Oppurtunistic infection Flashcards
What is the definitive host for Toxoplasma gondii?
Cats
Sexual rep. occurs in cats
What are the main ways humans are infected with Toxoplasma gondii?
Ingestion of oocysts (from cat feces)
ingestion of tissue cysts (from undercooked meat)
congenital infection.
What are the three most serious clinical manifestations of toxoplasmosis?
Ocular toxoplasmosis, encephalitis, congenital toxoplasmosis.
How is toxoplasmosis diagnosed?
Definitive diagnosis through demonstration of the organism in histological section or PCR. Serologic tests (IgG and IgM) can also be used. In pregnancy, TORCHES testing may be performed.
What is the treatment for toxoplasmosis?
Pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine are the drugs of choice.
What are the main virulence factors of Candida albicans?
Surface adhesins
acid proteases
phospholipases
phenotypic switching (ability to switch between yeast and hyphal forms).
Name three common clinical manifestations of Candida albicans infection.
Cutaneous candidiasis (including intertrigo and paronychia), oropharyngeal candidiasis (thrush), vulvovaginal candidiasis.
How is Candida albicans diagnosed?
KOH prep of mucocutaneous lesions to reveal yeast, pseudohyphae, or hyphae. Blood cultures (for candidemia), germ tube test, carbohydrate assimilation tests, PCR, API 20C, CHROMagar tests, or (1,3)-β-D-glucan assay.
What is the most common species of Aspergillus causing infections?
Aspergillus fumigatus
Name four major pulmonary syndromes caused by Aspergillus
Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA)
chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis (CNPA)
aspergilloma
invasive aspergillosis.
How is invasive aspergillosis typically diagnosed?
Clinical specimens (sputum, bronchial wash, lung biopsy), culture, galactomannan test, microscopy (KOH prep, silver stain).
What type of organism is Pneumocystis jiroveci?
Fungus (originally misclassified as a protozoan).
Seen primarily in immunocompromised individuals, especially those with HIV infection.
How is Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia dx’d?
Histopathological examination of lung tissue (Giemsa or GMS stain) showing foamy eosinophilic material containing masses of organisms.
Describe the pathogenesis of M. tuberculosis infection
Inhalation of aerosolized droplets containing M. tuberculosis. Phagocytosis by alveolar macrophages. Prevention of phagolysosome fusion, escape into cytosol. Immune response leads to granuloma formation.
What are the main diagnostic methods for M. tuberculosis?
Acid-fast stain of sputum, culture (Lowenstein-Jensen agar), nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs), Mantoux tuberculin skin test (TST), interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA).
What is the most common non-tuberculous mycobacteria species?
Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC)
Disease presentation: Pulmonary disease (resembling TB), lymphadenitis, skin and soft tissue infections, disseminated disease.
Describe the clinical presentation of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA)
Asthma, recurrent pulmonary infiltrates, fever, cough, production of mucus plugs (bronchial casts), elevated IgE levels.
What is the characteristic histological appearance of Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia?
Foamy eosinophilic material containing masses of the organism, alveolar macrophages, epithelial cells, neutrophils, and surfactant. Best visualized with Giemsa or Gomori’s methenamine silver (GMS) stain.
What is the treatment for Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (PCP)?
Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX)
What is a Ghon complex?
The primary lesion of tuberculosis, consisting of the initial parenchymal infection (Ghon focus) and associated hilar lymph node involvement.
What is the Lady Windermere syndrome?
Suppression of the cough reflex in elderly women, increasing susceptibility to Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) lung infections.