Fungi and Disease Flashcards
Do fungi have a cell wall, cell membrane or both?
BOTH
Characteristics of Fungi?
-Eukaryotic
-Saprophytic Chemoheterotrophs: makes enzymes that break down polysaccharides by secretion
-Like moisture and sugars
-Distinct cell wall
How do yeast cells reproduce?
By budding
What make up the cell wall in fungi?
ß-glucans
chitin (polymer of NAG)
What ß-glycans are there present in the fungal cell wall?
ß-(1-6)-glucan
ß-(1-3)-glucan
What is present in fungi cell membranes that has similar functions to cholesterol in animals?
Ergosterol - can be targeted by drugs as needed for fungi to survive
What is fungi present in in everday society?
Fermentation - alcohol, bread
Food - cheese, mushrooms
Medicine - antibiotics, steroids, enzymes, citric acid
Music and Religion - psilocybe semilanceata - drugs
What was the potato blight caused by?
Fungi - Phytophthora Infestations
Examples of Mycoses (fungal disease) - Yeast
Candida albicans/ Candida spp.
Malassezia Sp.
Cryptococcus Neoformans - bird faeces
Examples of Mycoses - Mould
Dermatophytes
Aspergillus fumigatus
What is Ringworm (also called Dermatophytosis or Tinea) caused by?
Trichophyton
Microsporum
Epidermophyton
What causes scalp dandruff?
Malassezia sp. (yeast)
What is Sporotrichosis and how is it acquired?
-Subcutaneous mycosis(fungal infection) that is caused by sporothrix schenkii which is a dimorphic fungus.
-Resides in the bark of trees, shrubs, garden plants, plant debris in soil
-Enters body through breaks in skin e.g via thorn prick
-Spreads along lymphatics
What is a dimorphic fungus?
A fungus that can exist in the form of a yeast and a mould e.g sporothrix schenkii- in environment in form of mould but can change due to temp
What is Candidiasis and how is it acquired?
Candidia spp.
-Present in normal flora of mucosa
-Opportunistic - causes disease when gains dominance
-Can cause disease when antibiotic disrupts normal flora or in immunocompromised
What are the 3 types of Candidiases?
- Oral Candidiasis (thrush)
- Cutaneous Candidiasis - nappy rash
- Vaginal Thrush
What is Cryptococcus Neoformans?
-Yeast found worldwide e.g pigeon droppings
-Infection via respiratory tract
-Occasionally in immunocompetent
-Usually presents as meningitis in IC
What is Aspergillus fumigatus and what does it cause?
-Spore forming mould
-opportunistic
-infection by inhalation of spores
-causes pulmonary disease
-can infect woulds/burns
What is an Aspergilloma?
A fungus ball that colonizes in healed lung scar or abscess from a previous disease
