Fungus & Parasites Flashcards
What is the difference between definitive, intermediate, and paratenic host?
definitive: parasite undergoes sexual reproduction in host
intermediate: parasite undergoes larval stage of development, but not sexual reproduction in host
paratenic: parasite passes through without undergoing either
What is the difference between infection and infestation?
Infection: parasite in internal organs/tissues. Called Endoparasites. Common entry is oral ingestion or direct penetration of skin.
Infestation: parasites on hair, skin, clothing. Called ectoparasites. E.g. lice or mites
List representative intestinal protozoa.
Entamoeba histolytica
Giardia lamblia
Cryptosporidium sp
List representative urogenital protozoa.
trichomonas vaginalis
List representative free living protozoa.
Naegleria fowleri
Acanthamoeba
They cause CNS issues and corneal ulcers
List representative intestinal/tissue cocidium
Toxoplasma gondii (cats)
List representative blood and tissue parasites
Hemoflagellates:
Trypanosoma cruzi -Chagas disease
T brucei - sleeping disease
Leishmania sp - cutaneous and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis and visceral
Malaria:
Plasmodium falciparum -most dangerous one of the plasmodiums
What is the mechanism of pathogenicity for coccidiodes immitis?
- dimorphic, after inhalation, arthrospores (mold) swell and develop into spherules filled with endospores (yeast) within 48-72 hr. endospores develop into new spherules
- arthospores have anti phagocytic activity
- spherules too big for phagocytosis
What diseases do coccidioides immitis cause?
- pulmonary infection (60%)
- erythema nodosum 5%
- disseminated disease 5%: skin, soft tissue abscesses, bone and joint disease, meningitis
What is the immune status of coccidioides immitis infections?
primary fungal pathogen, infects both immunocompetent and immunocompromised
What are the diseases caused by Candida albicans?
Systemic: urinary tract, endocardium, meninges, blood
non systemic: mucocutaneous: ileum, esophagus, vulvovaginitis, trush
cutaneous: diaper dermatitis, nails
What is the immune status of patients with Candida albicans infections?
- Neutropenic patients more susceptible to invasive
- HIV/AIDS increases risk of mucutaeous infections
- patients undergoing antibacterial therapy more susceptible to cutaneous and mucucutaneous infection
What is the morphology of Candida albicans?
- Doesn’t have mold form, only yeast form
- can transform into pseudo hyphal and hyphal forms in response to environmental changes
What is the host immune status of patients infected with Aspergillus fumigates or flavius?
Immunocompromised only, especially neutropenic patients
What is the mechanism of pathogenicity for Aspergillus?
- Mold only
- toxins and extracellular enzymes that lead to hemorrhage and tissue necrosis and may aid in tissue invasion