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Introduction to Microbiology > Fungi > Flashcards

Fungi Flashcards

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1
Q

What are common fungal infection?

A

Cryptococcus neoformans
Candida infections - oral/vaginal/systemic
Aspergillus fumigatus
Superficial infection (dermatophyte/nail)

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2
Q

What are fungi? (function)

A

FUNCTION: chemo-organotrophic eukaryote that lacks chlorophyll and forms spores.

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3
Q

What are fungi (structure)?

A

STRUCTURE: cell wall contains polysaccharides, often chitin and cellulose and it absorbs nutrients. Its major membrane contains ergosterol as the major sterol.
Sterol = type of lipid, subgroup of steroids

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4
Q

Groupings of Candida species problem

A

Grouped by morphology NOT genetic relatedness

Why? For clinical identification

Problem: identifying to Genus is not enough, resistance varies greatly between

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5
Q

Fungal Kingdom (groups)

A

Basidiomycetes
Ascomycetes
Zygomycetes

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6
Q

Main, high mortality fungal infections of immunocompromised

A

Candida spp. Infect deep organs of patients with various types of immune dysfunction

Aspergillus spp. Infect deep organs of patients undergoing e.g. chemotherapy, stem cell transplantation

Crypotcoccus spp. - moves from lungs to nervous system

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7
Q

What is Aspergillus fumigatus?

A

Farmers’ lung

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8
Q

Of the larger groups, which one do Cryptococcus spp. belong to?

A

Basidiomycetes

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9
Q

Example of an Ascomycetes fungi

A

Candida spp., Aspergillus spp., Neurospora

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10
Q

Example of a Zygomycetes fungi

A

Rhizopus species, bread moulds

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11
Q

Cause of athlete’s foot

A

Epidermophyton

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12
Q

Cause of thrush

A

Candida spp.

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13
Q

Cause of a lot of skin conditions (inc. dandruff)

A

Malassezia spp.

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14
Q

Classes of antifungals

A

polyenes
azoles
echinocandins

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15
Q

What is a cause of dermatophyte infections?

A

tinea - use keratin as a food source

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16
Q

Outline Chronic mucocutaneous

candidiasis (CMC)

A 
can arise in individuals with
an unusual combination of
endocrine and immune
dysfunction (autoimmune
polyendocrinopathycandidiasis
-ectodermal dystrophy —
APECED)
  • more vulnerable to fungal infections
17
Q

Main causative species of Candida infections

A 
C. albicans
C. tropicalis
C. glabrata
C. krusei
C. parapsilosis
18
Q

What sort of infections do Candida spp. cause?

A

oral/vaginal/skin/nail/oesophageal/urinary/disseminated

19
Q

Main causative species of Aspergillus infections

A

A. fumigatus

A. flavus

20
Q

What sort of infections do Aspergillus spp. cause?

A 
simple asthma
asthma with eosinophilia
aspergilloma
invasive - bronchopulmonary/aspergillosis
disseminated aspergillosis
21
Q

What is are aspergillus infections mainly associated with?

A

haematological

malignancies

22
Q

Main causative species of Cryptococcus spp. infections

A

Cryptococcus neoformans

C. gattii

23
Q

What sort of infections do Cryptococcus spp. cause?

A

pulmonary cryptococcosis
meningitis
disseminated infection

24
Q

Examples of Azoles

A

Fluconazole
Voriconazole
Posaconazole

25
Q

How do Azoles work?

A 
Target ergosterol (cell wall)
Make ergosterol into a toxic sterol
26
Q

Example of a Polyene

A

Amphotericin B

27
Q

How do Polyenes work?

A

Target membrane

Binds to ergosterol, makes pore in membrane

28
Q

Example of an Echinocandin

A

Caspofungin

29
Q

How do Echinocandins work?

A

Target cell wall

Causes cell wall stress by blocking 1,3 beta glucan synthase

30
Q

Types of Cryptococcus spp. that cause disease

A

Cryptococcus neoformans

Cryptococcus gattii (complex of C. bacillisporus and C tetragattii)

31
Q

What is special about Cryptococcus gattii?

A

Can target non-immunosuppressed people

32
Q

Fungal pathogens in immunosuppressed - unattributed

A

Rhizopus arrihizus

Exophiala

33
Q

Non-fatal fungal infection examples

A

Athlete’s foot - Epidermophton, Microsporum and Trichophyton spp.
Thrush - Candida spp.
pityriasis versicolor - Malassezia spp.
Dermatophyte infections - tinea (keratin feeding)

34
Q

What is the significance of GXM and GXMGal?

A

Forms Capsule around Cryptococcus- major role in virulence

35
Q

What is the significance of titan cells?

A

Higher virulence

  • found more in Cryptococcus gattii (tetragattii)
  • also protection when inside macrophage
36
Q

Interesting feature of Cryptococcus when taken in by macrophage

A

vomocytosis

- makes the macrophage release it

Introduction to Microbiology (5 decks)

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