Superficial Cutaneous Fungal infections

Question 1

What fungus causes Pityriasis Versicolor and what are the symptoms?

Answer 1

Caused by Tinea Versicolor also known as Malassezia Furfur.

Found in oily body spots and leads to scaley patches that are either hyper or hypokeritanized.

Question 2

How is Malassezia furfur diagnosed?

Answer 2

KOH skin scrapings looking for spaghetti and meatball appearance under scope.

Love growing in oil.

Question 3

What is the treatment for Mallassezia furfur/ tinea versicolor?

Answer 3

Topical treatment with keratolytic agents from head to toe. (Silineum solfate)

Topical azoles can also be used.
infects stratum corneum

Question 4

Describe Tinea Nigra

Answer 4

Caused by Exophiala werneckii in tropical locations due to contamination with soil, sewage, wood or compost.

Causes oval shaped lesions on hands and feet that produce melanin!

Question 5

How is Tinea nigra diagnosed?

Answer 5

KOH prep showing two-celled yeast forms under the scope containing dark pigment.

Question 6

What is the treatment for Tinea Nigra (Wernicke) infections?

Answer 6

Silineum solfate or topical azoles!

Question 7

What does Piedra hortae cause/

Answer 7

Causes Black piedra!

Question 8

What does Trichosporon beigelii cause?

Answer 8

White piedra specifically aquired from animals!

Question 9

Of the Piedra infections, which appears as a sexual ascospore and which appears as a mycellium?

Answer 9

sexual Ascospores are the Piedra hortae (Black)

and the T. beigelli just grow mycellium.

Question 10

Dermatophytes are generally limitted to what layer of skin?

Answer 10

Limited to the keratinized layers.

Question 11

What are the three genera of dermatophytes?

What do these organisms use for a nutrient source?

Answer 11

Microsporum
Trichophyton
Epidermophyton

All three utilize keratin as a nutrient source

Question 12

What are the typical locations for Black piedra vs white piedra?

Answer 12

Black piedra is found mostly on the scalp.

White piedra is found loosely attached usually on the axillary har, bears, and eyebrows.

Question 13

When comparing superficial mycoses with dermatophytes what is the easiest difference to identify?

Answer 13

Dermatophytes cause inflammation of the skin whereas superficial mycoses typically do not.

Question 14

What is the treatment of choice for dermatophyte infections?

Answer 14

Exfoliating agents as well as topical azoles.

Griseofulvin is used to treat tinea capitis.

Question 15

What is used to treat tinea capitis?

Answer 15

Griseofulvin.

Question 16

What are the infectious forms of candida?

Answer 16

Hyphael forms are the infectious forms where as yeast forms are the normal flora form.

these guys can also form germ tubes at 37 degrees.

Question 17

What are two common forms of cadidiasis?

Answer 17

Diaper rash

Dishwasher hands.

Question 18

What is the treatment for candidiasis?

Answer 18

Amphotericin B with or without fluconazole.

Question 19

How are subcutaneous mycoses typically aquired and what areas of the body are they usually found in?

Answer 19

Typically aquired through trauma which means they are often seen on legs, feet, hands, buttocks.

Question 20

How is sporothrix schenckii contracted and what are its symptoms?

Answer 20

Contracted typically through gardening (Found in the US!)

Shows as a cigar shaped yeast in tissues and forms linear row of ulcers along lymphatic tract.

Question 21

What is the treatment for sporotrichosis?

Answer 21

Potassium iodide as well as oral azoles in severe cases.

Question 22

What causes chromoblastomycoses and what signs are indicitive of this infection?

Answer 22

Subcutaneous infection causing darkly pigmented cauliflower like painless warts.

Under skin scrapings Medlar bodies are found (Copper colored spherical cells) that look like copper pennies.

Question 23

What does Fungal mycetoma cause and what are its symptoms?

Answer 23

Causes Madura foot and found within soil.

Clinical syndrome is a ulcerated lesion that releases pis and blood possibly involving the bone. In the pus will be colored grains.