Medical Mycology Terms/Basics

Question 1

some yeast elongate and ahere to one another forming

Answer 1

pseudomycelium/pseudohyphae

Question 2

microconidia

Answer 2

small single-celled conidia

Question 3

arthroconidia

Answer 3

asexual reporductive element

single-celled conidia that are formed by the disjoining of hyphal cells

Question 3

serological methods are especially useful in…

Answer 3

systemic fungal diseases

Question 3

possible effective drug combination strategies (4)

Answer 3

1. inhibition of different stages of the same biochemical pathway
2. increased penetration of one agent into the cell through a permeabilizing activity of another agent
3. inhibition of the transport of one agent out of the cell by another agent (reserpine inhibits efflux pumps with azole)
4. simultaneous inhibition of different fungal cell targets

Question 3

resistance of echinocandins

Answer 3

resistant organisms have point mutations in the subunits of the glucan synthesis target

sensitivity to polyene and azole drugs retained

Question 5

function of amphotericin B

Answer 5

bind to ergosterol, direct membrane damage

Question 6

most of our understanding about resistance to antifungal agents comes from observations of

Answer 6

C. albicans as well as other species of Candida

Question 7

mechanism of flucytosine

Answer 7

disrupts nucleic acid synthesis in the nucleus

Question 8

what are ergot alkaloids?

Answer 8

family of related compounds that can lead to gangrene, nervous spasms, psychotic dilusions, muscle contractions, BV constriction

LSD was discovered through these

Question 8

function of allylamines

Answer 8

they interfere with ergosterol biosynthesis, targeting cell membrane

Question 10

what are rhizoids?

Answer 10

rootlike structures

Question 12

function of griseofulvin

Answer 12

dirupt microtubules and mitosis

Question 12

resistance to antifungal drugs can occur through:

Answer 12

• efflux pumps
• target alterations
• reduced access to drug targets

Question 14

what is mycelium?

Answer 14

a mass of intertwined hyphae that accumulate during active growth

Question 15

chlamydoconidia

Answer 15

asexual reporductive element

thick-walled single cells that are resistant to adverse conditions

Question 15

function of echinocandins

Answer 15

inhibit glucan synthesis, inhibit cell wall

Question 16

the term for organisms living on dead organic matter

Answer 16

saprobe/saprophyte

Question 16

conidiospores

Answer 16

asexual reporductive element

medically important spores that are borne naked on specialized structures (macro/microconidia)

Question 17

resistance to azoles

Answer 17

1. increased expression of efflux pumps
2. decreased affinity of the target enzyme for the drug
3. increased expression of the target enzyme
4. alternative metabolic pathways leading to synthesis of ergosterol

Question 18

TRUE OR FALSE:

the use of azoles in agriculture doesn’t affect resistance in the clinic

Answer 18

FALSE, it contributes to resistance in the clinic

Question 19

macroconidia

Answer 19

large, multicelled conidia

Question 21

three types of hyphae

Answer 21

1. nonseptate (coenocytic)
2. septate, uninucleate cells
3. septate, multinucleate cells (coenocytic)

Question 22

do fungi destroy antifungal drugs?

Answer 22

no, they do not destroy or modify antifungal drugs

Question 23

eagle effect

Answer 23

definaed as an organism that is resistant to high concentrations of the drug but susceptible to low concentrations

Question 24

what is aflatoxin

Answer 24

produced by Aspergillus flavus, is a mutagenic/carcinogenic and often a contaminant of peanuts, corn, grains, and other food

Question 25

serological methods

Answer 25

ELISA

precipitation tube test

complement fixation test

latex agglutination

Question 26

resistance to polyenes

Answer 26

not common

mechanism: reduction of ergosterol in resistant organisms, masking ergosterol in the cell membrane

prevents amphotericin B binding

Question 27

resistance to allyamines

Answer 27

not a result of resistance to the drug, but is due to the CDR1 multidrug efflux pump

Question 28

resistance to flucytosine

Answer 28

THIS RESISTANCE IS COMMON—OFTEN USED IN COMBINATION THERAPY

alterations in the permease that reduces uptake of the drug

alterations in any of the enzymes necessary for conversion to the active metabolites

Question 30

sporangiospores

Answer 30

asexual spores

medically important single-celled spores that are formed within sacs called sporangia from the end of a special hyphae (sporangiophores)

Question 32

ingestion of mushrooms of the Amanita species result in what?

Answer 32

severe or fatal liver and kidney damage by alpha-amanitin inhibiting RNA polymerase II

Question 33

amphotericin B is a

Answer 33

polyene

Question 34

sporangiophore

Answer 34

special hyphae that has a sporangium extending from it that forms sporangiospores

Question 35

blastoconidia

Answer 35

asexual reporductive element

budding

Question 36

function of azoles

Answer 36

they interfere with ergosterol biosynthesis, targeting cell membrane

Question 37

asci/ascospores

Answer 37

type of sexual spore

Question 38

what type of drug is terbinafine and what does it do?

Answer 38

Allylamine

interferes with ergosterol biosynthesis, targeting cell membrane