LG 6.6 - Medical Mycology

Question 1

What are the common risk factors for fungal infections?

Answer 1

• Living in warm, humid climate
• occupational (landscaper, wood cutter, etc.)
• CMI (cell-mediated innate defenses) deficiency: higher incidence, more intractable, neutrophil, t-cell mediated response most important.
• Topical immunosuppression (glucocorticoids)

Question 2

What are the two types of clinically important fungal infections?

Answer 2

• Opportunistic: only in immunocompromised, debilitated, or break in skin or mucous membrane.
• Primary pathogens: healthy individuals. Inhaled, soil, etc. (only environmental)

Question 3

(6) Mnemonic for clinically important dimorphic fungi. Can Senior Boys Host Many Cool Pool Parties?

Answer 3

• Candida albicans
• Sporothrix schenckii
• Blastomyces dermatitidis
• Histoplasma capsulatum
• Malassezia furfur
• Coccidioides immitis (spherule)
• Paracoccidioides brasiliensis
• Penecillium marneffei

Question 4

(6) What are some fungal virulence factors?

Answer 4

• Dimorphism
• Adhesins
• Proteases, elastases, phospholipases
• Some resist killing in macrophages -> survive, replicate, disseminate.
• Siderophores
• Biofilms
• High alpha-1,3- glucan
• Delayed type hypersensitivity
• Capsule