Sketchy: Cryptococcus Flashcards
How is crypto transmitted?
inhalation
Cue:
- 2 sarcophagi with repeating patterns of circles on them
- sarcophagi = heavily encapsulated
- repeating circles = Cryptococci capsule is made of repeating polysaccharide capsular antigens
Cue:
- mummy holding a cane with bubbles on his chest and head
- cane = immunocompromised (HIV, malignancies, steroids)
- bubbles on chest = bronchopulmonary washings (for diagnosis)
- bubbles on head = “soap bubble” lesions in gray matter of the brain for cryptococcal meningitis
Where is crypto normally found?
- in soil
- pigeon droppings
What stains are used to diagnose Crypto?
- mucicarmine (red)
- methanamine silver
The cryptococcus capsule is made of ______.
repeating polysaccharide capsular antigens
Cue:
- red and silver striped sarcophagus
tissue samples can be stained with mucicarmine (red) or methanamine silver for diagnosis
Cue:
- frogs, pinecones, and a flute
- tx for Cryptococcus =
- Amphotericin B (amphibian) +
- flucytosine (flute) +
- maintenance with Fluconazole (pinecone)
What is the most common cause of fungal meningitis?
Crypto
Fungi are cultured on what agar?
Sabouraud agar
Cue:
- sweating, coughing archaeologist wearing a neck brace and latex gloves and holding a spray bottle labeled NH3
- cryptococcal PNA and meningitis:
- sweating = fever
- coughing = inhalation = transmission; infects the lungs
- neck brace = meningitis (nuchal rigidity)
- latex gloves = latex agglutination test
- NH3 spray bottle = urease positive
The latex agglutination test detects the repeating polysaccharide capsular antigen of _____ .
crypto
The ______ test detects the repeating polysaccharide capsular antigen of crypto.
latex agglutination
Urease positive fungus = ?
Crypto
The latex agglutination test detects the _____ of crypto.
repeating polysaccharide capsular antigen
The _______ is made of repeating polysaccharide capsular antigens.
cryptococcus capsule
How is Crypto diagnosed?
- culture (too slow)
- bronchopulmonary washings stained with mucicarmine (red) or methanamine silver
- lumbar puncture with India ink stain of CSF (wide capsular halos)
- latex agglutination test for PCA
- imaging
How will cryptococcal meningitis appear on imaging?
“soap bubble” lesions in gray matter of the brain
Who gets Cryptococcus?
immunocompromised (HIV, malignancies, steroids)
Cue:
- pigeons and pigeon poop
commonly found in pigeons and their droppings
Cue:
- Egyptian crypt
Cryptococcus neoformans
Cue:
- tar bubbles with halos around them
diagnose Crypto with India ink stain (will be dark background with white circles surrounded by a halo)
What is the main virulence factor of Cryptococcus?
the capsule (antiphagocytic)
What is the tx for Cryptococcus meningitis?
- Amphotericin B + flucytosine + maintenance with Fluconazole
