do you diagnosis and treat Blastomycosis?
- [Blasto Buds Broadly]
- Amphotericin B or Itraconazole
What the hell is this?
Skin pustular lesion due to Blastomyces dermatitidis infection. (It’s very common to see this.)
What the hell is this?
[Blasto Buds Broad]
What type of environment does Coccidoides immitis live?
In the desert (“San Joaquin” valley fever)
What is the pathogenesis of Coccidioidomycosis?
You inhale it. It transforms into endospore containing spherules that resist phagocytosis. The endospores are released and cause disease.
What are the clinical manifestations of Coccidioidomycosis?
- Flu-like symptoms (“San Joaquin” Vallet fever)
- “Desert bumps” = erythema nodosum
- “Desert rheumatism” = arthralgia
- Meninges can be affected
What the hell is this?
Spherule full of endospores due to Coccidioidomycosis. [Coccidio Crowds]