Opportunisitic fungal infections Flashcards
What are the three types of Aspergillus infections?
Invasive (disseminated)
Chronic (respiratory)
Allergic
Risk factor?.
Neutropenia, immunocompromised populations (HIV).
What is the main CT finding of Aspergillus?
Pulmonary nodule with halo in Lung CT.
Who is at risk for allergic Aspergillus infection?
CF carriers, asthmatic patients.
What is the diagnosis for Aspergillus?
Antigen test.
Histopathology.
Imaging (CT).
1st line Tx for invasive Aspergillosis?
Voriconazole.
What dreadful order do Rhizopus, Mucor, and Rhizomucor spp belong to?
The Mucorales order.
Under what (biochemical) conditions does the Mucormycosis opportunistic infection arise?
Under acidosis (diabetics), hyperglycemia (diabetics), hyperferremia (sicke-cell), neutropenia (PMNs in particular - chemotherapy, hematogenous malignancies, patients on glucocorticoids…).
What is the most important clinical symptom of Mucormycosis?
rhino/sino-cerebral symptoms: facial/eye pain, soft-tissue swelling, vision changes. Exam may reveal chemosis, erythema, or eschars.
Diagnosis for Mucormycosis?
Histopathology
What is the most important treatment for Mucormycosis?
Surgical debridement, followed by Amphotericin B. (Alternative is posaconazole).
What is the most common cause of meningitis in HIV/AIDS patients?
Cryptococcal meningitis, caused by the Cryptococcus fungus.
Where is Cryptococcus found? How does it enter the body?
It is found in pigeon poop and eucalyptus oil and is inhaled (conidiae).
What are the three forms of diseases caused by Cryptococcus?
Pneumonia, Meningitis, Disseminated (Sepsis) with skin lesions.
Diagnosis of Cryptococcus?
Culture.
Histophathology.
India ink (specific but not sensitive).
Serum Crypto antigen.
