Fungi Flashcards
Draw a basic fungal cell
How do fungi replicate
either asexual or sexual ( most do both )
Most produce spores -impt in infection
Draw the replication cycles of a fungi
Name 3 phases of sexual cycle of fungi and what happens
Plasmogamy phase- fusion cytoplasm ( not nuclei ) of 2 parent cells
Karyogamy phase -haploid nuclei fuse to form diploid nucleus ( zygote )
Meiosis phase - zygote splits into 2 daughter cells - then spores form and germinate and hyphae form and repeats
Name 4 ways to prevent fungal infections
- Physical barriers
- saliva flushing
- Innate responses -antifungal peptides /complement
- Microbial competition
- Host specific - IgA stop adherence of candid
- macrophage phagocytosis
Treatment of oral candida
1.Good oral hygiene - brushing teeth /dentures
Disinfecting dentures
2.Diet advice - decrease Carbohydrate intake
3. Health/systemic advice- stop smoking/stop drugs /nutritional
4. Antifungal medications
Name two classes antifungals and explain how/where work
“azoles” ( fluconazole tablets /miconazole gel) - stop synthesis of ergosterol in fungi which is important in cell membrane integrity - so fragile and breaks/dies
Polyenes ( amphotercin B /nystatin cream )- interact with ergosterol in the membrane so channels form and membrane becomes leaky - resistance rare to these but patient compliance poor
3 reasons oral candida reoccur in some patients
did not kill ALL cells
patient immunocompromised
Another endogenous source present so reinfects
Name 3 types fungal infection classes
- Superficial candidiasis- eg oral mucosa- candida
- Subcutaneous candidosis- below skin
- Systemic candidiasis - thru out body-aspergillosis
Can fungi be found in normal healthy people oral cavity
Yes in 10-40%
What people does candid Albicans become more prominent in
Unwell /immunocompromised
Name 4 host factors that increase candida infection and why
Immunocompromised - not able mount immune response ie phagocytosis
Diabetics - increased sugars and acidic environments , and as constant sugar source no competition from bacteria as plentiful “food source ‘for both
Prosthesis like dentures - saliva washing compromised and source maybe on prosthesis
Antibiotic treatment - kills off the competing bacteria
Name 2 types oral candidiasis and population seen in
- Pseudmembraneous - creamy white plaques can brush off and see inflamed red mucosa below (elderly/infants/immunocompromised )
- Plaque like nodular - irregular white plaques cannot scrape off - must refer /biopsy as risk cancer
- Erythematous - acute post antibiotics - red painful tongue
-chronic - denture wearers on roof palate
Name 2 mechanisms that increases candidia pathogenicity
Candidalysin toxin -
Dimorphism ability
Adhesins allowing to adhere cell wall of host
