Micro 8 - Fungal infections Flashcards
Fungal cell walls
Plasma membranes
Ribosomes
cell walls contain chitin
plasma membranes contain ergosterol (except Pneumocystis jiroveci)
ribosomes are 80s RNA
yeast vs mould
o Candida – most common yeast + commonest cause of fungal infections in humans
o Cryptococcus
o Histoplasma (dimorphic)
Dimorphic – change between yeasts and moulds
Low temperature – mould, high temperature – yeast
Yest during infection, mould in nature
• Moulds – multicellular hyphae, grow by branching and extension of hyphae
o Aspergillus
o Dermatophytes
o Agents of mucormycosis
Aspergillus buzzwords
presentation mainstay of dx how to determine type stain antigen
pneumonia in immunocompromised Aspergilloma formation (haemoptysis) in patients w PMH of TB
Microscopy - mainstay of dx
Spores - type of Aspergilllus
Stain - methamine silver
Antigen - Galactomannan
Cryptococcus buzzwords
animal
presentation
MRI
ix
birds, pigeons
AIDs defining illness
meningitis, pneumonia in HIV/ immunosuppressed
MRI - multiple cryptococcomas in the brain
india ink stain
CSF/serum cryptococcal antigen
very high opening pressures on LP
massive capsule around the yeast on microscopy which doesnt stain with india ink
Which agar, which stain and which assay can be used for candida?
Sabouraud agar
Periodic Acid Schiff stain (PAS)
Beta-D Glucan assay
Candida mx
– Oral thrush
– Vulvovaginitis
– Localised cutaneous
– Oesophagitis
Topical
– Oral thrush: nystatin
– Vulvovaginitis: cotrimazole
– Localised cutaneous: cotrimazole
Oral
– Vulvovaginitis: fluconazole
– Oesophagitis: fluconazole
Candidemia mx
2/52 antifungals from date of first -ve BC
echinocandin e.g. anidulafungin
BC every 48h until they have 2 persistently negative ones
mx of candidemia in
CNS
endocarditis
bones and joints
UTI
Mx - ambisome/ voriconazole
CNS
endocarditis
bone and joints
UTI
Fluconazole
Cryptococcus mx
o Induction – amphotericin B + flucytosine (at least 2/52)
o Consolidation – high dose fluconazole (at least 8/52)
o Maintenance – low dose fluconazole (at least 1 year)
o Repeat LP (pressure management from chance of hydrocephalus)
o Pulmonary disease – if mild, fluconazole alone
• You are the FY1 on a respiratory ward. Your consultant has referred a patient from
clinic who is experiencing heamoptysis and weight loss. PMHx includes treated
pulmonary TB.
• PMHx of TB – left a cavity – aspergillus grew in the cavity and formed an aspergilloma invades into surrounding tissues and pulmonary vessels causes massive haemoptysis
(aspergillus colonises without extension in preformed cavities and debilitated tissues – can cause aspergilloma )
Aspergillus mx
amphotericin B + voriconazole
at least 6/52
Pneumocystis jiroveci typical presentation + typical XR
Desaturation on walking
Bilateral infiltrates
Fine reticular appearance
Pneumocystis jiroveci stain
Methamine silver
Pneumocystis jiroveci mx
High-dose cotrimoxazole 2-3/52
Steroids if hypoxia
• Why might antifungals targeting cell membrane not work in PCP?
o It lacks ergosterol in its cell wall