Medical Mycology III - Dimorphic Fungi Flashcards
Why did dimorphic fungi evolve?
Fungi were originally adapted to a cold, dark habitat. The bodies of animals are much warmer, so some fungi evolved to form a yeast form at warmer temperatures.
Beaver dams have been implicated in _______________.
Blastomyces infection
Dogs often get Blastomyces from _______________.
prairie dogs
In a healthy person, Blastomyces can cause _____________.
infiltrative pneumonia
Blastomyces most often gets into the body by ____________.
inhalation
What disease can Blastomyces cause that is not covered in the Sketchy scene?
Cutaneous infection
Blastomyces can form ___________ hyphae.
thin, septate
Blastomyces divides in a _______________ manner.
broad-based
_____________ prefers an arid climate.
Coccidioides
The “classic” Coccidioides is __________.
C. immitis
Lung cavitations and nodules are typical of ____________.
Coccidioidomycosis (often called “desert wind disease”)
______________ are spheroid and very large.
Coccidioidal spherules (the tumbleweed much larger than the RBC sombrero)
In general, laboratory culture of fungi grows the ____________ form.
cold, mold, spore-forming version
Alternating arthroconidia are _____________.
hyphae that have acellular interruptions that are suggestive of Coccidioides
Complement fixation predicts likelihood of ______________.
extrapulmonary Coccidioides
______________ overlaps the geographical distribution of Blastomyces.
Histoplasma
Question stems will commonly mention _____________ if they’re directing you to a diagnosis of Histoplasmosis.
caves (spelunking), chimneys (in which bats might have pooped), or chicken coops
______________ pneumonia is a classic sign of Histoplasmosis.
Shotgun
Blood cultures will not usually test positive even in fulminant ____________.
Histoplasmosis; antigen testing is more successful and quicker (like the red and yellow dripping stalactites!)
What length of antibiotics is typical of UTI treatment?
3 days
Although Sporothrix schenckii is found around the world, it is most common in _______________.
South America
Uniquely among the infectious fungi, Sporothrix is _______________.
usually transmitted by direct inoculation (as opposed to the usual inhalation)
Sporothrix is more common in _____________.
male adults and children of both sexes
Although uncommon, Sporothrix can ______________.
disseminate to the bones, joints, lungs, and meninges